10 Indirect Speech:

Tense Changes

Rumors and Gossip

Focus on Grammar 4
Part X, Unit 26
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.`
 Rumors
Rumors and
and Gossip
Gossip
Have
Maria
Have you heard
Mariayou said
saidheard
that
that
Really! Viktor
Viktor the latest
Larisa gossip
Really!
No, what isit?
it?
the
Larisa
the newsaid
new
latest
said that
teacher
gossip
that
teacher
told
No, me
what that
is about
the newthe new
teacher
Wow! Yeah, II
Wow!
told me Yeah,
that didnt
about
the
didntnewgive
the new
any
teacher
give any
students
heard
students
he was
was had
had teacher?
given
given all
homework.
teacher? allthe
the
heard he homework.
could
could eat in
aneasy
easy
eat in students
studentsan anAA
an
his
his class.
teacher.
class. last
lastsemester.
semester.
teacher.
 Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 11
When the reporting verb is in the simple past, the verb
tense in the indirect speech statement often changes.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Simple Present Simple Past

Present Progressive Past Progressive

Simple Past Tense Past Perfect

Present Perfect
Past Perfect
 Examples
Examples 11
The
The She
Shesaid
said
teacher
teacher the
theteacher
teacher
is strict.
is strict. was
wasstrict.
strict.

He
He said
said
The
Theteacher
teacher the
the
is
isgiving
giving teacher
teacher
everyone
everyoneanan was
was
A.
A. giving
giving
everyone
everyone
an
anA.A.
 Examples
Examples 22
She
Shesaid
said
Somebody
Somebody somebody
somebody
put
put the
thefinal
final had
hadputput the
the
exam
examon onthe
the final
finalexam
exam
Internet.
Internet. on
on the
the
Internet.
Internet.

Theteacher
The teacher
hasgraded
has graded
Joesaid
Joe said the
the
our
our teacher had
teacher had
grammar
grammar graded our
graded our
tests.
tests. grammartests.
grammar tests.
 Change the direct speech
Practice 1 into indirect speech.

Example:
My friend is helping me study. She said
She said her friend was helping her study.

1. The library is closed. He said

He said the library was closed.
closed

2. We have registered for classes. They said

They said they had registered for classes.

3. She got an A on the test. You said

You said she had gotten an A on the test.
 Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 22

Modals often change in indirect speech.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

will would

can could
may might
must had to
 Examples
Examples 11
The
Thetest
test He
He said
said the
the
will
willbe
be test
test would
wouldbe be
difficult.
difficult. difficult.
difficult.

You can
You can Shesaid
saidwe
we
She
useyour
use your could use
use
could
noteson
notes on our notes
notes
our
thetest.
the test. on the
thetest.
test.
on
 Examples
Examples 22
Wemay
We may
have aa She
Shesaid
saidwe
we
have might
substitute
substitute mighthave
have aa
teacher. substitute
substitute
teacher. teacher.
teacher.

You
You must
must
study Shesaid
She saidwe we
study hard
hard
for had to
had to study
study
forthe
thefinal
final
exam. hardfor
hard for the
the
exam. finalexam.
final exam.
 Change the direct speech
Practice 2 into indirect speech.

Example:
You can relax about the exam. She said
She said I could relax about the exam.

1. Well help you with your homework. They said

They said they would help me with my homework.

2. Anna must finish her paper. He said

He said Anna had to finish her paper.

3. She may take a different class. You said

You said she might take a different class.
 Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 33
The following modals do not change in indirect
speech: should, could, might, and ought to.

You
You Shesaid
She saidI I
shouldnt
shouldnt shouldnttell
shouldnt tell
tellthis
tell this thissecret
this secretto
to
secretto
secret to anyone.
anyone.
anyone.
anyone.

You
Youought
ought
to
totell
tellthis
thisto
to
! He
Hesaid
ought
saidI I
oughttototell
tell
aafriend.
friend. this
thisto
toaa
friend.
friend.
 Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 44
The following do not change in indirect speech: the
past perfect, the present and past unreal conditional,
and past modals.

If
II
If
I Ithought
I had
I had studied,
could
thought
could I had
hadgotten
Ihave
studied,
have chosen
II would
would
gotten
chosen He
He
He He
said
Hesaid
He said
said
said heifif he
said
he he
hehad
he could
thought
had studied,
could
thought hehave
had
studied,
have
he had
the
have
help
have
the
help easy
gotten
from
gotten
easy
from teacher.
anA.A.
aatutor.
tutor.
an
teacher. hegotten
he would
chosen
gotten
would
chosen help
the
thehave
help
have from
easygotten
from
easy aatutor.
gotten an
anA.
teacher.
tutor.
teacher. A.
 Change the direct speech
Practice 3 into indirect speech.

Example:
We ought to study some more. He said
He said we ought to study some more.

1. If I knew, I would tell you. She said

She said if she knew, she would tell me.

2. I might have known the test was difficult. He said

He said he might have known the test was
difficult.
3. She had had that teacher before. We said
We said she had had that teacher before.
 References
References

Copyright 2006 Pearson Education and

its licensors. All rights reserved.