Changes in Verbs:

 If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech. This verb could be in any tense i.e., present,
past, or future. For example:
Direct Speech: He says, “I am ill.”

Indirect Speech: He says that he is ill.

Direct Speech: She says, “She sang a song.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she sang a song.

Direct Speech: You say, “I shall visit London.”

Indirect Speech: You say that you will visit London.

 If the reporting verb is in past tense, then reported verb will be changed as per the following criterion:
 Present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense. For example:
Direct Speech: They said, “They take exercise every day.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they took exercise every day.

 Present continuous is changed into past continuous tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They are taking exercise every day.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they were taking exercise every day.

 Present perfect is changed into the past perfect tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They have taken exercise.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken exercise.

 Present perfect continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.
Direct Speech: They said, “They have been taking exercise since morning.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had been taking exercise since morning.

 Past indefinite is changed into past perfect tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They took exercise.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken exercise.

 Past continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They were taking exercise.”
Indirect Speech: They said that they had been taking exercise.

 No changes are required to be made into past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses.
Direct Speech: They said, “They had taken exercise.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken exercise.

 In Future Tense, while no changes are made except shall and will are changed into would.
Direct Speech: They said, “They will take exercise.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they would take exercise.

Important Word Changes

Words Changed Into Direct Speech Indirect Speech

He says, “He He says that he

This That wants to buy this wants to buy that
book.” book.

He says, “He He says that he

These Those wants to buy wants to buy
these books.” those books.

She says, She says that

Here There “Everybody was everybody was
here.” there.

They say, “It’s ten They say that it’s

Now Then
o’clock now.” ten o’clock then.

They said
They said, “Sir, respectfully that
Sir Respectfully
the time is over.” the time was
over.
 Words Changed Into Direct Speech Indirect Speech

They said
They said,
respectfully that
Madam Respecfully "Madam, the time
the time was
is over."
over.

She said, “I am She said that she

Today That Day going to London was going to
today.” London that day.

She said, “I She said that she

visited Oxford had visited
Yesterday The Previous Day
University Oxford University
yesterday.” the previous day.

She said that she

She said, “I am
Following Day or was going to
Tomorrow going to London
Next Day London the next
tomorrow.”
day.

She said, “I am She said that she

Tonigh That Night going to see him was going to see
tonight.” him that night.

Good Morning, She said, “Good

She greeted Sir
Good Evening, Greeted morning, Sir
David.
Good Day David.”
Examples of Indirect Speech
Direct Speech Indirect Speech

She says that she eats an apple a

She says, “I eat an apple a day.”
day.

He will say that his brother will help

He will say, “My brother will help her.”
her.

We said, “We go for a walk every We said that we went for a walk every
day.” day.

You say, “I went to London You say that you went to London the
yesterday.” previous day.

He said, “My father is playing cricket He said that his father was playing
with me.” cricket with him.

They said, “We have completed our They said that they had completed
homework.” their homework.

She said, “I have been waiting for him She said that she had been waiting
since last morning.” for him since last morning.

She said, “I bought a book.” She said that she had bought a book.

They said, “We were celebrating Eid They said that they had been
yesterday.” celebrating Eid the previous day.

We said, “We had been waiting since We said that we had been waiting
morning.” since morning.
 Direct Speech Indirect Speech

He said to me that he would not give

He said to me, “I will not give you any
me any medicine without a
medicine without prescription.”
prescription.

Rafiq said, “I shall leave for London Rafiq said that he would leave for
tomorrow.” London the next day.

She said, “I shall be visiting my She said that she would be visiting
college tomorrow.” her college the following day.

They said, “It will have been snowing They said that it would have been
since morning.” snowing since morning.
Change this direct speech into
reported speech:
1. She said, “He works in a
bank”
2. She told me, “We went out
last night”
3. She said, “I’m coming!”
4. She told me ,“I was waiting
for the bus when he arrived”
5. She said,“ I’d never been
there before”
6. She told me, “I didn’t go to
the party”
7. She said, “Lucy’ll come
later”
8. She told me ,“He hasn’t
eaten breakfast”
9. She said, “I can help you
tomorrow”
10. She told me, “You should
go to bed early”
11. She told me ,“I don’t like
chocolate”
12. She said, “I won’t see you
tomorrow”
13. She said, “She’s living in
Paris for a few months”
14. She told me ,“I visited my
parents at the weekend”
15. She said, “She hasn’t eaten
sushi before”
16. She said “I hadn’t travelled
by underground before I came
to London”
17. She said, “They would help
if they could”
18. She told me ,“I’ll do the
washing-up later”
19. She said, “He could read
when he was three”
20. She said ,“I was sleeping
when Julie called”
Changes in Verbs:
If the reporting speech is in
present tense or future tense,
then no change is required to
be made in the verb of
reported speech. This verb
could be in any tense i.e.,
present, past, or future. For
example:
DS: He says, “I am ill.”
IS: He says that he is ill.
DS: She says, “She sang a
song.”
IS: She says that she sang a
song.
DS: You say, “I shall visit
London.”
IS: You say that you will
visit London.
If the reporting verb is in past
tense, then reported verb will
be changed as per the
following criterion:
Present indefinite tense is
changed into past indefinite
tense. For example:
DS: They said,
“They take  exercise every
day.”
IS: They said that
they took exercise every day.
Present continuous is changed
into past continuous tense.
DS : They said, “They are
taking  exercise every day.”
IS: They said that they were
taking exercise every day.
Present perfect is changed
into the past perfect tense.
DS: They said, “They have
taken  exercise.”
IS: They said that they had
taken  exercise.
Present perfect continuous
tense is changed into past
perfect continuous tense.
DS: They said, “They have
been taking  exercise since
morning.”
IS: They said that they had
been taking exercise since
morning.
Past indefinite is changed into
past perfect tense.
DS: They said,
“They took  exercise.”
IS: They said that they had
taken exercise.
Past continuous tense is
changed into past perfect
continuous tense.
DS: They said, “They were
taking  exercise.”
IS: They said that they had
been taking  exercise.
No changes are required to be
made into past perfect and
past perfect continuous
tenses.
DS: They said, “They had
taken  exercise.”
IS: They said that they had
taken  exercise.
In Future Tense, while no
changes are made except shall
and will are changed
into would.
DS: They said, “They will
take exercise.”
IS: They said that they would
take  exercise.
Reported statements: Answers

1. She said (that) he worked in a bank.

2. She told me (that) they went (had gone) out last night (the night before).

3. She said (that) she was coming.

4. She told me (that) she was waiting for the bus whenhe arrived.

5. She said (that) she hadnever been there before.

6. She told me (that) she didn't go (hadn't gone) to the party.

7.She said (that) Lucy wouldcome later.

8. She told me (that) he hadn't eaten breakfast.

9. She said (that) she could help me tomorrow.

10. She told me (that) I should go to bed early.

11. She told me (that) she didn't like chocolate.

12. She said (that) she wouldn't see me tomorrow.

13. She said (that) she is living in Paris for a few months.

14. She told me (that) she visited (had visited) her parents at the weekend.

15. She said (that) she hadn't eaten sushi before.

16. She said (that) she hadn't travelled by underground before she came to London.

17. She said (that) they would help if they could.

18. She told me (that) she would do the washing-up later.

19. She said (that) he could read when he was three.

20. She said (that) she had been sleeping when Julie called.