2015-08-21
374
When direct speech is converted into indirect speech the following changes are introduced:
1. The quotation marks and the comma (or colon) are omitted.
2. If the speaker reports somebody else's words the pronouns of the 1st person are replaced by those of the 3rd person; the pronouns of the 2nd by those of the 1st or 3rd.
He said, "I am ready." He said he was ready.
3. If the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, demonstrative pronouns and adverbials expressing nearness are replaced by words expressing distance or no adverb is used at all:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| Here This These Now | there that those then, at that time (moment) |
| Today Yesterday Ago A year ago Last night | that day the day before or on the previous day before a year before the previous night |
4. If the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense, the tenses are changed according to the rule of the sequence of tenses.
| Здвиг часів при зміні прямої мови на непряму | |
| DIRECT SPEECH | INDIRECT SPEECH |
| The Present Indefinite → → | the Past Indefinite |
| The Present Continuous → → | the Past Continuous |
| The Present Perfect → → → | the Past Perfect |
| The Present Perfect Continuous → | Past Perfect Continuous |
| The Past Indefinite → → | the Past Perfect |
| The Past Continuous → → | The Past Continuous or the Past Perfect Continuous |
| The Past Perfect → → | The Past Perfect |
| The Past Perfect Continuous → → | The Past Perfect Continuous |
| The Future…… → → | The Future...... in the Past. |
TEST YOURSELF
1. What changes take place when a direct speech is converted into an indirect one?
