|
Indirect
(reported) speech |
|
|
Direct Speech :
Tom : "I like football".
Mary :
"What
did Tom say?
Indirect (or reported) speech :
Bill : "Tom said (that) he liked football. |
|
In indirect or reported speech :
1)
We use verbs such as : say, tell, announce, explain, promise,
etc.
2)
The tenses become more past
3)
We can omit 'that' : "Tom said (that) he liked football."
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|
Direct Speech |
Indirect/Reported Speech |
You talk to
your neighbour, Mr. Smith,
and he tells
you the following things : |
You report
your conversation with Mr. Smith to
your husband/wife/friend : |
" I
clean my car every Friday."
|
" Mr Smith
said (that) he cleaned his car every Friday." |
| " I'm
doing a computer course this year." |
" He said he was doing a computer course this year. |
| " I'm
going to paint the house soon." |
" He
said he was going to paint the house soon." |
| " I
visited a museum yesterday." |
" He
said he had visited a museum yesterday. |
| " I will
be 30 tomorrow." |
" He
said he would be 30 tomorrow." |
|
Questions
In indirect or reported questions, the subject
changes place : |
" When is your husband
starting his
new job?" |
" He asked
me when my husband
was starting
his
new job." |