What are Advanced Reported Speech Structures in English?
Basic reported speech (also known as indirect speech) focuses on changing tenses, pronouns, and time words when repeating a standard statement (e.g., He said he was tired). Advanced reported speech structures dig deeper into the actual intent of the speaker. Instead of simply reporting the exact words, advanced reporting summarizes the function of the utterance—such as an exclamation, a suggestion, a complaint, or a piece of advice—using specialized reporting verbs and varied grammatical structures for greater naturalness and conciseness.
Advanced Reported Speech Structure and Formula
Advanced reported speech moves away from the simple say/tell + that formula. It relies heavily on matching specific semantic verbs with correct gerund or infinitive patterns.
1. Reporting Suggestions and Proposals
When someone suggests an idea, we do not usually report the exact phrasing (like "Why don't we..." or "How about..."). We use verbs like suggest, propose, or recommend.
- Formula 1 (Gerund): S + suggest/propose + V-ing
- Direct: "How about having pizza?"
- Reported: He (S) suggested having (V-ing) pizza.
- Formula 2 (That-Clause with 'Should'): S + suggest/propose + that + S2 + (should) + V1
- Reported: He (S) suggested that we (S2) should have (V1) pizza. (Note: The 'should' is often omitted in American English).
2. Reporting Offers and Promises
When someone volunteers to do something.
- Formula: S + offer/promise + to + V1
- Direct: "I'll carry that bag for you."
- Reported: He (S) offered to carry (to+V1) the bag.
3. Reporting Requests and Orders
When reporting commands or polite asks.
- Formula: S + ask/tell/order/beg + Object + to + V1
- Direct: "Please close the door, John."
- Reported: She (S) asked John (Object) to close (to+V1) the door.
- Negative Requests Formula: S + ask/tell + Object + not to + V1
- Direct: "Don't touch that."
- Reported: He (S) told me not to touch (not to+V1) that.
4. Reporting Advice and Warnings
- Formula 1 (Advice): S + advise/encourage + Object + to + V1
- Direct: "You should see a doctor."
- Reported: She (S) advised me to see (to+V1) a doctor.
- Formula 2 (Warnings against something): S + warn + Object + against + V-ing
- Direct: "Don't go near the water."
- Reported: They (S) warned us against going (against+V-ing) near the water.
5. Reporting Complaints and Criticisms
- Formula 1 (Complaint): S + complain + that + Clause
- Direct: "This hotel is terrible!"
- Reported: He (S) complained that the hotel was terrible.
- Formula 2 (Criticism): S + criticize/blame + Object + for + V-ing
- Direct: "It's your fault we lost."
- Reported: She (S) blamed him for losing (for+V-ing) the game.
How to Form Advanced Reported Conditionals
Reporting "if" statements depends heavily on whether the condition is still scientifically possible or purely hypothetical.
- Type 1 Conditionals (Real/Possible): You backshift the tenses normally.
- Direct: "If it rains, I will stay."
- Reported: He said that if it rained (V-ed), he would stay (would+V1).
- Type 2 & 3 Conditionals (Unreal/Hypothetical): The tenses do not backshift in reported speech because they are already expressing hypothetical pasts.
- Direct (Type 2): "If I had money, I would buy it."
- Reported: She said that if she had money, she would buy it. (Unchanged)
Real-life Examples of Advanced Reported Speech Usage
- Journalism: "The senator denied taking the bribe." (deny + V-ing)
- Business Meetings: "The manager insisted on reviewing the budget again." (insist on + V-ing)
- Everyday Storytelling: "So then he threatened to call the police, and she started screaming that it wasn't fair."
Summary & Cheatsheet for Advanced Reported Speech
| Function | Appropriate Reporting Verb | Dual-Syntax Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Suggesting | suggest, propose | S + suggest + V-ing |
| Offering | offer, promise, agree | S + offer + to + V1 |
| Requesting | ask, order, beg | S + beg + Object + to + V1 |
| Accusing | accuse, blame | S + accuse + Object + of + V-ing |
| Denying | deny, admit | S + deny + V-ing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I say "He suggested me to go"?
No, this is a very common grammatical error. The verb suggest can never be followed by a person object and an infinitive. You must use the gerund form (He suggested going) or a that-clause (He suggested that I should go).
What is the difference between "He asked if..." and "He asked me to..."?
"He asked if..." is used to report a Yes/No question (e.g., Direct: "Are you hungry?" -> Reported: He asked if I was hungry).
"He asked me to..." is used to report an imperative command or polite request (e.g., Direct: "Please sit down." -> Reported: He asked me to sit down).
Do I always have to change the tense when reporting speech?
No. We do not change (backshift) the tense if the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., He says he is tired), if the statement is a universal timeless truth (He said water boils at 100 degrees), or if reporting hypothetical Type 2 and Type 3 conditionals.