Grammar · Lesson 9

Reported speech: preserve the act, rebuild the viewpoint

An accurate report does more than move verbs into the past. It identifies what the original speaker was doing, such as asking, warning, admitting, denying, or promising, and rebuilds that message for a new listener, time, and place. At B2, grammar and responsibility meet: the reporting verb must preserve the original force without turning an allegation into a fact or a suggestion into an order.

70–80 min corequestions · requests · commandspatterns · viewpoint · stance15–20 min extension

NoticeSeparate words, purpose, and later report.

BuildControl clause and complement patterns.

CalibratePreserve viewpoint, force, and certainty.

ReconstructRelay a fictional meeting responsibly.

Can-do: By the end, you can report wh-, yes-or-no, and subject questions with embedded statement order; distinguish a request from a question about ability; report commands, warnings, reminders, and advice with an explicit listener; choose among to-infinitive, object + to-infinitive, -ing, preposition + -ing, and that-clause patterns; use reporting verbs without adding unsupported blame, certainty, or commitment; adjust tense, modal, pronoun, time, and place reference only when the new viewpoint requires it; hear statement-like reported-question intonation and reduced complement words in U.S. speech; and reconstruct a multi-speaker meeting accurately.

Two-minute retrieval

Reactivate the B1 foundation

Choose the complete chunk required by the stated reporting frame.

1Report “Where is the file?” with embedded statement order: The chair asked .

2Name Maya as the listener after told: The coordinator .

3The inspection ended before the later report: He said the team .

4Complete the established verb pattern: She suggested .

Notice three layers in every report

Fictional Riverton cooling-center meeting, June 11

Maya, chair: “Can the west branch stay open until 9:00 during heat alerts?”

Omar, facilities coordinator: “I forgot to schedule the evening security staff.”

Lena, safety officer: “Do not extend the hours until two guards are confirmed.”

Priya, community liaison: “Please publish the hours in Spanish and English by Friday.”

Nia, director: “I’ll send the final schedule tomorrow.”

Jordan’s June 13 briefing

Jordan said Maya had asked whether the west branch could stay open until 9:00 during heat alerts. Omar had admitted forgetting to schedule the evening security staff. Lena had warned the team not to extend the hours until two guards were confirmed. Priya had asked the communications team to publish the hours in Spanish and English by Friday. Nia had promised to send the final schedule the next day.

Which report names a question rather than answering it?
Which reporting verb adds acceptance of responsibility?
Which verb preserves a safety instruction instead of weakening it into a suggestion?
Which report identifies the person expected to act?
Which verb adds a commitment that the original I’ll supports?

Discovery check: words, purpose, and viewpoint

1Maya’s original sentence has yes-or-no question form, so Jordan the branch could stay open.

2Omar openly accepts that he forgot, so Jordan reports that he had to schedule the staff.

3Lena connects her negative instruction to a safety condition, so she had extend the hours.

4Priya makes a polite request to a named group, so she had publish the hours.

5Nia’s I’ll is a clear commitment in this context, so she had send the schedule.

Get to the root: report the communicative act

Direct speech presents wording as a quotation. Reported speech presents a reporter’s reconstruction. The reconstruction can preserve the original meaning without repeating every word, but the reporter becomes responsible for the verb used to frame it. Said is relatively neutral. Admitted presents the content as something the speaker accepted, denied presents it as something the speaker rejected, and promised presents it as a commitment.

Do not choose a stronger verb merely because it sounds advanced. She said she would review the file is not automatically She promised to review it. A promise requires evidence of commitment in the original context. Likewise, claimed can create distance from an assertion, while confirmed presents information as established in the reporting situation. Neither verb independently proves whether the underlying content is true.

original act	common pattern	responsible example
neutral statement	say + (that) + clause	Omar said that the inspection was complete.
information to a listener	tell + person + (that) + clause	Omar told Maya that the inspection was complete.
question	ask + wh-clause / if-whether clause	Maya asked when the branch would open.
request or directive	ask/tell + person + (not) to	Priya asked us to publish the hours.
stance toward an action	admit/deny/suggest + -ing	Omar admitted forgetting. He denied changing the record.
commitment or refusal	promise/agree/refuse + to	Nia promised to send it. Eli refused to guess.

