SUBJECT : ENGLISH
LECTURE : THOR THEARA
PRESENTED BY GROUP 5:
SOM SOPHANITH
HEAN KARONA
LEUY RATANA
YEAR 4 SEMESTER 1
Reporting People’s Thoughts
Quoting and Reporting in Our Own
Words
• Reporting Clauses and Reported Clauses
• Reporting Clause: Contains the reporting verb
(e.g., "she explained," "he didn’t ask").
• Reported Clause: Contains what is being reported (e.g., “that
she couldn’t take the job until January,” “where to put the
boxes”).
• Key Point: "That" is optional in reported clauses.
Using Quotations
• When the exact words are important or to create a dramatic effect, we use direct
quotations:
• Example: “I suppose you’ve heard the latest news,” she said.
• Reporting verbs like say, reply, and think can come before, within, or at the end of the quotation.
• In English storytelling, the reporting verb is often placed after the quotation:
• Example: ‘When will you be back?’ asked Arnold.
Reporting Questions
WH-Questions
• Use a reporting clause with a WH-word:
• Example: She asked me what the problem was.
Yes/No Questions
• Use a reporting clause followed by “if” or “whether”:
• Example: She wanted to know if I had seen Paul recently.
• Note: You cannot use "if + to-infinitive" in such cases.
Word Order:
• Use the usual word order of a statement:
• Correct: She asked me where I found it.
• Incorrect: She asked me where did I find it.
PRACTICE
1. Report what was said, quoting the speaker's exact words with one
of the following reporting verbs, as in 1. Put the reporting clause
after the quotation and give alternative word orders where possible.
Reporting verbs:
(boast, chorus, command, confess, explain, grumble, suggest, wonder)
1."Come in out of the rain now." (her mother)
2."Why don’t we stop for a coffee?" (she)
3."All right, Sean, it was me." (he)
4."My novel is more exciting than an Agatha Christie thriller." (she)
5."I always carry two umbrellas with me because I’m always losing them."
(Mary)
6."Oh, no, it’s raining again." (Dick)
7."Good morning, Miss." (the children)
8."Have I done the right thing?" (I)
1. “Come in out of the rain now,” commanded her mother.
Alternative: Her mother commanded, “Come in out of the rain now.”
ANSWER
2. “Why don’t we stop for a coffee?” suggested she.
Alternative: She suggested, “Why don’t we stop for a coffee?”
3. “All right, Sean, it was me,” he confessed.
Alternative: He confessed, “All right, Sean, it was me.”
4. “My novel is more exciting than an Agatha Christie thriller,” boasted she.
Alternative: She boasted, “My novel is more exciting than an Agatha Christie thriller.”
5. “I always carry two umbrellas with me because I’m always losing them,” explained Mary.
Alternative: Mary explained, “I always carry two umbrellas with me because I’m always losing them.”
6. “Oh, no, it’s raining again,” grumbled Dick.
Alternative: Dick grumbled, “Oh, no, it’s raining again.”
7. “Good morning, Miss,” chorused the children.
Alternative: The children chorused, “Good morning, Miss.”
8. “Have I done the right thing?” wondered I.
Alternative: I wondered, “Have I done the right thing?”
Choose a pair of verbs to complete the reports of what was said. Use appropriate forms of the verbs. Make the verb
negative in the reporting clause (as in 1) or the reported clause, whichever is more likely.
Verbs: (announce, go, expect, be, feel, could, intend, hurt, insist, be, promise, would, think, would, threaten, repay)
1. "I didn’t mean to upset Astrid.“
2. "I won’t give you the money back if you keep on at me.“
3. "I can’t ask my parents to help me again.“
4. "I wasn’t anywhere near the school at the time of the break-in.“
5. "I’m not going back to college.“
6. "I was surprised that Mum was so angry.“
7. "John won’t mind waiting a bit longer.“
8. "I won’t be late again."
ANSWER
Complete the reports of what was said with appropriate pairs of verbs.
1. He didn’t intend to hurt her feelings.
2. He threatened that he would go to the police if she kept on at him.
3. He insisted that he couldn’t ask his parents to help him again.
4. He explained that he wasn’t anywhere near the school at the time of the
break-in.
5. She announced that she wasn’t going back to college.
6. He admitted to his mother that he had been so angry.
7. She promised John that she would mind waiting a bit longer.
8. She promised that she wouldn’t be late again.
PRACTICE
Report these questions using a WH-, if-, or whether-clause.
Make any necessary changes to verb tense, pronouns, etc.
1. "When are you leaving?"
2. "Do you remember David?" She wanted to know____________________
3. "Who is the girl in the photo?" She wondered_______________________
4. "Can we stop at the next village?" She asked me____________________
5. "How do you spell chaos?" She didn’t know________________________
6. "How many brothers and sisters have you got?" She asked me_________
7. "Where did you put the eggs?" She wondered______________________
8. "Do you want a hot or a cold drink?" She asked _____________________
9. "Why didn’t you go with Jack?" She asked me______________________
10. "Which is mine?" She couldn’t remember__________________________
11. "Are you ready to leave?" She wanted to know______________________
12. "What was your grandmother’s maiden name?" She asked____________
ANSWER
Report the questions using a WH-, if-, or whether-clause.
1. She asked me when I was leaving.
2. She wanted to know if I remembered David.
3. She wondered who the girl in the photo was.
4. She asked me if we could stop at the next village.
5. She didn’t know how to spell chaos.
6. She asked me how many brothers and sisters I had.
7. She wondered where I had put the eggs.
8. She asked me if I wanted a hot or a cold drink.
9. She asked me why I didn’t go with Jack.
10. She couldn’t remember which one was hers.
11. She wanted to know if I was ready to leave.
12. She asked me what my grandmother’s maiden name was.
THANK YOU!
