TABLE FOR CHANGING ALL TENSES DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT.

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.” He said that he wrote a letter.
She said, “I go to school daily.” She said that she went to school daily.
They said, “we love our country.” They said that they loved their country.
He said, “I do not like the computer.” He said that he did not like the computer.
She said, “I do not assist them.” She said that she did not assist them.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST CONTINUOUS

They said, “we are not taking part in program.”
She said, “I am baking bread.”
He said, “I am solving the paper.”
Javid said, ”I am not relating a story.”
They said, “we are not shouting in the class.”
They said that they were not taking part in program.
She said that she was baking bread.
He said that he was solving the paper.
Javid said that he was not relating a story.
They said that they were not shouting in the class.

PRESENT PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT

She said, “I have finished my work.”
He said, “I have started a job.”
She said, “she has eaten the meal.”
They said, “we have not gone to New York.”
Usman said, “I have not done this work.”
She said that she had finished her work.
He said that he had started a job.
She said that she had eaten the meal.
They said that they had not gone to New York.
Usman said that he had not done that work
 PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
He said, “I have been studying since 3 O’clock.”
She said, “It has been raining for three days.”
They said, “She has been working here since 2007.”
He said, “I have not been swimming since morning.”
They said “we are not running since evening.”
PAST TENSE
PAST SIMPLE
He said to me, “you answered correctly.”
Fareed said, “they went to cinema.”
He said, “I made a table.”
She said, “I didn’t buy a car.”
They said, “we did not believe him.”
PAST CONTINUOUS changes into
They said, “we were enjoying the weather.”
He said to me, “I was waiting for you.”
I said, “It was snowing.”
She said, “I was not laughing.”
He said, “I was not operating a computer.”
PAST PERFECT changes into
She said, “She had visited a doctor.”
He said, “I had taken rest.”
She said, “I had talked to her.”
They said, “we had not been to New York.”
He said, “I had not typed the letter.”
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
(tense does not change)
They said, “we had been speaking since morning.”
He said, “I had been jogging for two hours.”
She said, “I had been teaching since 2000.”
They said, “we had not been learning for two years.”
He said, “I had not been reposing since night.”
changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
He said that he had been studying since 3 O’clock.
She said that it had been raining for three days.
They said that she had been working there since 2007.
He said that he had not been swimming since morning.
They said that they had not been running since evening.
changes into PAST PERFECT
He said to me that I had answered correctly.
Fareed said that they had gone to cinema.
He said that he had made a table.
She said that she had not bought a car.
They said that they had not believed him.
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
They said that they had been enjoying the weather.
He said to me that he had been waiting for me.
I said that it had been snowing.
She said that she had not been laughing.
He said that he had not been operating a computer.
PAST PERFECT (tense does not change)
She said that she had visited a doctor.
He said that he had taken rest.
She said that she had talked to her.
They said that they had not been to New York.
He said that he had not typed the letter.
changes into PAST PERFECT COTINUOUS
They said that they had been speaking since morning.
He said that he had been jogging for two hours.
She said that she had been teaching since 2000.
They said that they had not been learning for two years.
He said that I had not been reposing since night.
 FUTURE TENSE
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE WILL changes into WOULD
He said, “I will compose a book.” He said that he would compose a 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 me gifts.
He said, “I will not take the exam.” He said that he would not take the exam.
She said, “I will not consult to doctor.” She said that she would not consult to doctor.

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE WILL BE changes into WOULD BE

They said to him, “we will be waiting for him.”
She said,” I will be shifting to my new home.”
He said, “I will be working hard.”
He said, “I will not be flying kite.”
She said, “I will not be encouraging them.”
They said to him that they would be waiting for him.
She said that she would be shifting to her new home.
He said that he would be working hard.
He said that he would not be flying kites.
She said that she would not be encouraging them.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE WILL HAVE changes into WOULD HAVE

He said, “I will have accomplished the work.”
She said, “they will have passed the examination.”
He said, “I will have migrated to America.”
They said, “we will not have kneaded the flour.”
She said, “I will not have deceived him.”
He said that he would have accomplished the work.
She said that they would have passed the examination.
He said that he would have migrated to America.
They said that they would not have kneaded the flour.
She said that she would not have deceived him.

