PARALLEL

SENTENCES: TENSE
USAGE
wayan_sukarini@unud.ac.id
5. INDIRECT SPEECH

• Indirect speech is the same as Reported speech. It is the reporting of what

someone else said in our own words by using the reporting verbs say and tell
(the common ones). The meaning or the message is still the same as of what
was said. There are 3 things should be examined respectively in indirect speech:
• changes in Tense (not always)
• changes in Person and Pronouns
• changes in Time Phrases
CHANGE of TENSE (not always)

• The tense from direct to indirect speech does not change if the circumstances of
what someone said is the same, for example:
• "I am feeling hungry" (= Direct Speech)
• She said she is feeling hungry (= Indirect Speech)
• However, as a report on what was said in the past the tense is changed (back
shifted). Then the present will go back to the past and so do the modals.
• Examples:
Direct Speech:
• "I want to discuss the plan later".
• "You have to come back as soon as possible"
Indirect Speech:
• He said he wanted to discuss the plan later.
• John told me I had to come back as soon as possible.
CHANGE of PRONOUN

Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the direct speech.
Direct Speech:
• “We like it very much"
• "I have been surfing with my friends" 
Indirect Speech:
• They said they liked it very much. 
• He said he had been surfing with his friends. 
CHANGE OF TIME PHRASES

• Phrases referring to time need to be changed when the speech is reported. 

• In examples below it must be assumed that the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the
phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not make sense any more in terms of the reported speech.
• Direct Speech
• She said, "I saw her yesterday".
• He said, "He will bring the book tomorrow".
• Indirect Speech
• She said that she had seen her the day before.
• He said that he would bring the book the next day.
EXAMPLES and EXERCISES

1. He says he’s doing his homework.

a. they/change/job
b. the carpenters/fetch/tools
2. The teacher told me to obey him.
a. actress/copy
b. parents/trust
3. She asked me where I was going
a. when/leave
b. which book/take
4. He wondered whether (if) he should repeat the story.
a. The girl/want to know/post/letter
b. The chauffer/ask/wash/car
5. The captain ordered the ship to be abandoned.
a. Minister of Health/children/inoculate
b. Zoo-keeper/animals/feed
6. The doctors suggested that I should have a month’s rest.
a. Publisher/the author/write another novel
b. Teacher/his pupils/write an essay
6. ANOMALOUS FINITES

• The word ‘anomalous’ means ‘irregular’ which consists of be, helping verbs (do, have,
and auxiliaries).
EXAMPLES and EXERCISES

1. You needn’t buy the book now, but you must buy it sooner or later.
a. order/food/by tomorrow
b. deliver/goods/by tea-time
2. Can I go now? No, you mustn’t go yet.
a. they/start
b. the taxi/go
3. He may not pay the bill, although he knows he ought to.
a. return/loan/admit
b. keep/promise/believe
4. We are to meet them at half past five.
a. I/call for/her/9.20
b. she/photograph/them/12
5. It might rain, but I don’t think it will.
a. the animals/stampede/think
b. the shed/catch fire/believe
6. He could speak Italian when he was ten years old.
a. the baby/say/Mama/six months
b. the children/ride/horses/seven
7. He was able to climb the mountain in spite of the snow.
a. pass/examination/difficulties
b. listen to/B.B.C./interference
8. She daren’t run on the slop; she might slip.
a. we/walk/path/fall
b. the boys/skate/pond/break the ice
9. They haven’t arrived; they must have lost the way.
a. you/sign/misread/instruction
b. the soldiers/fire/disobey/order
10. You ought to have come earlier; you could easily have done so.
a. we/work/harder
b. the horse/jump/higher
7. INFINITIVE and ‘ING’ -FORM

1. He agreed to do the job.

a. determine/finish/work
b. refuse/pay/bill
2. We helped them dig up the potatoes.
a. make/him/sell/motor-bicycle
b. hear/jean/play/piano
3. I obliged the children to do their homework.
a. he/advise/workmen/go/on strike
b. they/allow/farmers/grow/more wheat
4. You should find out how to do this puzzle.
a. learn/mend/a puncture
b. consider/improve/your position
5. He hates eating rice pudding.
a. everyone/enjoy/spend/money
b. he/regret/leave/school
6. The housewife smelt the cakes burning.
a. engineer/feel/temperature/rise
b. goalkeeper/leave/ball/lie
7. Did you mind me borrowing your umbrella?
a. see/her/take/watch
b. notice/them/climb/wall
8. It would be difficult refuse the invitation.
a. she/delighted/see/film
b. we/sorry/miss/opportunity
9. We have brought some chairs to sit on.
a. the girl/bring/toys/play with
b. the soldiers/put up/tents/sleep in
10. She began to cry after hearing the news.
a. the general/come/pray/after/lose/battle
b. the actor/learn/understand/by/watch/director
THANK YOU