Reported speech
- If the reporting verb is in the Present or
Future tense (e.g., say, will say) there is no change in the tense of the
verb in the Indirect speech.
James says, “I eat an apple”. (D.S.)
James says that he eats an apple”. (I.S.)
- If Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense. the tense of the verbs in the reported speech or Indirect Speech must be generally changed.
1. Present Tense in the Direct becomes
past tense.
Present tense: Ahmed said, “I write a letter”. (D.S)
past tense: Ahmed said that he wrote a letter. (I.S)
2. Past Tense in the direct becomes past perfect.
Present tense: Ahmed said, “I write a letter”. (D.S)
past tense: Ahmed said that he wrote a letter. (I.S)
2. Past Tense in the direct becomes past perfect.
Rachid said, “I bought a pen yesterday”.
(D.S)
Rachid said that she had bought a pen the day before. (I.S)
3. Present Continuous in the direct becomes past continuous.
Jamal said, “I am going to school”. (D.S)
Jamal said that he was going to school. (I.S)
4. Past Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
Farid said, “I was playing chess with my friend”. (D.S)
Farid said that he had been playing chess with his friend. (I.S)
5. Present Perfect in the direct becomes past perfect.
Kamal said, “I have finished my home work”. (D.S)
kamal said that he had finished his home work. (I.S)
6. Present Perfect Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
He said, “I have been writing a short story”. (D.S)
He said that he had been writing a short story. (I.S)
7. ‘Will’ and ‘Shall’ are changed to ‘would’.
He said, “I will go to Fes tomorrow”. (D.S)
He said that he would go to Fes the next day. (I.S)
8. Modals in reported speech :
Rachid said that she had bought a pen the day before. (I.S)
3. Present Continuous in the direct becomes past continuous.
Jamal said, “I am going to school”. (D.S)
Jamal said that he was going to school. (I.S)
4. Past Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
Farid said, “I was playing chess with my friend”. (D.S)
Farid said that he had been playing chess with his friend. (I.S)
5. Present Perfect in the direct becomes past perfect.
Kamal said, “I have finished my home work”. (D.S)
kamal said that he had finished his home work. (I.S)
6. Present Perfect Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
He said, “I have been writing a short story”. (D.S)
He said that he had been writing a short story. (I.S)
7. ‘Will’ and ‘Shall’ are changed to ‘would’.
He said, “I will go to Fes tomorrow”. (D.S)
He said that he would go to Fes the next day. (I.S)
8. Modals in reported speech :
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Direct speech
|
Indirect speech
|
|
can
could
may
might
will
would
must
have to
shall
should
|
could
could
might
might
would
would
must/had
to
had to
should
should
|
Farid said, “I must go now”. (D.S)
Farid said that she must (or) had to go then. (I.S)
9. Epressions of time and place in reported speech:
Farid said that she must (or) had to go then. (I.S)
9. Epressions of time and place in reported speech:
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Direct Speech
|
-
|
Indirect Speech
|
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now
|
-
|
then
|
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|
here
|
-
|
there
|
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|
this
|
-
|
that
|
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|
these
|
-
|
those
|
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|
ago
|
-
|
before
|
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|
thus
|
-
|
so
|
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to-day
|
-
|
that
day
|
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to-night
|
-
|
that
night
|
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|
yesterday
|
-
|
the day
before (or)
the previous day |
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|
tomorrow
|
-
|
the
next day (or)
the following day |
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|
last
week
|
-
|
the
week before
|
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|
next
week
|
-
|
the
week after
|
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