FUTURE PERFECT TENSE WILL HAVE BEEN changes into WOULD HAVE BEEN
He said, “I will have been dancing for three hours.” He said that he would have been dancing for three hours.
She said, “I will have been crying since morning.” She said that she would have been crying since morning.
They said, “we will have been hunting for one month.” They said that they would have been hunting for one month.
He said, “I will not have been enjoying since Monday.” He said that he would not have been enjoying since Monday.
She said, “I will not have been jesting in the class for She said that she would not have been jesting in the class for
many days.” many days.

Note: The tense of reported speech may not change if the reported speech is a universal a truth
though its reporting verb belongs to past tense.

Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “Almighty Allah is one.”
Indirect Speech: He said that Almighty Allah is one.
Direct speech: He said, “Sun rises in east.”
Indirect Speech: He said that sun rises in east.
 INDIRECT SPEECH FOR QUESTION SENTENCES.
There are mainly two types of interrogative sentences.
1- Questions that can be simply answered in Yes/No: These questions start with auxiliary verbs.
2- Question that demand a detailed answer: These questions start with WH words.
(What, where, when, why, how)
RULES:
1 comma and inverted commas will be removed.
2 the conjunction that will not be used in indirect question sentences.
3 Question mark (?) will not be used in indirect question sentences.
4 The verb such as “say or tell” in direct speech is replaced with “ask or inquire” in indirect speech.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

AUXILIARY QUESTIONS
She said, “are you a student?”
They said, “is she a nurse?”
He said to me, “do you like me?”
They said, “is she baking bread?”
She said, “have I been to Karachi?”
He said, “has she been running since morning?”
Teacher said to me, “did you write homework?”
They said, “were you playing gamble?”
He said, “had I eaten lunch?”
She said, “had I been sleeping for ten days?”
Uma said, “will you celebrate a party?”
They said, “will we be giving a test?”
She said, “will I have reached in London?”
Banadi said, “will I have been swimming since morning?”
She asked if I was a student.
They asked if she was a nurse.
He asked me if I liked him.
They asked if she was baking bread.
She asked if she had been to Karachi.
He asked if she had been running since morning.
Teacher asked me if I had written my homework.
They aske if had been playing gamble.
He asked if he had eaten lunch.
She asked if she had been sleeping for ten days.
Uma asked if we would celebrate a party.
They asked if they would be giving a test.
She asked if she would have reached in London.
Banadi asked if she would have been swimming since morning.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

WH QUESTIONS
Teacher said to me, “what is your name?”
He said to them, “what do they do?”
She said, “where do you live?”
They said to us, “what do you want?”
He said to me, “what are you doing?”
I said to her, “what has she eaten?”
Teacher told me, “why did I fail the exam?”
He said to her, “how will you help me?”
Mom said, “who was he?”
Father said to me, “what is wrong with you?”
He said to me, “how is your life going?”
She said to me, “when do you leave for Turbat?”
Teacher asked me what my name was.
He asked them what they did.
She asked where I lived.
They asked us what we wanted.
He asked me what I was doing.
I asked her what she had eaten.
Teacher asked me why I had failed the exam.
He asked her how would she help him.
Mom asked who he was.
Father asked me what was wrong with me.
He asked me how was your life going.
She asked me when I left for Turbat
Indirect speech for exclamatory and imperative
sentences.

Indirect speech of imperative sentence.

A sentence which expresses command, request, advice or suggestion is called
imperative sentence.
For example,
• Open the door.
• Please help me.
• Learn your lesson.

To change such sentences into indirect speech, the word “ordered” or

“requested” or “advised” or “suggested” or “forbade” or “not to do” is added to
reporting verb depending upon nature of imperative sentence in reported speech.

Examples.
Direct speech: He said to me, “please help me.”
Indirect Speech: He requested me to help him.
Direct speech: She said to him, “you should work hard for exam.”
Indirect Speech: He suggested him to work hard for exam.
Direct speech: They said to him, “do not tell a lie.”
Indirect Speech: They said to him not to tell a lie.
Direct speech: He said to me, “open the door.”
Indirect Speech: He ordered me to open the door.
Direct speech: The teacher said to student, “do not waste time.”
Indirect Speech: The teacher advised the students not to waste time.
Direct speech: He said, “please give me glass of water.”
Indirect Speech: He requested to give him a glass of water.
Direct speech: Doctor said to me, “Do not smoke.”
Indirect Speech: Doctor advised me not to smoke.
Direct speech: The teacher said to him, “Get out.”
Indirect Speech: The teacher ordered him to get out.

