A.Indirect/ reported speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense:
He says that …… This is usual when we are :
- a) reporting a conversation that is still going on
- b) reading a letter and reportingwhat it says
- c) reading instructions and reporting them
- d) reporting a statement that someone makes very often, e.g Tom says he’ll never get married
When the introductory verb is in a present, present perfect or future tenses, we can report the direct speech without any change of tense:
PAUL (phoning from the station): I’m trying to get a axi.
ANN (to Mary, who is standing beside her): Paul says he is trying to get a taxi.
B. But indirect/ reported speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense.
Verbs in the direct speech have then to be changed into a corresponding past tense.
The changes are shown in the following table.
EXAMPLE :
DIRECT & INDIRECT :
1. Simple Present Tense
o “ I never eat meat,” he explained
Simple Past Tense
o He explained that he never ate meat.
o “ I’m waiting for Ann,” he said
Past Continuous Tense
o He said (that) he was waiting for Ann.
o “ I have found a flat.,” he said.
Present Perfect Tense
o He said (that) he had found a flat.
o He said, “ I’ ve been waiting for ages ”.
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
o He said he He said he had been aiting for ages.
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