REPORTING

STATEMENTS-

EL ESTILO INDIRECTO:

LAS ORACIONES

ENUNCIATIVAS

Podemos contar lo que alguien dijo de dos maneras:

1 Repitiendo sus palabras exactas, es decir, empleando el estilo directo.
"1 have to go now," she said.
"We lived in Paris for three years," Peter said.
2 Contando la idea, pero no las palabras exactas, que es el "estilo indirecto".
She said (that) she had to go then.
Peter told us [that] they had lived in Paris for three years.

En el estilo directo se utilizan comillas y maysculas al empezar la cita, pero en

el estilo indirecto:
1 No hay comillas.

REPORTING

STATEMENTS

EL ESTILO INDIRECTO:

CHANGES IN TENSE

1-

LOS CAMBIOS EN LOS TIEMPOS

CHANGES IN TENSE
LOS CAMBIOS

2 La frase se suele introducir con los verbos say y tell, o con accept, advise,
agree, announce, apologise, ask, beg, c1aim, complain, declare, explain,
insist, invite, offer, point out, pro test, remind, remerk, sta te, think, etc., que
llamamos reporting verbs.

LAS ORACIONES ENUNCIATIVAS

Nota: Despus de los verbos say, suggest, tell y think podemos omitir that, pero
nunca se puede omitir con verbos como explain, complain, point out, etc.

3 El tiempo de la narracin da una especie de "salto atrs" si el verbo que lo

introduce va en pasado.

11-

EN LOS TIEMPOS

11

4 Las palabras que indican lugar o tiempo, los pronombres

personales y

posesivos, los demostrativos, etc., cambian lgicamente.

REPORTING

COMMANDS

LAS RDENES

(lMPERATIVE)

INDIRECTAS

5 Las preguntas dejan de serIo. Mira la unidad 16.

(EL IMPERATIVO)

EXERCISE

Punctuate the following sentences according to the rules of direct speech.

1. "1 will paint my room next week.Diane said.
2.

Beth said I won't come to the play because 1'm ill

3. She said I have to phone my cousin now

4.

Why don't you visit Mary now he asked

5.

I have lost my wallet Andrew declared

6. You can't go out tonight I insisted

237

CHANGES IN TENSE 1LOS CAMBIOS EN LOS TIEMPOS'I

Si el verbo que introduce el estilo tadirecto est en pasado, el tiempo que

tenamos en el estiloll1irecto da un salto atrs.
"1 have read the note," she said.
She said that she had read the note.
"He is working in the office now," they told me.
They told me that he was working in the office then.
Nota: Fijate en que tell debe llevar siempre un complemento indirecto de persona.
B

Si el verbo est compuesto de ms de un auxiliar, slo cambia el primero.

"My house is being redecorated," she said.
She said that her house was being redecorated.

CHANGES IN TENSE 11LOS CAMBIOS EN LOS TIEMPOS 11

Estilo indirecto: He said that

Estilo directo: He said,

Past Simple

Present Simple

... she studied English.

"She studies English."

Past Continuous

Present Continuous

... she was studying English.

"She is studying English."

Past Perfect Simple

Present Perfect Simple

... she had studied English.

"She has studied English."

Past Perfect Continuous

Present Perfect Continuous

... she had been studying English.

"She has been studying English."

Estos cambios no ocurren:

Cuando el verbo que introduce la cita est en presente o en futuro.

She pointed out that London is the capital of Great Britain.

"Peter lives in Market Street," 1 told them.
1 told them that Peter lives in Market Street.
Otros cambios necesarios al pasar una frase a estilo indirecto son estos:
Los pronombr~s pers~nale~ y los adjetivos o pronombres posesivos de a y 2a
persona cambian segun qUien habla, pero los de 3a persona no cambian.

2 Las expresiones de tiempo y de lugar.

now
~
then
today / tonight
~
that day / that night
yesterday
~
the day before, the previous day
tomorrow
~
the next / following day, the day after
next week / month
~
the following week / month
last week / month
~
the previous week / month
the week / month before
a week / month ago
~
the week / month before
here
~
there
these ~

... she had studied English.

