DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

We often have to give information about what people say or ask. In order to do this we use direct or indirect reported speech.

In direct Speech you use quotation marks. In Indirect Speech quotation marks are eliminated and the tessechange. For example:

Direct speech		Indirect speech
simple present He said, “I go to a party.”	›	simple past He said (that) he went to a party.
simple past He said, “I went to a party.”	›	past perfect He said (that) he had gone to a party
present perfect He said, “I have gone to a party.”	›	past perfect He said (that) he had gone to a party
present progressive He said, “I am going to a party.”	›	past progressive He said (that) he was going to a party
past progressive He said, “I was going to a party.”	›	perfect progressive He said (that) he had been going to a party
future (will) He said, “I will go to a party.”		would He said (that) he would go to a party.

Modal verb forms also sometimes change:

Direct speech

Direct speech		Indirect speech
will She said, "I'll read a book.”	›	would She said she would read a book.”
can She said, "I can read a book.”."	›	could She said she could read a book.”
must She said, "I must have a computer to read articles"	›	had to She said she had to have a computer to read articles"
shall She said, "What shall we read today?"	›	should She asked what we should read today.
may She said, "May I close the windows?"	›	might She asked if she might close the windows

Never change: could, would, should, might and ought to.

Expressions of time are reported different

this › that

today › yesterday ...

these › those

now › then

ago › before

last › before last / the previous

here › there

next› the following

tomorrow › the next/following

Examples:

“We came a year ago”, Peter said

Peter said (that) they had come one year before.

“Are you visiting tomorrow?” Peter asked.

Peter asked if we were visiting the next day.

Arnold asked, “Will you be here?

Arnold asked if would be there.

Carmen Alvarez