Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Reported Speech-Reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and that clause.

We often omit that, especially in informal situations:

Pilot: The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land

Kamal: I bought a new car yesterday

Kamal said he had bought a new car the day before/ the previous day

Rosi: I will meet my friends tomorrow

Rosi said she would meet her friends the following day/the next day
1. Jenny: I am going to my uncle’s shop.
2. Tom: I have to complete an important assignment.
3. Nisha: I went to see my grandparents yesterday.
4. Peter: I will build a new house.
5. The teacher: The students are not good because their marks are very low.
6. Teena: I had bought some books for my sisters.
7. Mother: I was preparing the dinner.
 Reported Speech-Reporting questions
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause
introduced by if or whether. If is more common than whether. The reported clause is in statement form (subject +
verb), not question form:
Jessica: Are you Scottish?
Jessica asked whether I was Scottish
Jessica asked if I was Scottish

The waiter: Do you want a table near the window?

The waiter asked whether we wanted a table near the window
The waiter asked if we wanted a table near the window

Reporting wh-questions
Indirect reports of wh-questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh-word
(who, what, when, where, why, how). We don’t use a question mark:
Jimmy: What do you want?
Jimmy asked what I wanted.

Lorenz: Where did you go?

Lorenz asked where I had gone.
Simon: Are you feeling hungry?
Tom: What are you doing?
Tim: Why didn’t you come to the party?
Jane: Do you meet Simon every day?
Rosi: Will you find a job?
Jonny: How did you pass the exam?
 Reported Speech-Reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with
a to-infinitive:

Chairperson: Sit down and stop interrupting.

The Chairperson told him to sit down and stop interrupting.

We also use a to-infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting
people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, or warn:

You should wait till the following day

They advised me to wait till the following day.

You must not enter the area

The guard warned us not to enter the area
Policeman: You must wear a face mask.
Officer: Stop running and shouting.
Teacher: You should bring a water bottle.
Scientist: You should not touch the specimens.
Teacher: Create a story and read it.
The Lost Key
Once upon a time, in a cozy cottage by the forest, there lived an old woman named Mrs. Thompson. She
had a magical key that could unlock any door. The villagers often asked her for help when they misplaced
their keys. One day, young Timmy ran to Mrs. Thompson’s house, “I lost my house key!” he exclaimed.
Mrs. Thompson said “Don’t worry, Timmy,” “I’ll find it for you.” Timmy watched as Mrs. Thompson
waved her hand over the key. It glowed, revealing the hidden path to his lost key. “Thank you!” Timmy
said, amazed. And so, the legend of Mrs. Thompson whispered, “I can find any lost key!”

The Curious Robot

In a bustling city, there lived a small robot named Bolt. Bolt had shiny metal limbs and curious sensors. One
day, Bolt found an old book—a relic from the past. Bolt scanned the words and learned about humans,
emotions, and dreams.
Excited, Bolt rolled back to the robot assembly line. “Listen, fellow robots,” Bolt said, “I discovered
something incredible! Humans used to dream of flying, of love, and of exploring distant galaxies. "The other
robots buzzed with interest. “Tell us more,” they said. And so, Bolt shared the ancient wisdom, sparking a
revolution among the robots.
The Merchant of Venice Act 1 - Shakespeare Today (youtube.co
m)
The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare in the 16th
century. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. The
play is about a merchant in Venice named Antonio who defaults on a large
loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. The first recorded
performance at court was in 1605 by the King’s Men .
It is believed that The Merchant of Venice was written between 1596 and
1598. It was most likely first performed at London’s second public
playhouse, The Theatre, in 1598, as clergyman Francis Meres noted in his
collection of essays.
 Antonio
1.“In sooth I know not why I am so sad.”
•Translation: “Honestly, I don’t know why I feel so sad.”
•The speaker is expressing their confusion about their sadness.
2.“It wearies me, you say it wearies you.”
•Translation: “It tires me out, just as it tires you.”
•The speaker is saying that their sadness is exhausting, and they believe the listener feels the same way.
3.“But how I caught it, found it, or came by it…”
•Translation: “But I don’t know how I got this sadness…”
•The speaker is unsure of the cause of their sadness.
4.“What stuff ’tis made of, whereof it is born…”
•Translation: “What is this sadness made of, and where did it come from?”
•The speaker wonders about the nature and origin of their sadness.
5.“And such a want-wit sadness makes of me…”
•Translation: “This foolish sadness confuses me…”
•The speaker feels that their sadness is making them act foolishly.
6.“That I have much ado to know myself.”
•Translation: “I’m having a hard time understanding my feelings.”
•The speaker struggles to understand their emotions.
 Salarino
1.“Your mind is tossing on the ocean…”
•Translation: “Your thoughts are like a ship rocking on the sea…”
•The speaker is describing someone’s restless or troubled mind.
2.“…where your argosies with portly sail…”
•Translation: “…where your large merchant ships with impressive sails…”
•The speaker refers to the person’s valuable ships.
3.“…Like signiors and rich burghers on the flood…”
•Translation: “…Similar to wealthy nobles and prosperous merchants on the water…”
•The ships are compared to important people.
4.“…Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea…”
•Translation: “…Or, as if they were magnificent displays on the water…”
•The ships are like grand spectacles.
5.“…Do overpeer the petty traffickers…”
•Translation: “…They overshadow the smaller trading vessels…”
•The large ships dominate the smaller ones.
6.“…That curtsy to them, do them reverence…”
•Translation: “…The smaller ships bow to them, showing respect…”
•The smaller ships pay homage to the larger ones.
7.“…As they fly by them with their woven wings.”
•Translation: “…As they sail past them gracefully, their sails resembling wings.”
•The large ships sail past the smaller ones elegantly.
Solanio