Indirect speech of exclamatory sentences.

Sentence which expresses state of joy or sorrow or wonder is called exclamatory
sentence.
For example.
• Hurrah! We won the match.
• Alas! I failed the test.
• Wow! What a nice shirt it is.

To change such sentences, the words “exclaimed with joy” or “exclaimed with
sorrow” or “exclaimed with wonder” is added in the reporting verb depending
upon the nature of exclamatory sentence in indirect speech.
 Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “Hurrah! I won a prize.”
Indirect Speech: He exclaimed with joy that he had won a prize.
Direct speech: She said, “Alas! I failed in exam.”
Indirect Speech: She exclaimed with sorrow that she failed in the exam.
Direct speech: John said, “Wow! What a nice shirt it is.”
Indirect Speech: John exclaimed with wonder that it was a nice shirt.
Direct speech: She said, “Hurrah! I am selected for the job.”
Indirect Speech: She exclaimed with joy that she was selected for the job.
Direct speech: He said, “Oh no! I missed the train.”
Indirect Speech: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had missed the train.
Direct speech: They said, “Wow! What a pleasant weather it is.”
Indirect Speech: They exclaimed with wonder that it was a pleasant weather.
Direct speech: He said, “Hurrah! My brother got first position.”
Indirect Speech: He exclaimed with joy that his brother had gotten first position.
Direct speech: She said, “Oh no! I have forgotten my notebooks.”
Indirect Speech: She exclaimed with sorrow that she had forgotten her notebooks.
Direct speech: They said, “Wow! What a nice match it was.”
Indirect Speech: They exclaimed with wonder that it had been nice match.

Indirect must, speech for sentence having MODALS, “can, may,

Present modals are changed to past modals

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Indirect speech for sentence having MODALS,
“can, may, must, should, ought to”
CAN changes into COULD
He said, “I can drive a car.” He said that he could drive a car.
She said, “he can play a violin.” She said that he could play a violin.
They said, “we can climb on a hill.” They said that they could climb on a hill.
He said, “I can’t do this work.” He said that he could not do that work.

MAY changes into MIGHT

He said, “I may buy a computer.” He said that he might buy a computer.
She said, “he may visit a doctor.” She said that he might visit a doctor.
They said, “they may go to zoo.” They said that they might go to zoo.
He said, “I may not scold her.” He said that he might not scold her.

MUST changes into HAD TO

He said, “I must work hard.” He said that he had to work hard.
She said, “they must carry on their work.” She said that they had to carry on their work.
I said to him, “you must learn the test.” I said to him that he had to learn the test.
They said, “we must not leave this place.” They said that they didn’t have to leave that place
 Indirect speech for sentence having MODALS, should, ought to,
might, would, and could”

The modal will not change in indirect speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
THESE MODALS DO NOT CHANGE
Would, could, might, should, ought to”
Would
They said, “we would apply for visa.” They said that they would apply for visa.
He said, “I would start a business.” He said that he would start a business.
She said, “I would appear in exam.” She said that she would appear in the exam.
He said, “I would not eat rice.” He said that he would not eat rice.

Could
She said, “she could play a piano.” She said that she could play a piano.
They said, “we couldn’t learn the lesson.” They said they couldn’t learn the lesson.
He said, “I could run faster.” He said that he could run faster.
They said, “we could not bear anymore.” They said that they could not bear anymore”

Might
He said, “guests might come.” He said that guest might come.
She said, “it might rain.” She said that it might rain.
Uma said, “I might meet him.” Uma said that he might meet him.
She said, “I might not do your work.” She said that she might not do my work

Should
He said, “I should avail the opportunity.” He said that he should avail the opportunity.
She said, “I should help a him.” She said that she should help him.
They said, “we should take the exam.” They said that they should take the exam.
He said, “I should not wait for you.” He said that he should not wait not for me.

Ought to
He said to me, “you ought to wait for him.” He said to me that I ought to wait for him.
She said, “I ought to learn method of study.” She said that she ought to learn method of study.
They said, we ought to run fast.” They said that they ought to run fast.