From Lost Scarf to Told Tales
A Gentle Start to Reported Speech
The wind was relentless, a biting January gust that seemed determined to steal every bit of warmth from the city.
Sarah huddled deeper into her coat, her hands shoved into her pockets, as she hurried towards the bus stop. She was late, and her boss wasn’t known for his patience. As she turned a corner, a flash of bright red caught her eye. It was a beautiful, knitted scarf, lying forlornly on the pavement.
“Someone must have lost this,” Sarah thought, picking it up. It was soft, thick, and clearly handmade. She glanced around, but the street was deserted. She couldn’t just leave it; the owner would be freezing.
A young man, Alex, was walking towards her, his shoulders slumped against the wind. “Excuse me,” Sarah called out, “did you drop this?”
Alex looked surprised, then his face lit up. “Oh my goodness, yes! That’s my grandmother’s scarf. She made it for me.” He took the scarf gently, a look of genuine relief on his face. “Thank you so much! I was so worried.”
“No problem,” Sarah smiled. “It looked too nice to leave.”
“You’ve really saved the day,” Alex said. “I was just thinking about how cold I was, and how much I missed it. I’m on my way to visit her in the hospital. She’s been unwell, and this scarf is like a little piece of her with me.”
Sarah’s heart went out to him. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she gets better soon.”
“Thank you,” Alex replied. “She’ll be so happy to hear it was found. She told me to always wear it when I visited her. She said it would keep me safe, and warm.”
Sarah nodded, a little touched by the story. “Well, I’m glad I could help.”
“You know,” Alex said, “I was just thinking how lucky I was. I was thinking, ‘I’m so cold, I wish I had my scarf.’ And then, you appeared! It’s like magic.”
Sarah chuckled. “Maybe it’s just good karma.”
As Sarah finally boarded her bus, she couldn’t shake the feeling of warmth that had nothing to do with her coat. She’d been late, yes, but she’d also done something kind. Later that day, she told her friend, Emily, about the encounter.
“So, Alex said he was going to visit his grandmother,” Sarah explained. “And he said she told him to wear the scarf. He said he was thinking he wished he had his scarf, right before you found it! He said you saved the day.”
Emily listened intently. “Wow, that’s a lovely story. It’s amazing how a small act of kindness can make such a difference.”
“I know,” Sarah agreed. “And he said she told him it would keep him safe and warm.”
Now, let's think about how we told the story:
Notice how when Sarah tells Emily, she uses phrases like:
"Alex said he was going to visit his grandmother."
"He said she told him to wear the scarf."
"He said he was thinking he wished he had his scarf."
"He said you saved the day."
"He said she told him it would keep him safe and warm."
These are examples of reported speech. We’re reporting what someone else said. We're not using the exact words Alex used, but we're conveying the information he gave.
Why do we use reported speech?
To tell someone else about a conversation.
To summarize what someone said.
To avoid repeating someone's exact words.
This week, we'll look at the rules and changes that happen when we use reported speech and talk a little about acts of kindness (altruism).
But for now, just remember that it’s a way of sharing what people have said, just like Sarah did when she told Emily about Alex and his grandmother’s scarf.
Think about it:
Have you ever helped someone and then told someone else about it?
Try to remember what you said and see if you used reported speech.
What did you say that someone else said?
By thinking about these kinds of everyday stories, we can naturally start to understand how reported speech works. And remember, even a small act of kindness, like returning a lost scarf, can create a story worth telling!