INDIRECT SPEECH
Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech), doesn't use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn't have to be word for word.
When reporting speech the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.
For example: He said he was going to the cinema.
Tense change:
As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense: (the tense on the left changes to the tense on the right)
Past simple : She said it was cold.
Past continuous
She said she was teaching English online.
She said she was teaching English online.
Past perfect simple
She said she had been on the web since 1999.
She said she had been on the web since 1999.
Past perfect continuous
She said she had been teaching English for seven years.
She said she had been teaching English for seven years.
Past perfect
She said she had taught online yesterday.
She said she had taught online yesterday.
Past perfect continuous
She said she had been teaching earlier.
She said she had been teaching earlier.
Past perfect
NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.
NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.
Past perfect continuous
NO CHANGE - She said she'd already been teaching for five minutes.
NO CHANGE - She said she'd already been teaching for five minutes.
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
would
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.
could
She said she could teach English online.
She said she could teach English online.
had to
She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.
She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.
should
She asked what we should learn today.
She asked what we should learn today.
might
She asked if she might open a new browser.
She asked if she might open a new browser.
You can use the present tense in reported speech if you want to say that something is still true i.e. my name has always been and will always be Lynne so:-
She said her name was Lynne.
or
She said her name is Lynne.If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause will be in a past form. This form is usually one step back into the past from the original.
For example:
He said the test was difficult.
She said she watched TV every day.
Jack said he came to school every day.
If simple present, present perfect or the future is used in the reporting verb (i.e. says) the tense is retained.
For example:
He says the test is difficult.
She has said that she watches TV every day.
Jack will say that he comes to school every day.
If reporting a general truth the present tense will be retained.
For example:The teacher said that phrasal verbs are very important.
Changing Pronouns and Time Signifiers
When changing from direct speech to indirect speech, it is often necessary to change the pronouns to match the subject of the sentence.
For example:
She said, "I want to bring my children." BECOMES She said she wanted to bring her children.
Jack said, "My wife went with me to the show." BECOMES Jack said his wife had gone with him to the show.
It is also important to change time words (signifiers) when referring to present, past or future time to match the moment of speaking.
For example:
She said, "I want to bring my children tomorrow." BECOMES She said she wanted to bring her children the next day.
Jack said, "My wife went with me to the show yesterday." BECOMES Jack said his wife had gone with him to the show the day before.
Indirect Questions
When reporting questions, it is especially important to pay attention to sentence order. When reporting yes/ no questions connect the reported question using 'if'. When reporting questions using question words (why, where, when, etc.) use the question word.
For example:
She asked, "Do you want to come with me?" BECOMES She asked me if I wanted to come with her.
Dave asked, "Where did you go last weekend?" BECOMES Dave asked me where I had gone the previous weekend.
He asked, "Why are you studying English?" BECOMES She asked me why I was studying English.
The following chart includes sentences changed from quoted speech to reported speech using a past form.Note Simple past, present perfect, and past perfect allchange to past perfect in the reported form.
http://esl.about.com/od/grammarintermediate/a/reported_speech.htm
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