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Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

The document discusses the rules for changing direct speech to reported speech based on whether the reporting verb is in the present or past tense. It provides examples showing that if the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense does not need to change in the reported speech. However, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tenses in the reported speech are usually changed to the past tense as well. It also notes that changing the person from first to third person and words like pronouns may be necessary when changing to reported speech.

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Anano Kiziria
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744 views2 pages

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

The document discusses the rules for changing direct speech to reported speech based on whether the reporting verb is in the present or past tense. It provides examples showing that if the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense does not need to change in the reported speech. However, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tenses in the reported speech are usually changed to the past tense as well. It also notes that changing the person from first to third person and words like pronouns may be necessary when changing to reported speech.

Uploaded by

Anano Kiziria
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Direct vs Reported Speech: Provides a tabular comparison of how different tenses are converted from direct to reported speech.
  • Speech Conversion Rules: Explains the grammatical rules for changing direct speech to reported speech using examples.

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech

present
I like ice cream She said (that) she liked ice cream.
simple
present I am living in
She said (that) she was living in London.
continuous London
She said (that) she had bought a car OR
past simple I bought a car
She said (that) she bought a car.
past I was walking She said (that) she had been walking along
continuous along the street the street.
present
I haven't seen Julie She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.
perfect
I had taken
She said (that) she had taken English
past perfect* English lessons
lessons before.
before
will I'll see you later She said (that) she would see me later.
I would help,
would* She said (that) she would help but...
but..”
I can speak perfect She said (that) she could speak perfect
can
English English.
I could swim when She said (that) she could swim when she
could*
I was four was four.
shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later.
I should call my
should* She said (that) she should call her mother
mother
might* I might be late She said (that) she might be late
She said (that) she must study at the
I must study at the
must weekend OR She said she had to study at
weekend
the weekend
*Doesn’t change

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense,
it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

 Direct speech: I like ice cream.


 Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the
'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like
'my' and 'your'.

(As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in
English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same
if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses
in the reported speech:

 Direct speech: I like ice cream.


 Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

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