Past Perfect Continuous

Past Continuous

2 Cuando se narra una verdad objetiva o una situacin permanente.

"London is the capital of Great Britain," she pointed out.

3 Los demostrativos.
this+-s--that

Past Perfect Simple

Past Simple

"She studied English."

"1 love soup," says Mary.

Mary says she loves soup.

those

... she had been studying English.

"She was studying English."

No cambia

Past Perfect Simple

"She had studied English."

No cambia

Past Perfect Continuous

"She had been studying English."

Future Simple

c:>

"She will study English."

Future Continuous

c:>

"She will be studying English."

can

c:>

"She can study English."

may

c:>

"She may study English."

must / have to

"She must / has to study English."

c:>

Conditional

... she would study English.

Future Past Continuous

... she would be studying English.

could

... she could study English.

might

... she might study English.

mustl had to
... she must / had to study English.

Nota: Shou/d, cou/d, wou/d, might, ought to y used to no cambian.

EXERCISE

Choose the correct answer.

said that

I (dont,

~t,

4.

wasn't) think their plan was good.

1.

2.

He said that he (would, can, was) go to see that play soon.

3.

He said that he (had, is, was) worked in Barcelona before he moved there.

4.

My teacher said that I (had to, can, may) do better than that.

5.

I said that I (can, might, wil/) be early for the meeting.

6.

She said that she (would, might, was) sorry.

7.

Sandra said that she (decided, were decided, had decided) to change her dress.

5.

2.

The man (explained, toid) that the computer was easy to use.

3.

Our teacher (advised, said) us to study for the test.

't

5.

The man

6.

My brother (told, mentioned)

TV (announced,

. find

that he

new white shirt.

.. pointed out.

joanna pointed out that her cousin~.Q.!-f1.~(f~r:.X~?~f~cj.r:r?J:I}.c;:~:

.

2.

...........
t n the nurse apologised.
"1 can't see you ye ,
........

'.'

"A lot of gold

work

"{oanna

1.

was too hard.

4.

on

fnd my new white shirt."

EXERCISE

3.

her boss that her

. be 17 years old

Bren d a rernm. ded us that she

Tuesday.

. have often visited France,

"My couslns

1. My friend (said, told) me that I was lucky.

The secretary (told, complained)

lived in Toledo for years.

Write the following sentences in reported speec h . Remember . Pronouns also

change. Be careful!

Choose the correct answer.

4.

"1 will be 17 years old next Tuesday."

6. [ohn
"1 cancomplained
I

8. He said that his dock (had rung, is ringing, rings).

EXERCISE

li d i Toledo for years."

"My sister has ive In
.
The man told us t hat
. sister

told) that the news would be late.

rnined

~..;~~;~~..,:~~~~i~I~~~~~~;~~~~
out.

In Sout

,:.~~.~~;~
.................................
: ~.:,.~.~.~.
;~~
~~~;i'~~'
~~;~:
.
15

..

"The children have been studying geography,

.
.

that he would join me for lunch.

"The minister is prepanng

7. Simon (toid, said) Tina that the lesson would begin at 9.00.
8.

5.

6.

"1 might go to Amster

EXERCISE

.
..

My friend (told, explained) me that she would return the DVD to the shop.

fil/ in the blanks.

his speec

7. ,:~~~..:

.:

tr

am,.

Paul said

"1 Hke Engiish."

Mkhael said that he

......................................................
::~~~~~enagers agreed.
8. "We will also work during the summer,

N~ ....EngHsh

f
. "You must stop eabng fried ood."

',~~~'i'~~';
~.~.~~i~~~~~,-,:
~~;~.
~'~';;~'.""""'"

.;

................................

,.

9. "AII police officers have to report for

~;

;~~ch;~f, ~"sted

~;~~~~;

uy

.................

Thdedocto, expla;ned that '

.

stop eabng fned food.

10.

,:;~~~~y:~~'~s~:;n~:~f~;~~~~~~,:'~he~~~~~~,~,~~~

"1 on't Wantto go to school today.

.
.........................................................................................

~~=====M===yb=ro=t=h=e=r=;n=s=;S=te=d=t=h=a==th==e.=
...=..=..=..=..=..=..=..=w=a=n=t=t==og=o=t==OS=C=hO=O='=.=
..=..="="="'="="="='====~~",~
~~~~===================================================:::~:::=~2~4:1==_:J
240
_

