Tenses

Table for change in tense of reported speech for all TENSES.
TENSE CHANGE - IN - INDIRECT SPEECH

Present simple tense into Past simple
Present Continuous tense into Past continuous
Present Perfect tense into Pas perfect
Present Perfect Continuous into Past perfect continuous
Past simple into Past Perfect
Past Continuous into Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect into Past Perfect
Future simple, will into would
Future Continuous, will be into would be
Future Perfect, will have into would have

Examples.
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
PRESENT TENSE
PRESENT SIMPLE changes into PAST SIMPLE
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 She said that he had 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.

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 Oclock

She said, It has been raining for three days.

I said, She has been working in thisoffice since
2007
He said that he had been studying since 3
Oclock.

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 didnt buy a car
He said to me that I had answered correctly.

John said that they had gone tocinema.

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
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, we had not gone to New York.

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 didnt change
because reported speech is a universal truth thought its reporting
verb belongs to past tense)

Click on the following links to study each aspect of Direct and Indirect Speech.
Direct and Indirect Speech
Table for change in tense of reported speech for all TENSES.
Indirect speech for Interrogative (question) sentence.
Indirect speech for sentence having MODALS, can, may, must, should, ought to, might, would
could
Indirect speech for exclamatory and imperative sentences.
Changes in pronoun, time and adverbs in indirect speech.

In this section, We are going to see How the conversion of Direct to Indirect Speech and
Indirect to Direct Speech is done?

We may report the words of a speaker in two ways.

1. Direct Speech

We may quote the actual words of the speaker. This method is called Direct Speech.

2. Indirect Speech

We may report what he said without quoting his exact words. This method is called
Indirect Speech or Reported Speech.

Example:

Direct: Clinton said, I am very busy now.
Indirect: Clinton said that he was very busy then.

Direct : He said, my mother is writing letter.
Indirect: He said that his mother was writing letter.

How to change Direct to Indirect Speech?

It will be noticed that in Direct Speech, we use inverted commas to mark off the exactwords
of the speaker. In Indirect Speech we do not use the inverted commas.

It will be further noticed that in changing the above Direct Speech into Indirect speech,
certain changes have been made.

Thus:

i. We have used the conjunction that before the Indirect Statement.

ii. The pronoun I is changed to HE. (The Pronoun is changed in Person)

iii. The verb am is changed to was.

iv. The adverb now is changed to then.

Rules for changing Direct into Indirect Speech:

A. When the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense, all the Present Tenses in the
Direct Speech are changed into Past Tense.

a. A simple present tense becomes simple past tense.

Example:

Direct : He said, I am unwell.
Indirect: He said that he was unwell.

b. A present continuous tense becomes a past continuous.

Example:

Direct : He said, my mother is writing letter.
Indirect: He said that his mother was writing letter.

c. A present perfect becomes a past perfect:

Are you clear about the conversion of Direct to Indirect Speech?

Example:

Direct: He said, I have passed the examination.
Indirect: he said that he had passed the examination.

d. As a rule the simple past tense in the Direct Speech becomes the past perfect tense in
Indirect Speech.

Example:

Direct: He said, His horse died in the night.
Indirect: he said that his horse had died in the night.

NOTE:

The shall of the future is changed into should.
The will of the future is changed into would.
The can and may of the future are changed into could and might respectively.


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B. The tenses will not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth. We
can often choose whether to keep The original tenses or change them.

Examples:

Direct: I know her address, said John.
Indirect: John said that he knows/knew her address.

In this Indirect Speech, both the past tense and the present tense make the sentence a
correct one.

Direct: The teacher said, The earth goes round the sun.
Indirect: The teacher said that the earth goes/went round the sun.

Direct: She said, German is easy to learn.
Indirect: She said that German was/is easy to learn.

The past tense is often used when it is uncertain if the statement is true or when we are
reporting objectively.


C. If the reporting verb is in present tense, the tenses of the Direct Speech do not change.
For example, we may rewrite the above examples, putting the reporting verb in the present
tense.

Examples:

Direct : He says, I am unwell.
Indirect: He says that he is unwell.

Direct : He says, my mother is writing letter.
Indirect: He says that his mother is writing letter.

Direct: He says, I have passed the examination.
Indirect: he says that he has passed the examination.

Direct: He says, His horse died in the night.
Indirect: he says that his horse died in the night.


