Introduction
Direct Speech: When we are expressing words said by someone in the exact wording.Example: He said, "I am eating tomato."
Indirect Speech: When we are expressing words said by someone in our own wording.
Example: He said that he was eating food.
Changes in Tenses
If the reporting verb is in present then the tense of reported words would not be changed (He says, said, told etc. are reporting verbs).
Direct: He says, "I am playing cricket."
Indirect: He says that he is playing cricket.
But if the reporting verb is in past then tenses would be changed as shown below.
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He said to me, "My book is black."
He told me that his book was black.
He said, "My book is black."
He said that his book was black.
He said, "She is a lovely girl."
He said that she was a lovely girl.
Aslam said to Arshad, "Where is the School."
Aslam asked Arshad where the School was.
He said, "Do you drink water?"
He asked me IF/Whether I drank water.
Will --> Would
Shall--> Should
May --> Might
Can --> Could
She said, "Will he be coming?"
She asked If he would be coming.
They said, "May we come in?"
The asked if they might come in.
Assertive Sentences:
- Said is changed into Told if the subject is followed by object (e.g said to someone).
He said to me, "My book is black."
He told me that his book was black.
- Said is not changed when is not followed by object.
He said, "My book is black."
He said that his book was black.
- That (conjunction) is used.
- Said may be changed into Reply, Answer, Inform, Warn, State, Mention, explain etc.
He said, "She is a lovely girl."
He said that she was a lovely girl.
Interrogative Sentences:
- Interrogative sentence is changed into Assertive while reported, and "?" is omitted.
- Said is changed into Asked, Inquired, Demanded, etc.
- With "W Family" (e.g Whom, Whose, Who, Where, When, Why) the conjunction "That" is not used.
Aslam said to Arshad, "Where is the School."
Aslam asked Arshad where the School was.
- If question starts with auxiliary verbs such as Is, Are, Was, Were, Has, Have, Do, Does etc. then IF or Whether is used.
He said, "Do you drink water?"
He asked me IF/Whether I drank water.
- If question starts with Modal Verbs such as Will, Shall, Can and May then IF or Whether is used and.
Will --> Would
Shall--> Should
May --> Might
Can --> Could
She said, "Will he be coming?"
She asked If he would be coming.
They said, "May we come in?"
The asked if they might come in.
Imperative Sentences:
Starting with Do, Do not, Please etc.
- Are changed into Infinitive (e.g to drink, to eat, to see)
- Conjunction "That" is not used.
- Requests are changed into Ask, request, plead, beg, encourage, suggest, invite etc.
- Command are changed into Command, Order, Tell etc.
- Advises are changed into Advice, tell, suggest, urge, forbid, remind, warn etc.
Girl said, "Father, Please take me with you."
Girl pleaded his father to take her with him.
"Do your studies," mother said to me.
Mother ordered me to do my studies.
Salma said to him, "You must complete your matric"
Salma advised him to complete his matric.
"Do not enter the room." he said to us.
He ordered us not to enter the room.
Let
- Let's Let us, Let him is changed into Suggest, Purpose, Should, Might, To let.
"Let's play the piano," She said to me.
She suggested that we should play the piano.
"Let's sell the house," said Tom. "Let's not" said Ann.
Tom suggested buying the house but Ann was against it.
Exclamatory Sentences:
Exclamatory is changed into Assertive
Reporting verb is changed into Exclaimed, Exclaimed with Joy, Sorrow, Delight, Anger, Fear, Surprise and Applause.
That is used.
Incomplete sentences or sudden feelings are changed into Full Sentences.
Hurrah, Ah, Good, Marvelous, Splendid, Bravo etc. are changed into Joy, Pleasure or Admiration.
Alas is expressed by Grief or Pain.
What, Oh are expressed with Surprise.
Pooh, Ugh are expressed by Disgust or Contempt.
Well!, Yes, NO are omitted.
Damn! in changed into He Swore
He said, "What a lovely painting"
He exclaimed with admiration that it was a lovely painting.
Optative Sentences:
Optatives are change into assertive.
Reporting Verb into Wish, express, hope, pray, bless, curse.
Conjunction That is used.
He said, "O, If I had a lamp!"
He wished that he had a lamp.
"Long live the King!" the citizen said.
The citizen wished that the king would live long life.
Other Sources for Practice and Further Explanation.
PDF and Hard Copies of Practice Perfect English Grammar.