Embed questions without keeping direct-question machinery

A reported question is an embedded clause. Keep a wh-word when the original question has one. Use if or whether for a yes-or-no question. Inside the embedded clause, use subject before verb and remove question-mark-only machinery such as inversion and do, does, did: “Where did she go?” → He asked where she had gone.

A subject question already has subject-before-verb order: “Who called?” → She asked who had called. Do not insert did. Use whether, not initial if, in the fixed sequence whether or not. When the reporting context asks about the best action rather than the truth of a whole proposition, a wh-infinitive can be concise: He asked what to bring.

Reported questions: make the clause fit the new sentence

1Original: “When will the branch open?” Later report: Maya asked .

2Original: “Why did the guard leave early?” Use the careful earlier-event viewpoint: The director asked .

3Original subject question: “Who approved the schedule?” Later report: She asked .

4The chair explicitly presents two alternatives and uses the fixed opening sequence with or not: She asked .

5The new volunteer wants a concise list of required items, not an answer about truth: He asked .

6Original information question about possibility: “Can you join online?” I reported the question, not a request: She asked .

7Original quantity question: “How many guards have been confirmed?” Later report: Maya asked .

Distinguish questions, requests, commands, and warnings

The same surface form can perform different acts. Can you stay until nine? may ask about ability or availability, or it may politely request that someone stay. The surrounding purpose and expected response determine the report: She asked if I could stay requests information; She asked me to stay requests action.

Commands and requests commonly use verb + listener + (not) to-infinitive. Choose the reporting verb by force and purpose: asked for a request, told for a directive, instructed for a procedural directive, reminded for something the listener already needed to remember, and warned when danger or an unwanted consequence is central. Do not erase the listener when the pattern requires one.

Choose the act supported by the complete situation

1Maya genuinely wanted to know whether I was available and accepted either yes or no. She .

2Maya already knew I was available and politely requested the action. She .

3During an evacuation, the supervisor gave a clear directive to the whole group. She .

4The security manual required a specific recordkeeping procedure. The manager .

5The team had already agreed to publish both language versions, and Priya brought the task back to their attention. She .

6A sign and loose railing made the stairwell unsafe. Staff .

7The consultant offered a professional recommendation directly to the project team, who could still decide. She .

Learn stance and complement pattern together

A reporting verb and its complement form one lexical pattern. Memorizing only the verb meaning is not enough. English uses several families, and some verbs allow more than one well-formed pattern with a related meaning. In U.S. English, They recommended that the city add shade commonly uses the base form add after that. They recommended adding shade is also standard. Do not use recommended the city to add for this meaning.

pattern family	high-value verbs	example
verb + to	agree, offer, promise, refuse, threaten	She offered to call. He refused to speculate.
verb + person + to	advise, ask, encourage, invite, remind, tell, warn	She reminded us to publish the notice.
verb + -ing	admit, deny, suggest, recommend	He denied changing the figures.
verb + preposition + -ing	apologize for, insist on, object to	She apologized for sending the old draft.
verb + person + preposition + -ing	accuse someone of, congratulate someone on	The speaker accused the vendor of delaying delivery.
verb + that-clause	acknowledge, claim, complain, confirm, explain, insist	The record confirms that the inspection occurred.

Stance map: preserve what the original speaker actually did

1. Omar said, “I did forget to schedule the evening staff.” Which report preserves his acceptance?

2. Omar said, “I did not change the inspection date.” Which report preserves his rejection of that accusation without deciding whether he was truthful?

