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

REPORTS IN CONVERSATION

501

Direct versus indirect reports

501a

Speech representation in everyday informal conversation often mixes direct and

indirect reports, especially in extended informal spoken reports and narratives;

different reporting verbs, in different tenses, are often used side by side (indirect

reports within direct reports are in green):

A: I said, “I’ll try and get a game of squash on Wednesday,” and he was going

about ten. 

Said, “I’ll try and get a court.” I said, “If I get a court we’ll play, if

I don’t we won’t bother.” 

B: Yeah. 

A: I said, “I’ll ring you on Wednesday and say

if I’ve got one

.” So I rang him on

Wednesday and 

he said, “Oh I couldn’t get a court on Monday so I booked

one at the university.” 

I said, “I’ve organised other things. Like I’ve made

other plans now.” 

He said, “Well I cancelled things to play squash tonight.” I

said, “Well 

I told you

on Monday. 

I said, ‘Don’t book one. If I don’t get one

I’ll ring you on the Wednesday and 

tell you

if I’ve got one or not

’.” And 

he

says, “So you’re letting me down then.” 

B: Mm. 

A: And I went, “No not really. I’ve just got other things here.” “So you’re letting

me down.” 

I said, “No I’m not.” He says, “You are. You’re letting me down.

Tell me. Are you letting me down?” 

I said, “If you wanna put it like that all

right I’m letting you down.” 

B: Yeah. 

A: Anyway what kind of attitude is that? 

B: Oh, he’s a complete idiot. 

820 | Speech representation

Cambridge Grammar of English

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[teachers talking about class discipline problems]

A: I told him to go out. I said, “Go out and listen. Go on. Leave this

classroom.” 

B: Did he go?

A: Yeah, it was excellent.