Page 143 - New Grammar with a Smile 8

Jack said that his wife was going to visit her mother, after which she would
do some shopping.

Note
In an assertive sentence, the reporting verb is usually ‘said’. This reporting verb ‘said’ can
be changed to ‘told’ if the person to whom the direct speech is addressed is mentioned.
For example,
He said, ‘That’s a nice dress you have on.’
He said that that was a nice dress she had on.

(Since the listener is not mentioned, the reporting verb will remain the same.)
He said to her: ‘That’s a nice dress you have on.’
He told her that that was a nice dress she had on.

Imperative Sentences

In imperative sentences, the reporting verb said is usually changed to ordered,
requested, commanded, demanded, advised, etc. In this case, the person to whom
the direct speech is being addressed has to be mentioned in the reported speech, and
this person is often the object of the reporting verb. For example,

• ‘Fight!’ said the general to the soldiers.
The general ordered the soldiers to fight.

• ‘Follow the smell!’ said the policeman to his dog.

The policeman commanded his dog to follow the smell.

In the case of negative imperative sentences, the negative particle ‘not’ is inserted
between the object of the reporting verb and the infinitive.

For example,

• The teacher said to me: ‘Don’t talk to your neighbour!’
The teacher ordered me not to talk to my neighbour.

Interrogative Sentences

In the case of interrogative sentences, the reporting verb said (to) can be changed to
asked or enquired (of). If the interrogative sentence requires a Yes/No answer, then
the conjunction if or whether is used in place of that when transforming from direct
speech to indirect speech. For example,

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