Statements in indirect speech : tense changes necessary

Introduced by present tense verb:

Indirect speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense: he says that this is usual
when we are:
Reporting a conversation.
Reading a letter and reporting what it says.
Reading instructions and reporting them.
Reporting a statement that someone makes very often, e.g. Tom says that hell never
get married.
When the introductory verb is in the present, present perfect or future tense we can
report the direct speech without any change of tense
Introduced by past tense verb:
ut indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense.
!erbs in the direct speech have then to be changed into a corresponding past tense. The
changes are shown in the following table. "The #that has been omitted in the last five
e$amples%
Direct speech Indirect speech
Simple present:
#I never eat meat,& he e$plained.
Present continuous:
#Im waiting for 'nn& he said.
Present perfect:
#Ive found a flat& he said.
Present perfect continuous:
(e said, #Ive been waiting for ages&
Simple past:
#I took it home with me& he said.
Future:
#I will)shall be in *aris on +onday.& (e said
Future continuous:
#I will)shall be using the car myself on the
,-
th
,& he said
But note, onditional
I said, #I would)should like to see it.&
Simple past:
(e e$plained that he never ate meat.
Past continuous!
(e said "that% he was waiting for 'nn.
Past perfect:
(e said "that% he had found a flat.
Past perfect continuous:
(e said he had been waiting for ages.
Past perfect:
.he said she had taken it home with her.
onditional:
(e said he would be in *aris on +onday.
Future continuous:
(e said hed be using the car herself on
,-
th
.
onditional:
I said I would)should like to see it.
"#pression of time $ place
o Direct indirect
Today that day
/esterday the day before
The day before yesterday two days before
Tomorrow the ne$t)following day
The day after tomorrow in two days time
0e$t week)day)year... the following week)year1
2ast week)year1 the previous week)year1
' week)year ago a year before)the previous year.
0ow then )that time
%odals:
Direct indirect
3an could
+ay might
+ust had to
.hall should
Will would
Demonstratives:
This that
These those
(ere there
Practicing:
&' Put the follo(ing into indirect speech using the given reporting verbs'
#We dont like his attitude& "say%
#Im not competent to give advice on this sub4ect& "claim%
#*lease tell us the latest news that you have heard& "re5uest%
#Will you have supper with us after the performance tonight& "wonder%
B' Put these statements using introductory verbs in the past'
#I have no reason not to believe you&
#Ill pay a hundred and fifty&
#.hes been crying till shes half blind& her mother reports
#6ont go too deep into the water& she told her children
#They lie and steal and have to be watched all the time& she noted
#Im looking for sunny side cottage. I dont suppose youve heard of it&
#6ont leave me here alone&
#I shall never claim of any trouble to you&
#+rs. 7oe has been out a do8en times, looking for you, *ip&. #'nd she is out now&