Direct speech
For example :
She said,”today’s lesson is on presentations.” Or
“Today’s lesson is on presentations,” she said.
Indirect speech
Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech),doesn’t use quotation marks to eclipse what the person said and it doesn’t have to be word for word.
For example :” I’m going to the cinema”,he said – he said he was going to the cinema.
Tense Change
When reporting speech the tense usually changes. Because when we use reported speech,we are usually talking about a time in the past. Note : the reporting verbs that are usually used to report imperative sentence are : Tell , other command , ask,warn remind
Simple present - Past tenses
Vita said” I eat fried rice” vita said that she ate fried rice
Simple past - Past perfect
Mother said” I went to market yesterday” - mother said (that) she had gone to market the day before.
Simple future - Past future
Dave said” I will buy an i-pod next week’ - Dave said (that) he would buy an i-pod the week after.
Present continuous - Past continuous
Gama said” I’m playing football” - Gama said he was playing football
Past continuous - Past perfect continuous
She said” I was teaching earlier” - she said she had been teaching earlier
When report what someone said,don’t usually repeat their exact words,use our words, we can use reporting words such as tell say as follow by”that clause”.
Example : my mother said that she got up at 4 o’clock.
In time expression and pronouns
Direct speech:
-now
-today/tonight
-Yesterday
-tomorrow
-last week
-next week
-ago
-this/these
-here
-pronouns
Indirect speech:
-then
-that day/that night
-the day before/the previous day
-the next/following day
-the previous week
-the following week/the week after
-before
-that/those
-there
-they changes according to the context
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
Direct speech:
-Will
-Can
-Must
-Shall
-May
Indirect speech:
-would
-could
-had
-should
-might
Note: There is no change to;could,would,should,might and ought too.
Direct speech:
“I might go to the cinema”, he said
Indirect speech:
He said he might go to cinema.