3. Nia said, “You have my word. I will send the final schedule by noon.” Which report preserves the commitment?

4. Eli said, “No, I won’t estimate a cost until I have the supplier quote.” Which report preserves his refusal?

5. The panel said, “Why don’t we add text alerts?” Which concise report presents an idea rather than an order?

6. Priya said, “I’m sorry I sent the outdated hours.” Which report preserves the apology and its cause?

7. A speaker said, “The vendor delivered the guards’ radios late, and that caused the problem.” The records have not yet established blame. Which report preserves the speaker’s accusation without endorsing it?

8. The signed June 7 certificate records a completed inspection. Which report identifies the source and its documented information?

Rebuild viewpoint instead of backshifting mechanically

After a past reporting verb, English often backshifts a tense or modal because the reporter is looking back from a later point: is → was, has finished → had finished, will → would, can → could, and may → might. Past Perfect, would, could, should, and might commonly remain unchanged.

Backshift is not automatic. A current reporting verb normally keeps the original viewpoint: The notice says the branch is open. After a past reporting verb, a speaker may retain a present form for a fact verified as still current: The inspector said the west branch is safe. A backshifted form can present the information from the past report without telling us whether it remains true: The inspector said the branch was safe. Choose according to the intended time relationship, not a memorized arrow.

Reference words also follow meaning. If the reporter is still in the same place and day, here and today may remain. If the reporting situation changes, use a calendar date or a clear relative expression. Must often becomes had to for an expired past obligation, but it can remain must when it expresses a deduction or a rule that still applies.

Viewpoint lab: use the exact cue, not a mechanical list

1A live website notice is being read now and its status is current: The notice .

2On June 13, Jordan reports only what the chair stated about the meeting period, without claiming the branch is still open now: Maya .

3Omar spoke on June 11: “I sent the inspection file yesterday.” The calendar shows that yesterday meant June 10. Jordan reports that Omar .

4Nia spoke on June 11: “I’ll send the final schedule tomorrow.” In Jordan’s June 13 report, he says Nia .

5Lena’s June 11 one-day deadline has passed: “You must confirm two guards today.” Jordan reports that the team .

6During the same live search, Maya reasons from the locked west door: “They must be using the east entrance.” Jordan immediately reports that Maya says they .

7The original speaker expressed uncertain possibility: “We may need a second cooling room.” The later report preserves uncertainty: She said they .

8The reporter and listener are still standing beside the same signs, so the place reference has not changed: Priya .

Sound natural: make the report sound like a report

A direct wh-question often has question intonation, but the embedded question usually sits inside a larger statement and ends with statement-like falling intonation: She asked where the FILE was. A reported yes-or-no question also normally follows the intonation of the whole reporting statement rather than recreating the original question: He asked whether the branch was OPEN.

In ordinary U.S. speech, that is often omitted after said and told when the clause remains clear. The to in asked us to WAIT is usually weak /tə/. Stress can correct the reported act: She ASKED me to stay contrasts a polite request with She TOLD me to stay, a directive. Do not claim that one reporting verb always carries stress; stress follows the information contrast.

Listen before checking

Ask your tutor to read the five lines naturally. Choose the intended form or meaning, then check your answer.

1Tutor line 1: Clip 1 Recover the embedded clause with statement order: .

2Tutor line 2: Clip 2 Recover the complete request despite weak to: .

3Tutor line 3: Clip 3 The contrast identifies .

4Tutor line 4: Clip 4 No audible that is required; the full report is .

5Tutor line 5: Clip 5 The base verb call shows that ’d means would, so the meaning is .

Read a meeting record without changing its force

Fictional Riverton cooling-center record

The planning meeting took place on Tuesday, June 11. A June 7 certificate states that the west branch cooling system had passed inspection. The certificate covers the cooling system, not evening security or staffing.

Chair Maya Chen asked, “Can the west branch stay open until 9:00 during heat alerts?” Facilities coordinator Omar Bell replied, “The system passed inspection, but I forgot to schedule the evening security staff.” Omar accepted that omission. He did not say that he had changed the inspection date, and he later denied doing so.