EXERCISE

Nota: Qu hacemos cuando ponemos en estilo indirecto las oraciones condicionales?

Write the following sentences in reported speech.

Elprimer condicional al pasarlo al estilo indirecto, tiene los mismos tiempos que si
se tratase del segundo condicional, es decir, el presente pasara a ser pasado y el
futuro a condicional.
"If you phone after 7.00, we won't be at home," we told him.
We told him that if he phoned after 7.00, we wouldn't be at home.

El segundo y el tercer condicional no cambian en estilo indirecto.

"If 1 were you, I'd tell her the whole story," Tom said.
Tom said that if he were me, he'd tell her the whole story.
"If 1 had been more careful, 1wouldn't have had the accident," Sally said
to her friendo
Sally told her friend that if she had been more careful, she wouldn't have
had the accident.

1. "The electricity bill must be paid this week," he advised uso

.ljf!. .~.c!y.~~~c!.
.Lf?.~0.~r
~hf!.
.~!f!.~.t!J.C;!~Y.
/~!!~
.'!}.Lf?~! .0.~~.
~~.~~.P?/c!..~0.~~.
week .

.........................

2. "1 had abad cold last week," the worker said.

.....................................................................................................................
3. "We are painting our house today," my friend said.
.....................................................................................................................

4
1

El verbo que introduce el estilo indirecto debe indicar "mandar", por eso nunca
se usa say (decir), sino tell, order, instruct, que deben llevar un complemento
de persona, a quien se da la orden .
He said, "Be quiet." ~ He told us to be quieto
He said, "Please don't shout." ~ He ordered me not to shout .

Adems de los verbos que ya hemos visto antes, hay otros que se usan para
hacer peticiones como ask, beg; invitaciones como invite o advertencias como
warn, etc.
IISaythat again, please," he said. ~ He asked me to say that again.

.....................................................................................................................
6. "She didn't leave work early once last week," Tom said.

7. "1 forgot to take my briefcase," jirn said.

.....................................................................................................................
8. "The shops weren't open yesterday afternoon," the woman said.

.....................................................................................................................
9. "Eric was studying all day Thursday," John said.
.....................................................................................................................

El imperativo pasa a infinitivo manteniendo la forma afirmativa o negativa .

He said, "Stay here." ~ He told us to stay there.
She shouted, "Don't move!" ~ She ordered us not to move .

.....................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................

(EL IMPERATIVO)

Las rdenes se suelen expresar en imperativo pero al poner/as en estilo indirecto:

4. "The palace will be open to the public tomorrow," the official declared.

5. "The boss is examining our work now," the worker said.

REPORTING COMMANDS (IMPERATIVE)

LAS RDENES INDIRECTAS

Nota: Fjate en que al traducir las rdenes en estilo indirecto usamos el

subjuntivo .
He said, "Be quiet."
He told me to be quieto (Me dijo que me

callara.)

10. "1 want you to take the car to the garage next Friday," he told his wife.
......................................................................................................................

242

243

EXERCISE

Write

the

following

commands

in reported

EXERCISE

speech.

Write
1.

the

following

sentences in reported

"1 would like to visit my parents,"

speech.

Linda said to David .

.~Jnq?l.WJ.cJ. P?Xicj .~f:.?t.~hg.yy'Q.l}!q.!i~g.t~yf?Jt. hgu!.?!.~m~;

2.

