Helping English

Direct OR Reporting

Indirect OR Reported

      Rules 

 He said, “I work as a teacher.”

 He said that he worked as a teacher.

Present simple (work) changes to past simple (worked).

He said, “I am working as a teacher.”

…that he was working as teacher.

Present continuous (am working) changes to past continuous (was working).

He said, “I have worked as a teacher.”

…that he had worked as a teacher.

Present perfect(have worked) changes to past perfect (had worked).

“I worked as a teacher.”

…that he had worked as a teacher.

Past simple (worked) changes to past perfect (had worked).

He said, “I have been working as a teacher.”

…that he had been working as a teacher

Present perfect continuous(have been working) changes to past perfect continuous (had been working).

He said, “I was working as a teacher.”

…that he had been working as a teacher.

Past continuous (was working) changes to past perfect continuous (had been working).

He said, “I had worked as a teacher.”

…that he had worked as a teacher.

Past perfect (had worked) remains the same.

He said, “I can/will/may/shall work.”

…that he could/would/should/might work.

Auxiliary verbs (can/will/may/shall)  change to the past forms (could/would/should/might).

He said, “I must work.”

…that he had to work.

Auxiliary must change to had to

Pronouns

Direct  

 Indirect

 Pronoun I changes to the subject of the reporting speaker 

He said, “I work as a teacher.”

She said, “I work as a teacher.”

He said that he worked as a teacher.

She said that she worked as a teacher.

Pronoun you changes to I

He said, “you are a good student.”  

He said that I was a good student.

Do not change the pronoun if it is the same as of the reporting speech.

He/She/They said, “he/she/they had worked.”

I/We/You said, “I/We/You had worked.”  

He/She/They said that he/she/they had worked.

I/We/You said that I/we/you had worked. 

Demonstrative Pronouns/adjective

This, these,

That, those

Adverbs

Here, now, today, yesterday, tomorrow

There, then, that day, the  day  before, the next day

 Yes or No Questions

Direct 

 Indirect

Questions starting with auxiliary verbs e.g Will, Are, Was, Were, Do, Did,

Has, Have, etc are reported with asked+ if.

He said, “Do you work as a teacher?”

He said, “Will you listen to me?”

She said, “Are you going to Lahore today?”

She said, “Is this your book?”

He asked if I worked as a teacher.

He asked me if  I would listen to him.

She asked if I was going to Lahore that day.

She asked if  that book was mine.

advice, suggestion                                   Reporting Speech                        Reported Speech

‘Why don’t you’ often introduces suggestions or advice is reported by suggest or advise:

 ‘What about’ often introduces a suggestion and is reported by suggest:

Sentences with ‘let’ (suggest/urge/advise)

 “Why don’t you ask him,” I said.

“What about flying?” he said.

“Don’t let Jim any money,” I said to Ann.

He said, “Let’s go.”

 I suggested asking him.

 Or

I advised her to ask him.

He suggested flying.

I advised her not to lend Jim any money.

He suggested that they should go.

He urged/advised them to go.

command, request, invitation                        Reporting Speech                Reported Speech

For command, request, and invitation change use tell/order/urge/ask/beg/invite/warn/ remind + object+ infinitive, or ask (+object) + for or in some cases, ask+ infinitive

“Please, please don’t do anything dangerous”, said his wife.

“Remember to book a table,” said Jane.

“Read the question twice,” said the teacher.

“Don’t take more than two tablets,” said the doctor.

His wife begged him not to do anything dangerous.

Jane reminded him to book a table.

The teacher told them* to read the question twice.

The doctor warned me* not to take more than two tablets.

strong feelings, emotions, and whishes          Direct                             Indirect

Such sentences have interjections (Hurrah, Bravo, Alas) in the direct speech. In the indirect speech, these interjections are replaced with ‘exclaimed with sorrow’  or ‘exclaimed with joy’ depending on the nature of the interjection.

He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”

He said, “Alas! I am ruined.”

He said, “May Allah help you.”

He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

He prayed that Allah might help me.