Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct Speech Indirect Speech - is also known as quoted speech - “………………………………….” eg. “Lee Peng is fat,” said Alvin to Tim. Indirect Speech reported speech without quotation marks eg. Alvin told Tim that Lee Peng was fat.
To be changed: 1) tenses 2) pronouns 3) time phrases
Changing Tenses Direct speech Indirect speech present past past past perfect present continuous past continuous present perfect past perfect pr. perf. cont. past perf. cont. past continuous past perfect continuous future (will) would
Modals should also be changed! Direct speech Indirect speech can could may might have to had to should should ought to ought to
Changing Pronouns Direct speech Indirect speech I he / she me him / her we they us them my his / her mine his / hers our their ours theirs you (singular) he / she / I you (plural) they / we
Changing time expressions now then ago before This / these that / those today that day tomorrow the next day yesterday the day before last night the night before
present past He said, “I go to school every day.” He said (that) he went to school every day. past past perfect He said, “I went to school every day.” He said (that) he had gone to school every day. present continuous past continuous He said, “I am going to school every day.” He said (that) he was going to school every day.
present perfect past perfect He said, “I have gone to school every day.” He said (that) he had gone to school every day. present perfect cont. past perfect cont. He said, “I have been going to school every day.” He said (that) he had been going to school every day. past continuous past perfect continuous He said, “I was going to school every day.” Future (will) would He said, “I will go to school every day.” He said (that) he would go to school every day.
Changing questions in direct speech into indirect speech auxiliary + verb name He said, “Do you go to school every day?” simple past He asked me if / whether I went to school every day. ‘wh’ question word He said, “Where do you go for tuition?” He asked me where I went for tuition.
He said, “I went to school yesterday.” He said (that) he had gone to school the day before. He said, “I met her an year ago.” He said (that) he had met her one year before.
He said, “I go to school every day.” He said (that) he went to school every day. He told me (that) he went to school every day. He said “Let’s go to the café.” He suggested going to the café. He said “Stop writing.” He instructed us to stop writing.
Changing negative statements in direct speech into indirect speech “Do not forget me,” said the boy. The boy told me not to forget him.
If a statement is true at the time of speaking and reported speech, there is no change the tense of verb. Eg: He said, “Thailand is part of the ASEAN group.” He said that Thailand is part of the ASEAN group.