jueves, 18 de septiembre de 2014

Reported Speech

Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech:
She said, "I am tired."  She said that she was tired.
The changes are shown below:
Simple presentSimple past
"I always drink coffee", she said
 
She said that she always drankcoffee.
Present continuousPast continuous
"I am reading a book", he explained.
 
He explained that he was reading a book
Simple pastPast perfect
"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said.
 
He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday
Present perfectPast perfect
"I have been to Spain", he told me.
 
He told me that he had been to Spain
Past perfectPast perfect
"I had just turned out the light," he explained.
 
He explained that he had just turned out the light.
Present perfect continuousPast perfect continuous
They complained, "We have beenwaiting for hours".
 
They complained that they had been waiting for hours.
Past continuousPast perfect continuous
"We were living in Paris", they told me.
 
They told me that they had been living in Paris.
FuturePresent conditional
"I will be in Geneva on Monday", he said
 
He said that he would be in Geneva on Monday.
Future continuousConditional continuous
She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday".
 
She said that she would be using the car next Friday.

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