D. The pronouns of the Direct Speech are changed where necessary, so that their relations
with the reporter and his hearer, Rather than with the original speaker are indicated.

Examples:

Direct: He said to me, I do not believe you.
Indirect: He said that he did not believe me.

Direct: She said to him, I do not believe you.
Indirect: She said to him that she did not believe him.

Direct: I said to him, I did not believe you.
Indirect: I said to him that I did not believe him.

Direct: I said to you, I do not believe you.
Indirect: I said to you that I do not believe you.


E. Words expressing nearness in time or places are generally changed into words expressing
distance.

Examples:

Direct: He said, I am glad to be here this evening.
Indirect: he said that he was glad to be there that evening.

Direct: He said, I was here yesterday.
Indirect: He said that he was there the day before.


Now, let us see the words which get changed when the Direct Speech is changed into
Indirect Speech.

Now becomes then
Here becomes there
Ago becomes before
Thus becomes so
Today becomes that day
Tomorrow becomes the next day
Yesterday becomes the day before
Last night becomes the night before
This becomes that
These becomes those


F. How the questions used in the Direct Speech are changed into Indirect Speech?

In reporting questions, the indirect Speech is introduced by such verbs as asked, inquired
etc

Examples:

Direct: He said to me, What are you doing?
Indirect: He asked me what I was doing.

Direct: A stranger asked me, Where do you live?
Indirect: A stranger enquired where I lived.

Direct: The Policemen said to us, Where are you going?
Indirect: The Policemen asked us where we were going.

Direct: He said, Will you listen to such a man?
Indirect: He asked them whether they would listen to such a man.
Indirect: Would they, he asked, listen to such a man.

Direct: His angry mother jeered, Do you suppose you know better than your father?
Indirect: His angry mother jeered and asked whether he supposed that he knew better
than his father.


G. How the Commands and the Requests in the Direct Speeches are changed when the
Direct Speeches are changed into indirect Speeches?

In reporting commands and requests, the indirect speech is introduced by some verb
expressing commands and requests, and the Imperative Mood is changed into Infinitive
Mood.

Examples:

Direct: Raja said to John, Go away.
Indirect: Raja ordered John to go away.

Direct: He said to Mary, Please wait here till I return.
Indirect: he requested Mary to wait there till he returned.


Direct: Call the first witness, said the Judge.
Indirect: The Judge commanded them to call the first witness.

Direct: He shouted, Let me go.
Indirect: he shouted to them to let him go.

Direct: He said, Be quite and listen to my words.
Indirect: He urged them to be quite and listen to his words.


H. How the Exclamation and the Wishes in the Direct Speeches are changed when the
Direct Speeches are changed into Indirect Speeches?

In reporting exclamation and wishes, the Indirect Speech is introduced by some verb
expressing Exclamation and Wishes.

Examples:

Direct: He said, Alas! I am undone.
Indirect: He exclaimed sadly that he was undone.

Direct: Alice said, How clever I am?
Indirect: Alice exclaimed that he was very clever.

Direct: He said, Bravo! You have done well.
Indirect: he applauded him, saying that he had done well.

Direct: So help me, Heaven! he cried, I will never steal again.
Indirect: He called upon Heaven to witness his resolve never to resolve.


Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech:
She said, "I am tired." She said that she was tired.
The changes are shown below:
Simple present

Simple past
"I always drink coffee", she said She said that she always drankcoffee.
Present continuous
Past continuous
"I am reading a book", he explained. He explained that he was reading a book
Simple past

Past perfect
"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said. He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday
Present perfect

Past perfect
"I have been to Spain", he told me. He told me that he had been to Spain
Past perfect

Past perfect
"I had just turned out the light," he
explained.

He explained that he had just turned
out the light.
Present perfect continuous

Past perfect continuous
They complained, "We have
beenwaiting for hours".

They complained that they had been
waiting for hours.
Past continuous

Past perfect continuous
"We were living in Paris", they told me.

They told me that they had been living in
Paris.
Future Present conditional
"I will be in Geneva on Monday", he said

He said that he would be in Geneva on
Monday.
Future continuous

Conditional continuous
She said, "I'll be using the car next
Friday".

She said that she would be usingthe car
next Friday.

NOTE:
1. You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original
statement was about something that is still true, e.g.
He says he has missed the train but he'll catch the next one.
We explained that it is very difficult to find our house.
2. These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:
might, could, would, should, ought to, e.g.
We explained that it could be difficult to find our house.
She said that she might bring a friend to the party.

