statement ('normal' sentence)
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If you have to put direct speech into indirect/reported speech, there are two differences:
1. If the beginning is in present tense ('Harry says'), then there is no time-shift and the tense of the direct speech stays the same in indirect/reported speech.
example:
direct speech: Harry: "I live at home."
indirect speech: Harry says that he lives at home.
2. If the beginning is in past tense ('Harry said'), then there is a time-shift and the tense of the direct speech is NOT the same as in indirect/reported speech.
example:
direct speech: Harry: "I live at home."
indirect speech: Harry said that he lived at home.
The time-shift is as follows:
shift in tense | |
---|---|
from | to |
Present Simple | Past Simple |
Past Simple | Past Perfect |
Present Perfect | |
Past Perfect | |
will | would |
progressive forms | |
am/are/is | was/were |
was/were | had been |
has/have been | |
had been |
example
shift in tense | |
---|---|
from | to |
Harry: "I live at home." | Harry said that he lived at home. |
Harry: "I lived at home." | Harry said that he had lived at home. |
Harry: "I have lived at home." | |
Harry: "I had lived at home." | |
Harry: "I will live at home." | Harry said that he would live at home. |
progressive forms | |
Harry: "I am living at home." | Harry said that he was living at home. |
Harry: "I was living at home." | Harry said that he had been living at home. |
Harry: "I have been living at home." | |
Harry: "I had been living at home." |
If there are time words, e.g. yesterday, you have to change them as well.
example:
Harry: "I was at home yesterday."
Harry said that he had been at home the day before.
List of changes
this (evening) | that (evening) |
today/this day | that day |
these (days) | those (days) |
now | then |
(a week) ago | (a week) before |
last weekend | the weekend before / the previous weekend |
here | there |
next (week) | the following (week) |
tomorrow | the next/following day |
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