Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech present simple I like ice cream She said (that) she liked ice cream. present continuous I am living in London She said (that) she was living in London. past simple I bought a car She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car. past continuous I was walking along the street She said (that) she had been walking along the street.
present perfect I haven't seen Julie She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie. past perfect* I had taken English lessons before She said (that) she had taken English lessons before. will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see me later. would* I would help, but..” She said (that) she would help but... can I can speak perfect English She said (that) she could speak perfect English.
could* I could swim when I was four She said (that) she could swim when she was four. shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later. should* I should call my mother She said (that) she should call her mother might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late must I must study at the weekend She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend
Reported Questions Direct Question Reported Question Where is the Post Office, please? She asked me where the Post Office was. What are you doing? She asked me what I was doing. Who was that fantastic man? She asked me who that fantastic man had been.
direct speech reported speech now then, at that time today that day, on Sunday, yesterday tonight that night, last night, on Sunday night tomorrow the next day/ the following day, on Sunday, today yesterday the day before/ the previous day, on Sunday last night the night before/ the previous night, on Sunday night this week that week, last week last month the month before/ the previous month, in May next year the following year, in 2014 two minutes ago two minutes before in one hour one hour later Here is a list of common time words, showing how you change them for reported speech:
direct speech indirect speech here there, in Starbucks this that this book the book, that book, War and Peace in this room in the room, in that room, in the kitchen Here are some common place words, showing how you change them for reported speech:
Look at these example sentences: He said: "It was hot yesterday ." → He said that it had been hot the day before . He said: "We are going to swim tomorrow ." → He said they were going to swim the next day . He said: "It is cold in here ." → He said that it was cold in there . He said: "How much is this book ?" → He asked how much the book was.
12 CHANGE OF ADVERBS OF TIME & PLACE DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH yesterday the day before tomorrow the next/following day next day/week the following day/week today that day here there
13 CHANGE OF QUESTIONS WH-questions: WH-word stays as conjunction YES-NO-questions: we introduce conjunction if or whether Important: Word order changes into that of a statement. D.S. He asked me: “Do you find law interesting?” R.S. He asked me if I found law interesting.
If Reporting verb is in Present or in Future, Then there will be no change in reported speech’s tense. For example: Direct: She says, “Ankush is a good boy.” Indirect: She says that Ankush is a good boy. Direct: He will say. “Ankush is reading.” Indirect: He will say that Ankush is reading.
If Reporting Verb is in past tense then reported speech’s tense will change into the following: (a) Simple present >>> Simple Past 1. Direct : Meena said to me, “Ayushi is a good girl.” Indirect : Meena told me that Ayushi was a good girl.
(b) Present Continuous >>> Past Continuous Direct : He said, “Chintan is telling a lie.” Indirect : He said that Chintan was telling a lie. Direct : Gita said, “The girls are reading.” Indirect : Gita said that the girls are reading. Direct : Ram said, “I am going to school.” Indirect : Ram said that he was going to school.
(c) Present Perfect >>> Past Perfect Direct : Raj said, “Rajeev has gone home.” Indirect : Raj said that Rajeev had gone home. Direct : The teacher said , “The girls have sung a song.” Indirect : The teacher said that the girls had sung a song.
(d) Present Perfect Cont. >>> Past Perfect Cont. Direct : She said, “The boys have been playing.” Indirect : She said that the boys had been playing. Direct : He said, “My brother has been coming” Indirect : He said that his brother had been coming.
( e) Simple Past >>> Past Perfect Direct : You said to him, “You went to Pathankot yesterday.” Indirect : You told him that he had gone to Pathankot yesterday. Direct : He said to us, “You did not help.” Indirect : He told us that we did not helped him.
(f) Past Continuous >>> Past Perfect Cont. Direct : He said to me, “Rajesh was weeping.” Indirect : He told me that Rajesh had been weeping. Direct : I said, “Manoj was going home.” Indirect : I said that Manoj had been going home. ***THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN PAST PERFECT AND PASTPERFECT CONTINUOUS
(g) *** THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN PAST PERFECT AND PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS *** like: Direct : You said, “Maya had cooked food.” Indirect : You said that Maya had cooked food. Direct : She said, “Sita had been sleeping.” Indirect : She said that Sita had been sleeping.
(h) In Future Tense: Shall/Will >>> Would Direct : He said, “Deepak will play a match.” Indirect : He said that Deepak would play a match. Direct : The boys said, “We shall go there.” Indirect : The boys said that they would go there.
(i) May >>> Might & Can >>> Could Direct : You said, “The boys may read.” Indirect : You said that the boys might read. Direct : I said, “The girls can sing.” Indirect : I said that the girls could sing.
If Reported Speech’s verb expresses a habit that usually occur then it will always remain in Present Indefinite . Like: Direct : I said, “Two and three makes five.” Indirect : I said that two and three makes five. Direct : I said, “Dogs bark.” Indirect : I said that dogs bark