Difference between direct and indirect speech. Explain the rules
of change of speech

Direct and Indirect Speech
We can narrate something said by someone else in two ways, either
we repeat his/ her words or we convey the same meaning in our own
words. The former mode of communication is called directspeech and the
later is known as indirect speech.

Direct Speech:
He said, I am very angry.
(Indirect Speech)
He said that he was very angry.
In the case of direct speech, every sentence has two parts;
i. Reporting speech ii. Reported Speech
The words given outside the inverted commas form the reporting speech
and the words within the inverted commas form thereported speech.
Rules for change of speech.
The conversion from direct to indirect speech is according to the following
rules.
Change of verb:
i. The verb in the reported speech is changed keeping in view the tense in
the reporting speech. If the reporting speech uses present or future tense,
the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged.
ii. If the verb in the reporting speech is in the Past tense, the verb in the
reported speech will also be changed into past tense.
She says I am late.
She says that she is late.
Changes of Reported verbs:
The reported verbs always follow the reporting verb. According to the rule
of sequence of tenses the following changes in a reporting verb my take
place.
Change of Pronouns:
The pronouns are changed in the following manner.
i. The pronouns of the first person (I, me, my, mine, we , our, us etc) in
the reported speech are changed to correspond with the subject of the
reporting speech.
ii. The pronouns of the second person in the reported speech are changed
to correspond with the object or addresses of the reporting speech.
iii. The pronouns of the third person in the reported speech remains
uncharged.
iv. There is no change in the pronouns of the reporting speech.

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

What is reported speech?
Reported speech is when you tell somebody else what you or a person said before.
Distinction must be made between direct speech and reported speech.
Direct speech vs Reported speech:
Direct speech Reported speech
She says: "I like tuna fish." She says that she likes tuna fish.
She said: "I'm visiting Paris next
weekend"
She said that she was visiting Paris the following
weekend.
Different types of sentences
When you use reported speech, you either report:
statements
questions
requests / commands
other types
A. Reporting Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
tense
place and time expression
1- Pronouns
In reported speech, you often have to change the pronoun depending on who says what.
Example:
She says, My dad likes roast chicken. She says that her dad likes roast chicken.
2- Tenses
If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in
reported speech.
If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in
reported speech.
(no backshift) I write poems. He says that he writes poems.
(backshift) I write poems. He said that he wrote poems.
No backshift
Do not change the tense if the introductory clause is in a present tense (e. g. He says). Note,
however, that you might have to change the form of the present tense verb (3rd person singular).
Example:
He says, I write poems. He says that he writes English.
Backshift
You must change the tense if the introductory clause is in a past tense (e. g. He said).
Example:
He said, I am happy. He said that he was happy.
Examples of the main changes in tense:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present
He said: "I am happy"
Simple Past
He said that he was happy
Present Progressive
He said: "I'm looking for my keys"
Past Progressive
He said that he was looking for his keys
Simple Past
He said: "I visited New York last year"
Past Perfect Simple
He said that he had visited New York
the previous year.
Present Perfect
He said: " I've lived here for a long time "
Past Perfect
He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect
He said: "They had finished the work when
I arrived"
Past Perfect
He said that they had finished the work when
he had arrived"
Past Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the
accident occurred"
Past Perfect Progressive
He said that he had been playing football when
the accident had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football for two
hours."
He said that he had been playing football for
two hours
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper
when the light went off"
He said that he had been reading a newspaper
when the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb)
He said: "I will open the door."
Conditional (would+verb)
He said that he would open the door.
He said: "I would buy Mercedes if
I were rich"
He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had
been rich"
The modal verbs could, should, would, might, needn't, ought to, used to do not normally change.
Example:
He said, "She might be right." He said that she might be right.
Other modal verbs may change:
Modal Direct speec Repored speech
can "I can do it." He said he could do it.
may "May I go out?" He wanted to know if he might go out.
must "She must apply for the job." He said that she must/had to apply for the job.
will "They will call you." He tod her that they would call her.
3- Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Place, demonstratives and time expressions change if the context of the reported statement (i.e.
the location and/or the period of time) is different from that of the direct speech.
In the following table, you will find the different changes of place; demonstratives and time
expressions.
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Time Expressions
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
days ago days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
Place
here there
Demonstratives
this that
these those

B. Reporting Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
transform the question into an indirect question
use the question word (where, when, what, how) or if / whether
Types of questions Direct speech Reported speech
With question word (what,
why, where, how...)
"Why" dont you
speak English?
He asked me why I didnt
speak English.
Without question word (yes or Do you speak He asked me whether / if I
no questions) English? spoke English.
C. Reporting requests / commands
When transforming requests and commands, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
place and time expressions
Nancy,do the exercise. He told Nancy to do the exercise.
"Nancy, give me your pen, please." He asked Nancy to give him her pen.