Safety officer Lena Ortiz said, “Do not extend the hours until two guards are confirmed.” Community liaison Priya Shah asked the communications team, “Please publish the hours in Spanish and English by Friday.” Finance manager Eli Brooks said, “The approved pilot budget can fund two guards for six heat-alert nights in July.”

The resident panel proposed text alerts and recommended that the city add a shaded waiting area. Director Nia Foster said, “You have my word. I’ll send the final schedule tomorrow.” The final schedule was sent on Wednesday, June 12. It approved six July nights, required two guards, and listed bilingual web and entrance notices. It did not approve a shaded waiting area; that proposal remained under review.

Evidence check: report only what the record supports

1. How should Maya’s question be reported?

2. Which sentence preserves Omar’s two different stances?

3. Which report keeps Lena’s safety condition and force?

4. What publication action did Priya request?

5. Which report stays within Eli’s budget statement?

6. Which sentence distinguishes Nia’s original commitment from the later evidence of completion?

7. Which report preserves both the panel’s proposal and the final schedule’s limit?

Build the report from meaning outward

Builder 1: reported yes-or-no question

Build Maya’s question report.

Builder 2: negative warning

Build Lena’s safety report.

Builder 3: contrast denial and admission

Build Omar’s two-part stance report.

Notice and repair the distorted report

Repair 1: embedded question order

Tap the phrase that keeps direct-question machinery.

Repair 2: complement after suggest

Tap the phrase with the borrowed complement pattern.

Repair 3: restore the listener

Tap the phrase that leaves the warning recipient missing.

Repair 4: remove added stance

The analyst said, “The temperature will probably fall after sunset.” Tap the reporting verb that distorts this prediction.

Say the report before you reveal it

Guided oral reconstruction

Read the exact context, make one complete report aloud, and reveal only after you answer.

1 Direct wh-question: “Why did the west door close?” Use a careful later viewpoint.

She asked why the west door had closed.

2 Polite action request: “Please send me the signed schedule.” The speaker addressed Jordan.

She asked Jordan to send her the signed schedule.

3 Negative safety instruction: “Do not use the west stairwell.” Staff addressed visitors.

Staff warned visitors not to use the west stairwell.

4 Accepted action and rejected allegation: “I forgot the staff schedule, but I did not change the inspection date.”

He admitted forgetting the staff schedule but denied changing the inspection date.

5 U.S. that-clause recommendation: “The city should add text alerts.” Use recommended.

The panel recommended that the city add text alerts.

Play and practice

Games and a short reading that recycle this lesson. Use them as a warm-up, a fast finisher, or homework. Each one checks itself.

Read

Notes from the tenants’ meeting

Read once for meaning. Then read again and do the tasks below.

Email summary191 wordsAbout 2 min

Hi all, here is a short summary of Thursday’s tenants’ meeting for anyone who couldn’t attend. The meeting lasted about an hour, and twenty-two tenants were there in the community room.

The building manager, Mr. Alvarez, confirmed that the parking garage would close for repairs from June 3 to June 14. Several people asked where they should park during those two weeks. He explained that tenants could use the school lot on Pine Avenue in the evenings with a free permit from the city. Permits will be available at the front office from May 28, and each apartment can get two.

Ms. Park, who lives on the fourth floor, complained that the last repair had taken a month instead of a week. Mr. Alvarez admitted making a mistake with that schedule, but he denied ignoring tenants’ messages. He promised to send weekly updates by email until the work is finished.

Finally, Mrs. Osei suggested creating a group chat so that neighbors can share rides to the school lot. Most people liked the idea, so I’ll set it up this weekend and send everyone the link. See you at the next meeting!

Find it

Tap the 8 reporting verbs: verbs that introduce what someone said, asked, or proposed.

Check your understanding

1. Where can tenants park while the garage is closed?

2. What did Mr. Alvarez deny?

3. What did Mrs. Osei propose?

Sort it

Which complement pattern?