Our teacher

said, "Try and read this text."

.....................................................................................................................

3.

"You shouldn't

eat in the living-room,"

the mother told her son .

.....................................................................................................................

4.

"Their car might have broken down,"

my husband

told me .

.....................................................................................................................

5.

"1 have to do my homework

now," Penny said to her friendo

1. "Please don't leave," he begged her.

He begged her not to leave.

.....................................................................................................................
2

"Don't smoke in my office, please," the boss said.

3.

"Keep quiet!" the nurse said to the visitors.

6.

"The Government

will have to make new laws," the politician declared.

7.

"We can save a lot of trees by recycling paper," the ecologist explained.
.

8.
4.

"Give me your papers!" the policeman

instructed

"Be sure that everything

is ready on time," 1advised the children.

me.
.

5.

"Don't forget to phone me!" the father said to his son.

EXERCISE
Complete the following

6.

"Stand up straight!" the teacher

7.

"Please come over for supper next Friday," my neighbour

said to the pupilo

asked.

.....................................................................................................................

8.

"Don't make a noise!" the librarian said to the readers.

.....................................................................................................................

244

sentences using your own words and ideas.

l.

My parents always tell me to .~~..c;?:(~l!!!.YY.f:g!?!.9.((':'~:

2.

Our English teacher

3.

My favourite TV star said in the last programme

4.

The prime minister recently stated that

5.

One of my friends has just asked me to

6.

Last week 1said to my best friend that

told us that

245

EXERCISE

Write the following

TRANSLATION

10

1ranslate the sentences below into your native language.

sentences in direct speech.

1. The teacher told us to read the whole book in English.

The teacher said, "

J.~~f:!~'U~~
..~~9.~~.k~9.~.j!!J'!g!(~~

."

1. He said that we were

2.

2. They asked us not to smoke in the patient's room.

3.
They said, "Please
3.

announced

,"

to my parents that

wouldn't be late.

"1
parents.

," 1 announced

soon.

The poi ice explained that the accident had been caused by a drunk driver.
said it would rain that afternoon.

5. She said that if Tom had been there, it wouldn't have happened.

to my

She told us that she had been to the Canary Islands many times.

complained

to the secretary that

had been waiting for over two hours.

7. They declared that they would be putting their house up for sale the following

She said, "

month.

5. The pensioner said that he had retired two years before.

8. They told us that if their plan worked, they could become rich overnight.

The pensioner said, "

6. She told us that she was thinking of changing jobs the following year.
She said, "

SPOT

THE

ERROR

)(

"
Can you corred

7.

eaving

My friend asked me not to tell anyone about the letter.

4. The meteorologist

6.
4.

the mistakes?

My parents advised me to tell the truth at all times.

1. She said me to go and get the newspaper.
My parents said, "

tt

2. My mum told me

8. They invited us to come and see their new house.

"Please

," they said.

could bought new shoes.

3. The teacher told us that we will finish the unit the following lesson.
4. She told us to not worry.

EXERCISE

11

5. The pupil told he had done his homework.

~

Choose the corred

answer.

Helen went to the USA last month. When she returned, Steve came to visit. He
wanted to know whether Helen (1 had, has, have, did) enjoyed her visit to the USA
the (2 next, before, previous, ago) month. He asked her whether she (3 is, was, will.
may) planning to go again the (4 following, future, previous, last) summer. Helen

6. She explained that she may be late.

7. They told to us that the letter was being typed.
8. Eric insisted that he will have to think about it.

told him that the USA (5 is, will be, has, were) such a big country that it was
impossible to see it all in one trip. Steve (6 told, said, reported, asked) if Helen
had

(7

being, been, be, gol to Washington,

DC, and she answered that she

(8 was, is, has, had). While trying to tell Steve about her trip, Helen got annoyed
with his questions. She (9 told, said, let, explained) Steve (10 not, be, will, to)
stop interrupting her while she was talking.
247