INDIRECT SPEECH

TENSE CHANGES IN INDIRECT SPEECH

When the introductory verb (say, ask, tell, etc.) is in the simple past, the verbs in the indirect statement must
change. Study the changes for the following tenses.
Direct Statement

Indirect Statement

Bill said, Gail knows that man..

Joe said, Mark is leaving today.
Bob said, I have seen that movie.
Tom said, We saw it too.
Jim said, I was thinking about it.
Sue said, Im going to see it soon.
Roy said, Janet will go with us.
Pat said, I can drive us there.

Bill said Gail knew that man.

Joe said Mark was leaving today.
Bob said he had seen that movie.
Tom said they had seen it too.
Jim said he had been thinking about it.
Sue said she was going to see it soon.
Roy said she would go with them.
Pat said she could drive them there.

NOTES:
1. The verbs in the indirect statements are past in form but no in meaning; in addition to past time, the verbs
may indicate present or future time.
2. Sometimes native speakers do not change the tense of the verb after an introductory verb in the past:
a. When the statement reports a historical fact or general truth.
He said (that) Perak is in West Malaysian.
She said (that) the best coffee comes from South America.
b. When the indirect statement is given very soon after the original statement.
Bob
: Im tired.
Jim
: Whar did you say?
Bob
: I said Im tired.
3. The word that may or may not be used after most introductory verbs.
4. Never change the indinitive of the verb.
Instructor
Student

: I want to see you after class.

: The teacher said she wanted to see me after class.

5. Change all the verbs in a statement.

She said, When I see Bob, I will tell him the truth.
She said ( that ) when she saw Bob she would tell him the truth.
6. Pronouns and possessive change to the second or third persons except when the speaker is reporting his
own words.
Jim said, I like my new car.
Jim said he liked his new car,
I said I liked my new car.

(another speakers reporting Jims words)

(Jim reporting his own words)

Sometimes a noun is used to avoid confusion and make the speaker clear.
Jim said, He was very nice when we bought the car.
Jim said the salesman had been very nice when they bought the car.

When the introductory verb is in the present tense, there is no tense change in the indirect statement.
Direct Statement

Indirect Statement

Bill says, Gail knows that man.

Bill says Gail Knows that man.

Joe says, Mark is leaving today.

Joe says Mark is leaving today.

Bob says, I have seen that movie.

Bob says he has seen that movie.

Tom says, We saw it too.

Tom says they saw it too.

Jim says, I was thinking about it.

Jim says he was thinking about it.

Sue says, Im going to see it soon.

Sue says she is going to see it soon.

Roy says, Joan will go with us.

Roy says Joan will go with them.

Pat says, I can drive us there.

Pat says she can drive them there.

SAY VERSUS TELL

In indirect speech say and said are usually used when the person spoken to is not mentioned.
Bob said (that) the movie was excellent.
When the person spoken to is given, tell or told is always used, and it is always followed by an indirect
object.
Bob told Gail (that) the movie was excellent.
It is possible to use said to me/her, etc.

Exercise 1:

Tense changes. Change the following statements to indirect speech. Change the tense in the
indirect statement when necessary.

1. He said, The police know who committed the crime.

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2. The police say, We will catch the guilty persons.
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3. Mrs. Jones says, Im going to tell the police everything I know.
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4. The police captain said, Our investigation has already begun.
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5. The reporter said, My paper will cover the trial in court.
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6. Mr. Jones said, I did not see the man.
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7. One old man said, I was sleeping when everything happened.
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8. The lawyer said, I told the witnesses to tell the truth.
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9. The witnesses said, We can identify the men who are guilty.
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10. One female witness said, Im not afraid to tell the truth.
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11. Then she said, I have always obeyed the law.
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12. The judge said, It is difficult to find honest and brave citizens.
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13. The judge says, My court will punish the guilty.
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14. Then the judge said, The crime rate in this city has increased 50 percent.
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15. The jury said, We found the defendants guilty.
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16. The judge said, The defendants are going to jail.
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17. The defendants lawyer said, We are going to appeal the courts decision.
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18. The reporter says, This trial was an unusual one.
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19. He also said, The jury deliberated for only twenty minutes.
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20. The defendants said, We will never change our plea of innocent.
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