- Examples of the main changes in tense:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present continuous (am-is-are+Ving) Past continuous (was-were+Ving)
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his keys
Past Perfect Simple (had+ Verb P.P)
Simple Past
He said that he had visited New York the
He said: "I visited New York last year"
previous year.
Present Perfect (has/have+ verb P.P) Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P)
He said: " I've lived here for a long time " He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P) Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P)
He said: "They had finished the work when I He said that they had finished the work when he
arrived" had arrived"
Past continuous (was-were+V ing) Past Perfect continuous(had+been+V ing)
He said: "I was playing football when the accident He said that he had been playing football when
occurred" the accident had occurred
Present Perfect continuous (have/has+ been +V ing) Past Perfect continuous(had+been+V ing)
He said:"I have been playing football for two He said that he had been playing football for
hours." two hours
Past Perfect continuous (had+been+V ing) Past Perfect continuous(had+been+V ing)
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper when the He said that he had been reading a newspaper
light went off" when the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
- Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Direct Speech Reported Speech
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
here there
this that
these those
Examples of the main changes in tense:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
He said: "I am happy" He said that he was happy
Present Progressive (am-is-are+Ving) Past Progressive(was-were+Ving)
He said: "I'm looking for my keys" He said that he was looking for his keys
Past Perfect Simple (had+ Verb P.P)
Simple Past
He said that he had visited New York the
He said: "I visited New York last year"
previous year.
Present Perfect (has/have+ verb P.P) Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P)
He said: " I've lived here for a long time " He said that he had lived there for a long time
Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P) Past Perfect (had+ Verb P.P)
He said: "They had finished the work He said that they had finished the work when he
when I arrived" had arrived"
Past Progressive (was-were+Ving) Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I was playing football when the He said that he had been playing football when
accident occurred" the accident had occurred
Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said:"I have been playing football for He said that he had been playing football for
two hours." two hours
Past Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive
He said: "I had been reading a newspaper He said that he had been reading a newspaper
when the light went off" when the light had gone off
Future Simple (will+verb) Conditional (would+verb)
He said: "I will open the door." He said that he would open the door.
3- Place, demonstratives and time expressions
Direct Speech Reported Speech
today that day
now then
yesterday the day before
… days ago … days before
last week the week before
next year the following year
tomorrow the next day / the following day
here there
this that
these those
