TENSE DIRECT SPEECH TENSE REPORTED SPEECH

PRESENT “I work hard.” PAST SIMPLE He said that he worked hard.

SIMPLE

PRESENT “I am working hard.” PAST He said that he was working hard.

CONTINUOUS CONTINUOUS

PAST SIMPLE “I worked hard PAST PERFECT He said that he had worked hard
yesterday.” the previous day / the day before.

PAST “I was working hard at PAST PERFECT He said that he had been working
CONTINUOUS six this morning.” CONTINUOUS hard at six that morning.

PRESENT “I have worked hard.” PAST PERFECT He said that he had worked hard.
PERFECT

PRESENT “I have been working PAST PERFECT He said that he had been working
PERFECT hard.” CONTINUOUS hard.
CONTINUOUS
PAST PERFECT “I had worked hard.” PAST PERFECT He said that
he had worked hard.

FUTURE “I will work hard.” CONDITIONAL He said that he would work hard.
SIMPLE

MODALS “I can work hard.” He said that he could work hard.

“I could work hard.”
“I may work hard.”
“I must work hard.”
“I shall work hard.”
“I should work hard.”
He said that he had been able to
work hard.
He said that he might work hard.
He said that he had to work hard.
He said that he should work hard.
He said that he should work hard.
EXPRESSIONS OF TIME AND PLACE IN REPORTED SPEECH

Direct Speech Indirect Speech or Reported Speech

Pronouns and possessive We usually change from first or second to third person except
adjectives when the speaker is reporting his own words.
today that day
yesterday the day before (the previous day)
Tomorrow / the next day The following day
The day before
Two days before / earlier
yesterday
Yesterday morning The previous morning
A year / month / week
A year before / earlier
ago
The day after tomorrow In two days' time
Next week / month /
The following week / month / year
year
now then
tonight that night
here here / there
this that, it
these those
can could
will would
could could
may might
might might
have to / has to had to
must must
ought to / should ought to / should
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