Speaking: Grammar in Speaking B2 - Lesson 3: Using Reported Speech
Welcome back! We use reported speech1 every day to tell someone what another person said. At a B2 level, moving beyond basic reporting and fluently including questions and commands is key to effective storytelling and communication. This lesson will help you master the structures for reporting statements, questions, and commands in your everyday speech.
The Three Core Changes
When we report what someone said in the past, three things usually change: the verb tense, the pronouns, and the time/place words.
1. Tense Backshift2: The verb tense "moves back" one step into the past.
Direct: "I am busy." → Reported: "He said he was busy."
Direct: "I finished my work." → Reported: "He said he had finished his work."
2. Pronoun Change: Pronouns change to match the new speaker's perspective.
Direct: "I need your help." → Reported: "She said that she needed my help."
3. Time/Place Word Change:
Direct: "I will do it tomorrow." → Reported: "He said he would do it the next day."
Reporting Different Types of Speech
- Statements: Use `said (that)` or `told me (that)`.
Direct: "I'm tired." → She said that she was tired. - Yes/No Questions: Use `asked if` or `asked whether`. The sentence becomes a statement, not a question.
Direct: "Are you coming?" → He asked me if I was coming. - Wh- Questions: Use `asked` + the question word (what, where, when, how). The sentence also becomes a statement.
Direct: "What time is it?" → She asked me what time it was. - Commands & Requests: Use `told someone to` (for a command) or `asked someone to` (for a request) with the infinitive3.
Direct: "Close the door." → He told me to close the door.
Direct: "Please pass the salt." → She asked him to pass the salt.
Scenario: Recounting a Conversation
Listen to Dara telling his friend about a recent phone call with his sister. Notice how he naturally reports different types of speech.
"I just got off the phone with my sister, Sreymom. It was interesting. First, she told me that she was thinking about changing her job. Naturally, I asked her why she wanted to leave her current company. She said she was bored. Then she asked me if I knew of any good job openings. I told her I'd look. Before she hung up, she asked me to send her my new CV as an example. It was a long conversation!"
Beyond "Say" and "Ask": Using Richer Reporting Verbs
To make your speaking more descriptive and nuanced, use more interesting reporting verbs instead of always using "said" or "asked."
- Instead of "He said he was sorry," try "He apologized."
- Instead of "She said she would pay," try "She offered to pay" or "She promised to pay."
- Instead of "He told me not to go," try "He warned me not to go."
- Instead of "The teacher said, 'Good job!'" try "The teacher praised/complimented my work."
- Instead of "He said, 'No, I will not do it!'" try "He refused to do it."
Practice Quiz: Report It Correctly
Choose the correctly reported version of the direct speech.
1. Direct: "Where did you buy your new phone?" he asked me.
A) He asked me where did I buy my new phone.
B) He asked me where I had bought my new phone.
C) He asked me where I bought my new phone.
→ Answer: B or C. Both are correct in modern usage. B (`had bought`) is the grammatically traditional backshift from past simple to past perfect. C (`bought`) is very common in informal speech when the time is clear. For an exam, B is often preferred.
2. Direct: "Don't forget to lock the door," my mother said.
A) My mother told me don't forget to lock the door.
B) My mother asked if I forgot to lock the door.
C) My mother reminded me to lock the door.
→ Answer: C. "Reminded me to" is a much more precise and fluent way to report this than just using "told me to".
Your Mission: The Gossip Report
Your mission is to practice retelling a conversation, which is one of the most common uses of reported speech.
- Think of a real conversation you had recently with a friend or family member.
- Imagine you are telling another person about this conversation.
- Record yourself for 60-90 seconds. Your goal is to include:
- Listen back and check your use of tenses, pronouns, and reporting structures. This is excellent practice for making this complex grammar automatic.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Reported Speech: (Noun Phrase) - ការនិយាយបន្ត - A way of saying what someone else said, without using their exact words. Also known as indirect speech. ↩
- Backshift: (Noun) - ការផ្លាស់ប្តូរកាល - The rule in grammar where verb tenses move one step into the past in reported speech. ↩
- Infinitive: (Noun) - កិរិយាស័ព្ទ nguyên mẫu - The basic form of a verb (e.g., to go, to see, to ask). ↩
- Statement: (Noun) - សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍ - A sentence that states a fact or an opinion. ↩
- Command: (Noun) - បញ្ជា - An order given to a person or animal to do something. ↩