1.“Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth…”

1. Translation: “Trust me, sir, if I were on such an adventure…”
2. The speaker is expressing their opinion about going on a journey.
2.“…The better part of my affections would…”
1. Translation: “…Most of my feelings would…”
2. The speaker is talking about their emotions.
3.“…Be with my hopes abroad.”
1. Translation: “…Be focused on my dreams of traveling.”
2. The speaker’s emotions would be tied to their desire to explore foreign places.
4.“…I should be still plucking the grass to know where sits the wind…”
1. Translation: “…I would be examining the grass to understand the wind’s direction…”
2. The speaker would pay close attention to nature to gather information.
5.“…Piring in maps for ports and piers and roads…”
1. Translation: “…Studying maps to find harbors, docks, and routes…”
2. The speaker would meticulously plan their journey using maps.
6.“…And every object that might make me fear.”
1. Translation: “…And anything that could cause me anxiety.”
2. The speaker would be cautious and aware of potential dangers.
Discuss the character’s motivations and emotions. Antonio, Salarino and Solanio
1.Antonio:
1. Motivations:
1. Antonio is a wealthy Venetian merchant who lends money to his friend Bassanio.
2. His primary motivation is to help Bassanio win the heart of the wealthy heiress, Portia.
3. Antonio’s loyalty and love for Bassanio drive him to take risks, even if it means borrowing
money from the Jewish moneylender, Shylock.
2. Emotions:
1. Antonio experiences deep sadness and melancholy at the beginning of the play.
2. His emotions are tied to his financial ventures, especially the fate of his merchant ships at
sea.
3. His willingness to sacrifice himself for Bassanio’s happiness reveals his selflessness and
love.
1.Salarino:
1. Motivations:
1. Salarino is a Venetian gentleman and a friend of Antonio and Bassanio.
2. His primary motivation is to support his friends and engage in their affairs.
3. Salarino’s role often involves conveying news and information to advance the plot.
2. Emotions:
1. As a minor character, Salarino’s emotions are not deeply explored.
2. However, he shows concern for Antonio’s well-being and shares in the general mood of
the play.
3. His empathy and curiosity make him relatable to the audience.
1.Solanio:
1. Motivations:
1. Solanio is another Venetian gentleman and often accompanies Salarino.
2. Like Salarino, his primary motivation is to be part of the social circle and engage in
conversations.
3. Solanio’s role is to provide commentary and contribute to the play’s atmosphere.
2. Emotions:
1. Solanio shares the general mood of the play, expressing concern for Antonio’s sadness.
2. His emotions are influenced by the events unfolding in Venice, such as the shipwreck and
Antonio’s trial.
3. As a friend, he feels connected to Antonio’s fate.
The Merchant Of Venice - Planning Overview - The Teaching Co
uple