Match the tenses in direct and indirect speech
Reported speech
It is used to report other people's words. Reported speech can be direct and indirect.
Direct speech:
"I don't think I have ever been here before. I didn't visit this place last year," said Laura.
Indirect speech:
Laura said that she didn't think she had ever been there before. She hadn't visited that place the previous year.
When reporting somebody's words in indirect speech, we need to change:
- tenses;
- pronouns;
- tense;
- place.
Tense and modal verbs changes:
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
Present Simple |
Past Simple |
Present Continuous |
Past Continuous |
Present Perfect |
Past Perfect |
Present Perfect Continuous |
Past Perfect Continuous |
am/is/are going to |
was/were going to |
will |
would |
Past Simple |
Past Perfect |
Past Continuous |
Past Perfect Continuous |
can |
could |
may |
might |
must/have to |
had to |
The tense is not changed:
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
Past Perfect |
Past Perfect |
Past Perfect Continuous |
Past Perfect Continuous |
Determiner changes:
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
this |
that |
these |
those |
Time and place changes:
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
now |
then |
yesterday |
the day before |
last week |
the week before |
ago |
before |
next week |
the following week |
tomorrow |
the following day |
tonight |
that night |
here |
there |
Direct speech — Indirect speech
| may | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Present Continuous | would |
| must/have to | could |
| am/is/are going to | was/were going to |
| Present Perfect Continuous | had to |
| can | Past Perfect |
| Past Simple/Present Perfect | Past Continuous |
| will | might |
| Present Simple | Past Simple |
Determiner changes
Direct speech — Indirect speech
| this | those |
| these | that |
Tense and place changes
Direct speech — Indirect speech
| tonight | the following day |
| next week | there |
| last week | the following week |
| tomorrow | that night |
| ago | before |
| here | then |
| yesterday | the week before |
| now | the day before |