INDIRECT SPEECH & REPORTED SPEECH

INDIRECT SPEECH & REPORTED SPEECH (1)

A. Indirect/reported speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense: He says
that….This is usual when we are:
(a) reporting a conversation that is stiil going on
(b) reading a letter and reporting what it says
(c) reading instruction and reporting them
(d) reporting a statement that someone makes very often,e.g. Tom says
he’ll never married.


When the introductory verb is in a present, present perfect or future tense, we can report the direct speech without any change of tense;

PAUL (phoning from the station): I’m trying to get a taxi.
ANN (to Mary, who is standing beside her): Paul says he is trying to get a
taxi.

B. But indirect/reported speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense.Verbs in
the direct speech have then to be changed into a corresponding past tense.

Direct Speech : Indirect Speech :

Simple Present Tense Simple Present Tense
‘I never eat meat,’he explained. He explained that he never ate meat.
Present Continuous Tense Present Continuous
‘I’m waiting for Ann,’ he said. He said (that) he was waiting for Ann
Present Perfect Tense Present Perfect Tense
‘I have found a flat.,’ he said. He said (that) he had found a flat
Present Perfect Continuous Tense Past Perfect Continuous Tense
He said, ‘I’ve been waiting for ages’. He said he had been waiting for ages

If in the sentence there is an adverb or an adverbial phrase of time, the adverb or
adverbial phrase of time should also be changed.

Direct Speech: Indirect Speech :

today that day
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow the next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow in two day’s time
next week etc the following week/year etc
last week/year etc the previous week/year etc
a year etc.ago a year before/the previous year
now then
here there
this that
Example:
‘I’m starting the day after tomorrow, mother,’ he said.
He told his mother that was starting in two days’time.\

INDIRECT SPEECH & REPORTED SPEECH (2)

There are two ways of relating what a person has said : Direct and indirect.
When we turn direct speech into indirect, some changes are usually necessary. These are most easily considerin statements, question, and commands separately.

Direct Speech : Indirect Speech :

A. Simple Past Past Perfect
* He said to me, “ I never saw * He said to me that he had never seen
before.” before.
* “I was here yesterday.” * Jack said that he had been the day
Jack said. before.
* “You didn’t join the meeting * I said to Jake that he hadn’t joined the
last week.”I said to jake. Meeting the previous week.

B.Past Perfect Past Perfect
* “I had already finished my work,” * She said to me that she had already
She said to me. finished her work.
* “She had just left the room,” * I said to him she had just left the
I said to him. room.
* Jim said to Susan, “I hadn’t * Jim said to Susan that he hadn’t Susan
done the exercises yet.” Done the exercises.

C.Future Past Future
* He said, “I will be in Paris on * He said that he would be in paris on
monday. monday.
* “I will be 21 tomorrow,”said Bill. * Bill said that he would be 21 the
following day.
* He explained, “I’ll do this next * He explained that he would do that
week.” the following week.
* He says. “I shall be here.” * He says that she shall be there.#)

#) if the introductory clause is in present tense, it’s not necessary to change the tenses of
the subordinate clause only the subject, object, possessive, and the adverbs are
changed.

D. Future Continuous Past Future Continuous
* She said, “I will be using the * She said that she would be using the
car myself.” car herself.
* “I will be watching the Movie * Tom said that she would be watching
at 8.30.” said Tom. the movie at 8.30.
* “I’ll be wearing the yellow hat * Jane said that she would be wearing
tomorrow,” said Jane. the yellow hat the following week.
* “This time next week, I will * Matthew said that he would probably
Probably lying on beautiful beach.” lying on beautiful beach the following
Matthew said. week.