Indirect (reported) speech

When direct speech is converted into indirect speech the following changes are introduced:

I. The quotation marks and the comma (or colon) are omitted.

II. If the speaker reports somebody else’s words the pronouns are changed: the 1^st person becomes the 3^rd person, the 2^nd person becomes the 1^st or 3^rd. If the speaker reports his/her own words, the pronouns are not changed.

III. If the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, demonstrative pronouns and adverbials are replaced:

this by that, now by then, at that time, at the moment, right away, immediately,

these by those, last night by the previous night/the night before,

here by there, tomorrow by the next/following day, the day after,

today by that day, the day after tomorrow by two days later, in two day’s time,

tonight by that night, yesterday by the day before/(on) the previous day,

ago by before, the day before yesterday by two days before/previously.

Note: if the person speaks in the same place and at the same time as the one whose words are reported, the demonstrative pronouns and adverbials are not changed.

e.g.: An hour ago he said he would come here tonight.

IV. If the verb in the main clause is used in the present or the future tense, the tenses are not changed in the subordinate clause/clauses. If the verb in the main clause is used in the past tense, the tenses are changed according to the rule of the sequence of tenses in the subordinate clause/clauses:

the Present Indefinite the Present Continuous the Present Perfect the Present Perfect Continuous	is replaced by by by by	the Past Indefinite the Past Continuous the Past Perfect the Past Perfect Continuous
the Past Indefinite the Past Continuous the Past Perfect the Past Perfect Continuous	by by	the Past Perfect the Past Perfect Continuous remains unchanged remains unchanged
the Future Indefinite the Future Continuous the Future Perfect the Future Perfect Continuous	by by by by	the Future Indefinite in the Past the Future Continuous in the Past the Future Perfect in the Past the Future Perfect Continuous in the Past

The rule of the sequence of tenses are not observed:

1. in subordinate clauses of time the Past Indefinite and the Past Continuous are not changed, then the verb in the main clause can either remain unchanged or change

e.g.: “While I was staying in Madrid, I met Pedro,” she said. – She said she met/ had met Pedro while she was staying in Madrid.

2. the Past Indefinite and the Past Continuous remain unchanged when:

– a definite past moment is indicated,

– there is a succession of past actions

e.g.: My aunt said, “I moved to the seaside in 1995.” – My aunt boasted that she moved to the seaside in 1995.

He said, “We decided to go to the pictures, got a 63 bus and got off at the Elephant Castle as the pictures were just next door.” –

He told me that they decided to go to the pictures, got a 63 bus and got off at the Elephant Castle as the pictures were just next door.

3. the Past Indefinite after since remains unchanged; used to + the Infinitive and would + the Infinitive also remain unchanged

e.g.: She said, “I have been writing since I came.” – She said she had been writing since she came.

She said, “He used to get up/would get up at 6 a.m.” – She said that he used to get up/would get up at 6 a.m.

4. in object clauses expressing general truths, existing laws and permanent states, conditions, regular occurrence (still up to date)

e.g.: “Water boils at 100°C”, she said. – She said water boils at 100°C.

“What time does the earliest train to Manchester start?” he asked. – He asked what time the earliest train to Manchester starts.

5. if the statement is still up to date when it is reported

e.g.: “The 2012 Olympic Games will take place in London”, he said. – He said that the 2012 Olympic Games will take place in London.

Note: but we do change the tenses if the statement is out of date when it is reported or is untrue

e.g.: “The capital of Belarus is Moscow,” he said. – He said that the capital of Belarus was Moscow.

6. in conditional sentences (type 2 and type 3)

e.g.: “If I were you, I would apologize,” he said. – He said if he were me, he would apologize. (type 2)

“I would have helped you if you had asked me,” she said. – She said she would have helped me if I had asked her. (type 3)

7. in Subjunctive II after the expressions It’s time…, I wish…

e.g.: “It is time he went,” she said. – She said it was time he went.

“I wish he were here,” she said. – She said she wished he were there.

Note: in the analytical subjunctive the mood auxiliary may is changed into might

V. The verb introducing direct speech is replaced by another verb which shows whether the indirect speech is a statement, a question, an order/request or an exclamation.