Table for change in tense of reported speech for all TENSES.
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
PRESENT TENSES
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
PRESENT SIMPLE changes into PAST SIMPLE
He said, “I write a letter” He said that he wrote a letter. /
She said, “he goes to school daily” He said that she went to school daily.
They said, “we love our country” They said that they loved their country
He said, “he does not like computer” He said that he did not like computer.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST CONTINUOUS
He said, “he is listening to the music” He said that he was listening to the music.
She said, “I am washing my clothes” She said that she was washing her clothes.
They said, “we are enjoying the weather” They said that they were not enjoying the weather.
I said, “it is raining” He said, “it was raining”
She said, “I am not laughing” 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” He said that he had started a job.
I said, “she have eaten the meal” I said that she had eaten the meal.
They said, “We have not gone to New York. 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” He said that he had been studying since 3 O’clock.
She said, “It has been raining for three days.” She said that it had been raining for three days.
I said, “She has been working in this office since I said that she had been working in this office since
2007” 2007.
PAST TENSE
PAST SIMPLE changes into PAST PERFECT
He said to me, “you answered correctly” He said to me that I had answered correctly.
John said, “they went to cinema” John said that they had gone to cinema.
He said, “I made a table” He said that he had made a table.
She said, “I didn’t buy a car” She said that she had not bought a car.
PAST CONTINUOUS changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
They said, “we were enjoying the weather” They said that they had been enjoying the weather.
He said to me, “ I was waiting for you” He said to me that he had been waiting for me.
I said, “It was raining” I said that it had been raining.
She said, “I was not laughing” She said that she had not been laughing.
PAST PERFECT … (tense does not change) … PAST PERFECT
She said, “She had visited a doctor” She said that she had visited a doctor.
He said, “I had started a business” He said that he had started a business.
I said, “she had eaten the meal” 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” He said that he would study the book.
She said, “I will buy a computer” She said that she would buy a computer.
They said to me, “we will send you gifts” They said to me that they would send you gifts.
I said, “I will not take the exam” I said that I would not take the exam.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE WILL BE changes into WOULD BE + (ing form)
I said to him, “ I will be waiting for him” I said to him that I would be waiting for him.
She said,” I will be shifting to new home” She said that she would be shifting to a new home.
He said, “I will be working hard” He said that he would be working hard.
He said, “I will not be flying kites” He 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” He said that he would have finished the work.
She said, “they will have passed the She said that they would have passed the examination.
examination”
He said, “I will have gone” 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, “The sun rises from the east”
Indirect Speech: …………. He said that the sun rises from the east.
Tense does not change because reported speech is a universal truth, thought its
reporting verb belongs to past tense.