Sort each report by the pattern after the reporting verb. Tap a phrase, then its box. Press Check when the tray is empty.

Match up

Name the communicative act

Tap an item on the left, then its partner on the right.

Original words

Reporting verb

Unscramble

Build the reported question or request

Tap the words in order to build the sentence. Tap a placed word to send it back.

1. “Where are the files?”
2. “Can the branch stay open?”
3. “When will the bus arrive?”
4. “Why are you late?”
5. “Please wait outside.”

Practice reporting without exposing private information

You never need to report a real disciplinary meeting, accusation, legal conversation, medical discussion, financial dispute, immigration interview, confidential workplace event, family conflict, or identifiable person. Use Riverton, public statements with a reliable source, or a tutor-created fictional meeting. The goal is accurate reconstruction, not disclosure.

Question shift: Draw a fictional direct question. Report it once as an information question and, if the wording permits, once as an action request. Explain what contextual change makes the second reading possible.

Force ladder: Report three fictional instructions with asked, told, and warned. Give the relationship, risk, and expected response that justify each verb.

Pattern audit: Choose five reporting verbs from different complement families. Say the full pattern before adding content: deny doing, promise to do, remind someone to do, apologize for doing, confirm that...

Viewpoint challenge: Move one message from the same room and day to a different place three days later. Change only the pronouns, tenses, modals, and reference words whose meaning requires a new form.

Stance editor: Replace an overstrong reporting verb with a neutral one, or replace a vague said with a more precise verb when the original context supports it. Defend the change.

Final production and check

Final production: give a 90-second meeting reconstruction

Use Riverton or another tutor-supplied fictional record. Establish the original date, place, speakers, and listeners, then report at least seven contributions. Include one wh-question, one yes-or-no question, one polite request, one negative warning or command, one admission or denial, one proposal, and one supported commitment. Use at least four complement families. Adjust one calendar reference and one person reference. Preserve one current fact without backshift only if you explicitly verify that it is still current. Separate what the source says from what later evidence confirms. When your listener challenges one reporting verb, reformulate the sentence more neutrally or defend the stronger verb from the original wording.

Success criteria: Can the listener recover who originally spoke to whom, the original communicative act, the requested or reported content, the relevant time and place, the reporting verb’s complement pattern, the speaker’s degree of commitment or responsibility, and the boundary between quoted evidence and the reporter’s interpretation?

Final check: form, meaning, use, and responsibility

1. Which sentence accurately reports “Why did the west door close early?” from a later viewpoint?

2. The coordinator knew I was available and politely requested that I remain. Which report preserves the action request?

3. Which U.S. English sentence has the intended recommendation pattern?

4. Which report justifies retaining a present form rather than backshifting mechanically?

5. Which sentence preserves a strong allegation without endorsing it?

6. You are correcting someone who described a polite request as an order. Which spoken choice is natural?

Reflect: can you defend the reporting verb?

Explain the reconstruction path

Complete these ideas aloud: The original speaker was... The original listener was... The speaker was asking / requesting / directing / warning / admitting / denying / proposing / committing because... This reporting verb takes... The original reference point was... The new reference point is... I changed / retained the tense because... The source supports... The source does not establish...

Then choose one sentence from your reconstruction. Replace its reporting verb with said. Explain what useful meaning disappears. Put the precise verb back only if the original wording and situation support it.

Return tomorrow for the five-item retrieval check before rereading the lesson.

Next-day retrieval

Return without rereading the page. Recover the embedded order, reporting act, complement family, time viewpoint, and evidence boundary from new fictional contexts.

Five delayed checks

1. Which sentence accurately reports “When will the replacement bus arrive?”?

2. Which report preserves a risk-based negative instruction?

3. The editor said, “I did not remove the source note.” Which report has the correct stance and pattern?

4. Luis spoke on Friday: “I sent the form yesterday.” Which later report keeps the calendar relationship clear?

5. Which report preserves an unresolved accusation responsibly?