Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

REPORTING AND REPORTED CLAUSES

491

Position of the reporting clause

491a

A reported speech sentence typically consists of a reporting clause and one or

more reported clauses (

Û

488, above

). The reporting clause most typically comes

before or after the reported clause.

Examples of reporting clause before reported clause

reporting clause

reported clause

I said,

‘No, no, no, it’s Sunday.’

She told him

(that) they were going on holiday.

He asked, 

‘What can I tempt you with?’

Examples of reported clause before reporting clause

reported clause

reporting clause

‘Oh it’s been a real disaster!’

she said.

‘Why wasn’t I told?’ 

she asked.

In direct speech reports in informal spoken language, the reporting clause most

frequently comes first. In literary fiction, the reporting clause most frequently

comes after the reported clause. Reporting clauses may also interrupt the reported

clause; this type is most frequent in written fictional styles:

● Before:

He said, ‘They’ve double-booked you for a wedding reception.’

808 | Speech representation

Cambridge Grammar of English

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● Interrupting:

‘What’s happened?’ 

Nicole demanded. ‘Please, I’ve got to know.’

● After:

‘Have you found Michelle?’ 

she asked anxiously.

In indirect speech reports, the reporting clause normally occurs before the

reported clause:

A: I told you that Ernie, her husband, died.

B: Yes.

Less frequently, the reporting clause may occur after the reported clause.

He wasn’t going to see Louise leave school, 

he said.

He was in the middle of an enforced career change, 

he said.