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There Are Two Major Rules That Govern Tense Changes in Reported Statements
There Are Two Major Rules That Govern Tense Changes in Reported Statements
1- PRESENT--------------------> PAST
2- PAST-------------------------> PAST PERFECT
Consider the following examples:
PRESENT TENSES
PRESENT--------------------> PAST
PAST TENSES
PAST--------------------> PAST PERFECT
Anna said:" I ate an ice cream"
Anna said that she had eaten an ice cream
Anna said:" I was eating an ice cream"
Anna said that she had been eating an ice cream
Anna said:" I had eaten an ice cream"
Anna said that she had eaten an ice cream.
NB: Past perfect and its variations do not change
Anna said:"I had been eating an ice cream"
Anna said that she had been eating an ice cream
FUTURE TENSES
WILL--------------------> PAST FORM (WOULD)
Anna said :" I will eat an ice cream"
Anna said that she would eat an ice cream
Anna said :" I will be eating an ice cream"
Anna said that she would be eating an ice cream
Anna said:" I will have eaten an ice cream"
Anna said that she would have eaten an ice cream
Anna said:" I will have been eating an ice cream"
Anna said that she would have been eating an ice cream
Major changes
upon moving from direct to indirect speech
Personal pronouns
I
You
He
She
It
We
You
they
Possessive adjectives
He/she
I /He/she
~
~
~
They
We/they
they
My
Your
His
Her
Its
Our
Your
their
His/her
My/ His/her
~
~
~
Their
our/their
~
Possessive pronouns
Mine
Yours
His
Hers
Its
Ours
Yours
theirs
His/hers
Mine/His/her
s
~
~
~
Theirs
Ours/theirs
~
Would
Would
Might
Had to
Had to
Could
~
~
~
~
~
Now
At this moment
Today
tonight
Tomorrow
Ago
Before
Here
There
This
That
These
Those
There
~
That
~
Those
~