How to report/tell people what other people say.

TENSE CHART DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

PRESENT SIMPLE-PAST SIMPLE I work in Paris He said he worked in Paris

PRESENT CONTINUOUS-PAST CONT. I am working He said he was working
PAST SIMPLE-PAST PERFECT I worked He said he had worked.
PAST CONTINUOUS-PAST PERFECT CONT I was working He said he had been working
PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE-PAST PERFECT I have worked He said he had worked
PRESENT PERF.CONT-PAST PERFECT CONT I have been working He said he had been working
PAST PERFECT-NO CHANGE I had worked He said he had worked
PAST PERFECT CONT-NO CHANGE I had been working He said he had been working

OTHER VERB FORMS TIME REFERENCES

WILL-WOULD DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

I will work -He said he would work
Now Then
CAN-COULD
Today That day
I can sing -He said he could sing
Here There
MUST-HAD TO
This That
I must work -He said he had to work
This week That week
MAY-MIGHT
Tomorrow The following/next day
May I help you? -He asked if he might help me.
Next week The following/next week
SHALL-SHOULD
Yesterday The previous day/
What shall I do? -He asked what he should do
The day before
PRONOUNS SOMETIMES CHANGE Ago Previously/before
Two days ago Two days previously/before
BE CAREFUL!
Tonight That night
Remember, pronouns sometimes change.
Last Saturday The previous Saturday
Study these examples:
The Saturday before
-Don’t tell him –he said.
Next Saturday The following Saturday
He asked me not to tell him. (no change)
The next Saturday
-‘I like you’ –Mary told me.
The Saturday after
Mary told me that she liked me. (change)
That Saturday

IMPERATIVES QUESTIONS
VERB + INFINITVE What day is it?
TO REPORT ORDERS He asked me what day it was.
Be quiet! - He told us to be quiet. What time does class start?
Don’t go! –He told us not to go. He asked her what time class started.
Can you help me? - He asked if I could help him.