Welcome to Reported Speech and Citing Sources!
In your IB Language B journey, being able to report what others have said or written is a vital skill. Whether you are writing an article for Paper 1 or discussing a stimulus in your Individual Oral, you will frequently need to share ideas that aren't your own. This chapter will show you how to move from direct quotes to smooth, indirect speech and how to attribute ideas to their sources with style and accuracy.
Part 1: What is Reported Speech?
Reported speech (also known as indirect speech) is when we tell someone what another person said without using their exact words. Unlike direct speech (e.g., "I am tired," said Mark), reported speech doesn't use quotation marks and usually involves some grammatical changes (e.g., Mark said that he was tired).
Why does this matter for Language B?
1. Criterion A (Language): Using reported speech correctly shows you can handle complex grammatical structures.
2. Criterion B (Message): It helps you organize and present ideas clearly, especially when summarizing different viewpoints on themes like Sharing the Planet or Human Ingenuity.
3. Paper 2 (Receptive Skills): Understanding how speakers in audio passages or writers in articles report information is key to answering comprehension questions correctly.
Part 2: The "Backshift" Rule
When the reporting verb (like said or told) is in the past tense, the verbs in the reported statement usually move one step "back" into the past. Don't worry if this seems tricky; think of it as taking a step away from the present moment!
Common Tense Changes:
• Present Simple becomes Past Simple
Example: "I live in the city." → He said he lived in the city.
• Present Continuous becomes Past Continuous
Example: "We are studying." → They said they were studying.
• Past Simple becomes Past Perfect
Example: "I bought a car." → She said she had bought a car.
• Will becomes Would
Example: "I will help you." → He said he would help me.
• Can becomes Could
Example: "I can swim." → She said she could swim.
Quick Review: If the reporting verb is in the Present Tense (e.g., She says she is hungry), the tense inside the speech does not change. We only "backshift" when we are talking about something said in the past.
Part 3: Changing Pronouns, Time, and Place
When we report speech, we aren't just changing verbs; we also have to change words to fit the new context of the person speaking now.
Pronouns
You must change "I," "me," "my," "we," and "us" to match the person you are talking about.
Direct: "I lost my keys."
Reported: He said he had lost his keys.
Time and Place Markers
If someone said "here" yesterday, that place might be "there" today. Here are the common swaps:
• Now → Then / At that moment
• Today → That day
• Yesterday → The day before / The previous day
• Tomorrow → The next day / The following day
• Here → There
• This → That
Key Takeaway: Always imagine the "scene" of the conversation. If the time or place has changed since the words were first spoken, your language needs to reflect that!
Part 4: Reporting Questions and Commands
Reporting questions is a little different because the word order changes back to a normal sentence (Subject + Verb), and we don't use the auxiliary verb "do/does/did."
Yes/No Questions: Use if or whether.
Direct: "Do you like coffee?" → She asked if I liked coffee.
Wh- Questions: Use the question word (who, what, where, when, why, how).
Direct: "Where is the library?" → He asked where the library was.
Commands and Requests: Use to + infinitive.
Direct: "Please sit down." → The teacher told us to sit down.
Direct: "Don't shout!" → She told them not to shout.
Part 5: Citing Sources with Style
In the IB Diploma Programme, particularly in Professional Texts (like reports or essays) and Mass Media Texts (like articles), you must credit your sources. You don't need formal academic citations like \(MLA\) or \(APA\) in Language B exams, but you do need to use introductory phrases to show where information came from.
Introductory Phrases for Citing
Using a variety of phrases improves your Criterion A score by showing a wider range of vocabulary:
• According to... (e.g., According to the latest report on climate change...)
• As stated by... (e.g., As stated by the author of the blog...)
• The writer argues that...
• Experts suggest that...
• Research indicates that...
• The text highlights that...
Direct Quotes vs. Paraphrasing
• Direct Quotes: Use these sparingly for powerful or unique statements. Always use quotation marks. (e.g., The activist said, "The time for action is now.")
• Paraphrasing: This is usually better for Language B! It shows you understand the source text well enough to rewrite it in your own words. Use the reported speech rules we learned above to do this effectively.
Did you know? In your Individual Oral, referencing the stimulus (the visual for SL or the literary extract for HL) using these phrases is essential for Criterion B1 (Message). Instead of just saying "The picture shows...", try "The visual stimulus suggests that...".
Part 6: Choosing the Right Reporting Verb
Don't just use "said" every time! Using more specific verbs shows your language proficiency.
• To give information: explain, state, claim, mention.
• To give an opinion: argue, believe, insist, suggest.
• To ask: inquire, wonder, want to know.
• To give a warning/order: warn, advise, command, remind.
Memory Trick: Think of reporting verbs as "flavors." "Said" is plain vanilla. "Argued" is spicy. "Suggested" is mild. Choose the flavor that best fits what the person was actually doing!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Say vs. Tell: You say something, but you tell someone something.
Incorrect: He told that he was ready.
Correct: He said that he was ready. / He told me that he was ready.
2. Question Word Order: Don't use question word order in reported speech.
Incorrect: She asked where was I going.
Correct: She asked where I was going.
3. Forgetting the "that": While "that" is often optional (e.g., He said (that) he was tired), using it in formal Professional Texts can make your writing feel more structured and clear.
Summary Key Points
• Reported speech moves verbs "back" in time if the reporting verb is in the past.
• Pronouns, time, and place must be adjusted to fit the current speaker's context.
• Citing sources is crucial for Paper 1 and the Oral; use phrases like "According to..." to attribute ideas.
• Variety is key: Use different reporting verbs (claim, suggest, explain) to improve your Language B marks.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot to remember! The more you practice reading articles (Mass Media texts) and listening to interviews for Paper 2, the more natural these structures will feel. You've got this!