Tenses are not relevant for requests simply use to / not to + verb (infinitive without "to")

Example:
She said, Sit down." - She asked me to sit down.
She said, "don't be lazy" - She asked me not to be lazy
For affirmative use to + infinitive (without to)
For negative requests, use not to + infinitive (without to).
D. Other transformations
Expressions of advice with must, should and ought are usually reported
using advise / urge.
Example:
You must read this book.
He advised / urged me to read that book.
The expression lets is usually reported using suggest. In this case, there are two
possibilities for reported speech: gerund or statement with should.
Example:
Lets go to the cinema.=
1. He suggested going to the cinema.
2. He suggested that we should go to the cinema.
Main clauses connected with and/but
If two complete main clauses are connected with and or but, put that after the conjunction.
Example:
He said,I saw her but she didn't see me. He said that he had seen her but that she hadn't seen
him.
If the subject is dropped in the second main clause (the conjunction is followed by a verb), do not
use that.
Example:
She said,I am a nurse and work in a hospital. He said that she was a nurse and worked in a
hospital.
Exercises on the reported speech.
Explanations Present Simple
Action that is repeated every
Friday. Habitual action.
I visit my uncle every Friday
Facts that are believed to be true.
Generalizations
Cats hate mice.
The sun rises in the morning.
Scheduled events in the near future The plane takes off at 10 o'clock tonight
Explanations Present Progressive
Action that takes place now / at the
moment
I am working on my computer
Near future I am leaving tomorrow
Explanations Present Perfect
To talk about experiences I have been to Italy.
Past action that has the result in the
present.
She has read that book.
Action which started in the past and
continued up to now.
I have lived in this town for 12 years.
Explanations Present Perfect Progressive
To show that something started in
the past and has continued up until
now.
He has been sleeping for the last 3 hours
To talk about an action that started
in the past and stopped recently.
The grass is wet because it has been raining all day
long.
in the past and is continuing now.
I have been watching TV for 2 hours / since you left.
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Explanations Past Simple
Completed action in the past. She left yesterday.
in the past and stopped recently.
She woke up, had a shower and left.
in the past and is continuing now.
If I had a million dollar, I would help the poor.
An action taking place in the middle
of another action.
She was playing when the accident occurred.
Explanations Past Progressive
Actions happening at the same time
in the past.
He was reading a newspaper while his wife was
preparing dinner.
Interrupted action in the past. Sh was reading a book when the light went off, had a
shower and left.
Explanations Past Perfect Simple
Completed action before another
action in the past.
She had left when I arrived.
Explanations Past Perfect Progressive
the past and continued up until
another action stopped it.
They had been playing soccer when the accident
occurred
the past and continued up until
another time in the past.
I had been living in that town for ten years before I
moved to New York.
We use the Past
Perfect Continuous before another
action in the past to show cause and
effect.
I was so tired. I had been working for 6 hours.
Explanations Future Simple
Instant decisions I've left the door open; I'll close it.
We use the simple future , when we
predict a future situation
She'll pass the exam. She's hardworking.
We use the simple future with: "I
(don't) think...", "I expect...", "I am
sure...", "I wonder...", "probably".
It will probably rain tonight
Conditional sentence type one If I have enough time, I'll watch the film.
Explanations Future Progressive
Action that will be taking place at
some time in the future.
When you arrive, I'll be sleeping .
Explanations Future Perfect
Completed action before another
action in the past
By tomorrow, I will have finished the work.
Explanations Future Perfect Progressive
It is used to show that an action will
continue up until a particular event
or time in the future.
She will have been working for over 8 hours by the
time her children arrive.
Tenses | Forms and Explanations

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Table for change in tense of reported speech for all TENSES.

TENSE CHANGE - IN - INDIRECT SPEECH

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