He said, “I write a letter” She said, “he goes to school daily” They said, “we love our country” He said, “he does not like computer”
He said that he wrote a letter. He said that she went to school daily. They said that they loved their country
He said that he did not like computer.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST CONTINUOUS
He said, “he is listening to the music” She said, “I am washing my clothes” They said, “we are enjoying the weather” I said, “it is raining” She said, “I am not laughing”
He said that he was listening to the music. She said that she was washing her clothes. They said that they were not enjoying the weather. She said that she was not laughing.
PRESENT PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT
She said, “he has finished his work” He said, “I have started a job” I said, “she have eaten the meal” They said, “we have not gone to New York.
She said that he had finished his work. He said that he had started a job. I said that she had eaten the meal.
They said that they had not gone to New York.
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
He said, “I have been studying since 3 O’clock” She said, “It has been raining for three days.” I said, “She has been working in this office since 2007”
He said that he had been studying since 3 O’clock. She said that it been raining for three days. I said that she had been working in this office since 2007.
PAST TENSE
PAST SIMPLE changes into PAST PERFECT
He said to me, “you answered correctly” John said, “they went to cinema” He said, “I made a table” She said, “I didn’t buy a car”
He said to me that I had answered correctly. John said that they had gone to cinema. He said that he had made a table.
She said that she had not bought a car.
PAST CONTINUOUS changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
They said, “we were enjoying the weather” He said to me, “ I was waiting for you” I said, “It was raining” She said, “I was not laughing”
They said that they had been enjoying. He said to me that he had been waiting for me. I said that it had been raining. She said that she not been laughing.
PAST PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT (tense does not change)
She said, “She had visited a doctor” He said, “I had started a business” I said, “she had eaten the meal” They said, “we had not gone to New York.
She said that she had visited a doctor. He said that he had started a business. I said that she had eaten the meal. They said they had not gone to New York.
FUTURE TENSE
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE WILL changes into WOULD
He said, “I will study the book” She said, “I will buy a computer” They said to me, “we will send you gifts” I said, “I will not take the exam”
He said that he would study the book. She said that she would buy a computer. They said to me that they would send you gifts.
I said that I would not take the exam.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE WILL BE changes into WOULD BE
I said to him, “ I will be waiting for him” She said,” I will be shifting to new home” He said, “I will be working hard” He said, “he will not be flying kite”
I said to him that I would be waiting for him. She said that she would be shifting to a new home. He said that he would be working hard. She said that he would not be flying kites.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE WILL HAVE changes into WOULD HAVE
He said, “I will have finished the work” She said, “they will have passed the examination” He said, “I will have gone”
He said that he would have finished the work. She said that they would have passed the examination. He said that he would have gone.
Note: The tense of reported speech may not change if reported speech is a universal truth though its reporting verb belongs to past tense.
Examples. Direct speech:He said, “Mathematics is a science” Indirect Speech: He said that mathematics is a science. Direct speech:He said, “Sun rises in east” Indirect Speech: He said that sun rises in east. (Tense didn’t change because reported speech is a universal truth thought its reporting verb belongs to past tense)
People, places, times and things
People I → he/she
you → me
my → his/her
your → mine
Place here → there
Times now →then, at the time
today → that day, on Monday
yesterday → the day before, the previous day
tomorrow → the next day, the following day
this afternoon → that afternoon
last week → the week before, the previous week
next week → the week after, the following week
a few days ago → a few days before
Things this project → that project
Exception!
We do not change tense if the information is still true.
e.g. He said that the sky is blue.
He said that the sun rises in the east.
He said there is always a period of uncertainty after a merger.
Reporting Questions Mind the word order!
WH-questions:
reporting verb + WH-word + subject + main verb
e.g. Where is it?”
He asked me where it was.
When will the goods arrive?”
They asked me when the goods would arrive.
What time doesthe train leave?
They wanted to know when the train left.
Yes/ No Questions
reporting verb + IF/ WHETHER + subject + main
Verb
e.g. Do you speak French?
She asked me if I spoke French.
Are you going to pay in cash?
He asked me whether I was going to pay in cash
Reporting Commands and Requests
Reporting verb+ subject + to/ not to + infinitive
e.g. Take us to the airport.
She told the driver to take us to the airport.
e.g. Please don’t wait for me, I’ll come along later.” He asked us not to wait.
When we report a speaker’s words we don’t just apply rules mechanically, we interpret what we hear or read, so we use appropriate reporting verbs (introductory verbs) like the following:
Reporting Commands and Requests
Reporting verb+ subject + to/ not to + infinitive
e.g. Take us to the airport.
She told the driver to take us to the airport.
e.g. Please don’t wait for me, I’ll come along later.” He asked us not to wait.
INTRODUCTORY VERB
DIRECT SPEECH
REPORTED SPEECH
Agree + TO + INFINITIVE
“Yes, I’ll do it again”
He agreed to do it again
Offer
“Would you like me to drive you home?”
He offered to driveme home.
Promise
“I’ll pay you on Friday”
He promised to payme on Friday.
Refuse
“No, I won’t tell you her secret”
He refused to tellme her secret.
Threaten
“Keep quiet or I’ll punish you”
He threatened to punishme if I didn’t keep quiet.
Advise+SB+TO+INFINITIVE
“You should talk about your problem”
He advised me to talkabout my problem.
Allow
“You can use my phone”
He allowed me to usehis phone.
Ask
“Please, close the door”º
He asked me to closethe door.
Beg
“Please, please, don’t hit the dog”
He begged me not to hitthe dog.
Encourage
“Go ahead, say what you think”
He encouraged me to saywhat I thought.
Forbid
“You mustn’t come home after eleven”
He forbade me to comehome after eleven.
Invite
“I’d like you to come to my party”
He invited me to goto his party.
Order
“Don’t leave your room again”
He ordered me not to leavemy room again.
Permit
“You may speak to the judge”
He permitted me to speakto the judge.
Remind
“Don’t forget to turn the lights off”
He reminded me to turnthe lights off.
Urge
“Try to have sympathy for the family”
He urged me to tryto have sympathy. (for the family)
Warn
“Don’t touch the wire with wet hands”
He warned me not to touchthe wire. (with wet hands)
