10

Indirect Speech:
Tense Changes

Rumors and Gossip

Focus on Grammar 4
Part X, Unit 26
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright 2006. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.`

Rumors
Rumors and
and Gossip
Gossip
Really! Viktor
Viktor
Really!
No,
what
isit?
it?
told
me
that
No,
what
is
Wow!
told
me
Yeah,
that
Wow! Yeah, II
students
heard
students
he was
was
heard
he
could
eat in
in
could
aneasy
easy
eat
an
his
class.
his
teacher.
class.
teacher.

Have
you
heard
Maria
Have
said
that
Mariayou
saidheard
that
the
latest
gossip
Larisa
that
the
new
latest
teacher
gossip
Larisa
said
that
the
newsaid
teacher
about
the
new
the
new
teacher
didnt
about
give
the
new
any
the
new
teacher
didnt
give
any
teacher?
had
given
homework.
teacher?
had
given all
allthe
the
homework.
students
studentsan
anAA
last
lastsemester.
semester.

Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 11
When the reporting verb is in the simple past, the verb
tense in the indirect speech statement often changes.

Direct Speech
Simple Present

Indirect Speech

Present Progressive
Simple Past Tense
Present Perfect

Simple Past
Past Progressive

Past Perfect

Past Perfect

Examples
Examples 11
The
The
teacher
teacher
is strict.
strict.
is

She
Shesaid
said
the
theteacher
teacher
was
was strict.
strict.

The
Theteacher
teacher
is
isgiving
giving
everyone
everyonean
an
A.
A.

He
Hesaid
said
the
the
teacher
teacher
was
was
giving
giving
everyone
everyone
an
anA.
A.

Examples
Examples 22
Somebody
Somebody
put
put the
thefinal
final
exam
examon
onthe
the
Internet.
Internet.

Theteacher
teacher
The
hasgraded
graded
has
our
our
grammar
grammar
tests.
tests.

She
Shesaid
said
somebody
somebody
had
hadput
put the
the
final
finalexam
exam
on
on the
the
Internet.
Internet.

Joesaid
said the
the
Joe
teacher had
had
teacher
graded our
our
graded
grammartests.
tests.
grammar

Practice 1

Change the direct speech

into indirect speech.

Example:
My friend is helping me study. She said
She said her friend was helping her study.
1.

The library is closed. He said

He said the library was closed.
closed

2.

We have registered for classes. They said

They said they had registered for classes.

3.

She got an A on the test. You said

You said she had gotten an A on the test.

Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 22
Modals often change in indirect speech.

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

will

would

can

could

may

might

must

had to

Examples
Examples 11
The
Thetest
test
will
willbe
be
difficult.
difficult.

Youcan
can
You
useyour
your
use
noteson
on
notes
thetest.
test.
the

He
He said
said the
the
test
test would
wouldbe
be
difficult.
difficult.

Shesaid
saidwe
we
She
could use
use
could
our notes
notes
our
onthe
thetest.
test.
on

Examples
Examples 22
Wemay
may
We
have aa
have
substitute
substitute
teacher.
teacher.

She
Shesaid
saidwe
we
might
mighthave
have aa
substitute
substitute
teacher.
teacher.

You
Youmust
must
study
studyhard
hard
for
forthe
thefinal
final
exam.
exam.

Shesaid
saidwe
we
She
had to
to study
study
had
hardfor
for the
the
hard
finalexam.
exam.
final

Practice 2

Change the direct speech

into indirect speech.

Example:
You can relax about the exam. She said
She said I could relax about the exam.
1.

Well help you with your homework. They said

They said they would help me with my homework.

2.

Anna must finish her paper. He said

He said Anna had to finish her paper.

3.

She may take a different class. You said

You said she might take a different class.

Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 33
The following modals do not change in indirect
speech: should, could, might, and ought to.
You
You
shouldnt
shouldnt
tellthis
this
tell
secretto
to
secret
anyone.
anyone.

Shesaid
saidI I
She
shouldnttell
tell
shouldnt
thissecret
secretto
to
this
anyone.
anyone.

You
Youought
ought
to
totell
tellthis
thisto
to
aafriend.
friend.

He
Hesaid
saidI I
ought
oughtto
totell
tell
this
thisto
toaa
friend.
friend.

Indirect
Indirect Speech
Speech 44
The following do not change in indirect speech: the
past perfect, the present and past unreal conditional,
and past modals.
If
II
I had
had
studied,
I had
hadgotten
chosen
would
I
could
gotten
If
Ithought
studied,
II would
I
thought
Ihave
chosen
could
have
the
have
easy
gotten
teacher.
anA.
A.
help
from
tutor.
have
gotten
an
the
easy
teacher.
help
from
aatutor.

He
He
said
said
ififhe
he
could
studied,
have
He
he
thought
he
had
Hesaid
He
said
said
he
hehad
had
could
studied,
have
He
said
he
thought
he
had
he
gotten
would
help
have
from
gotten
aatutor.
an
chosen
the
easy
teacher.
he
gotten
would
help
have
from
gotten
tutor.
anA.
A.
chosen
the
easy
teacher.

Practice 3

Change the direct speech

into indirect speech.

Example:
We ought to study some more. He said
He said we ought to study some more.
1.

If I knew, I would tell you. She said

She said if she knew, she would tell me.

2.

I might have known the test was difficult. He said

3.

He said he might have known the test was

difficult.
She had had that teacher before. We said
We said she had had that teacher before.

References
References
Copyright 2006 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.