INDIRECT SPEECH Reported statements

INDIRECT OR REPORTED SPEECH

• When we tell people what somebody said or thought, we often use indirect
speech.

• Indirect speech is normally used when conversation is reported verbally.

• Indirect speech is introduced by a verb in the past tense. Verbs in the direct
speech have then to be changed into corresponding past tense.

• Here-and-now words and pronouns may change in indirect speech.

 TENSES
Direct speech Indirect speech

Simple Present Simple Past

“I never eat meat”, he explained. He explained that he never ate meat.
Present Continuous Past Continuous
“I’m waiting for Ann”, he said. He said (that) he was waiting for
Ann.
Simple Past Past Perfect
“I took it home with me”, she said. She said she had taken it home with
her.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
“I have found a flat”, he said. He said he had found a flat.
Future Conditional
He said, “I will be in London on He said that he would be in London
Monday.” on Monday.
‘HERE-AND-NOW’ WORDS
Direct Indirect
today that day
tonight that night
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow the next day / the following day
the day after tomorrow in two days’ time
next week / year etc. the following week / year etc.
last week / year etc. the previous week / year etc.
a year etc. ago a year before / the previous year
here there
now then
this that
EXAMPLES:
 Tom said, “I’ve just heard the news.”
• He said (that) he’d just heard the news.
 “I’m leaving on Saturday” Maria told me.
• Maria told me she was leaving on Saturday.
 “We saw her the day before yesterday” John and Mary said.
• They said (that) they had seen her two days before.
 “I’ll do it tomorrow” he promised.
• He promised that he would do it the next day.

1. ‘tell’ requires the person addressed.

2.‘tell’ used with direct speech must be placed after the direct statement.
QUESTIONS:
 “When are you leaving?”
• He asked me when I was leaving?
 “Where did the president stay?”
• He wanted to know that where the president had stayed.
 “Is it cold outside?”
• She asked me if it was cold outside.
 “Do I talk too much?”
• He wanted to know that if he talked too much.
COMMANDS:
 “Please help me to carry this.”
• She asked me to help her carry this.
 “Do your homework!”
• She told me to do my homework.
 “Don't do that!”
• She told me not to do that.
 “Don’t be late.”
• He warned him not to be late.