Rules Direct Speech Indirect Speech

today that day

1. Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion –
Reporting Verb "I saw him today", she said. She said that she had seen him that day.
When the reporting verb of direct speech is in
past tense then yesterday
all the present tenses are She said, ‘I am happy’.
the day before She said that she was happy
changed to the corresponding past tense in
indirect speech. "I saw him yesterday", she said. She said that she had seen him the day before.

The day before yesterday twolive

He said, ‘We cannot dayswithout
beforeair’. He said that we cannot live without air.
In indirect speech, tenses do not change if the
words used within"I met
theher the day
quotes (‘’)before
talk yesterday",
of a he said. He said that he had met her two days before.
habitual action or universal truth.
Tomorrow the next/following day

"I'll see you tomorrow", he said She says/will say,He

‘I am
saidgoing’
that he would see me the She
nextsays/will
day. say she is going
The tenses of direct speech do not change if the
reporting verb is in the future tense or present
The day after tomorrow in two days time/ two days later
tense.
Direct Speech to Indirect Speech conversion – Present Tense
"We'll come the day after tomorrow", they They said that they would come in two days time/ two days later.
said.
Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect. I have been to Boston”, she told me. She told me that she had been to Boston.
Next week/month/year the following week/month/year
 Present Continuous Changes to Past “I am playing the guitar”, she explained. She explained that she was playing the guitar.
Continuous
"I have an appointment next week", she said. She said that she had an appointment the following week.

 Present Last
Perfect Changes to
week/month/year Past He said, “She has the
finished her homework“.
previous/week/month/year He said that she had finished her homework.
Perfect
"I was on holiday last week", he told us. He told us that he had been on holiday the previous week.
 Simple Present Changes to Simple Past “I am unwell”, she said. She said that she was unwell.
ago before

"I saw her a week ago," heSpeech

Direct said. to Indirect Speech
Heconversion
said he had –seen
Pasther a week
Tense before.Tense
& Future

this (for time) that

 Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect She said, “Irvin arrived on Sunday.” She said that Irvin had arrived on Sunday.
"I'm getting a new car this week", she said. She said she was getting a new car that week.
 Past Continuous Changes to Past We were playing basketball”, they told me. They told me that they had been
Perfect Continuous
this/that (adjectives) the playing basketball.
Always remember : if the introductory used “says” the main verb in plural, but if it is “said” follow the changes of tenses.