Direct and Indirect Speech: Sheet 2
When it comes to turning direct speech into indirect you should keep in mind the sequence of tenses, as well as pronouns, adverbs and other parts of the sentence that's being modified.
For example:
Direct: The election is being held today.
Indirect: The Secretary of the Election Committee confirmed that the election was being held that day [or on a specific date].
Verb tenses
The verb tenses are normally changed as follows:
| Direct speech | Indirect Speech |
| Present | Past |
| Present perfect | Past Perfect |
| Past | Past Perfect |
| Past perfect | No change |
| Future (shall, will) | Secondary future (should, would) |
| Future perfect (will have) | Secondary future perfect (would have) |
| Conditional | No change |
Pronouns
Pronouns change as follows:
| Direct speech | Indirect Speech |
| I | he, she |
| me | him, her |
| my | his, her, the |
| mine | his, hers |
| we | they |
| us | them |
| our | their, the |
| ours | theirs |
| you | they, them |
| you | their, the |
| yours | theirs |
| this | that, the |
| these | those, the |
Adverbs and Adjectives
Adverbs and adjectives denoting time and place may have to be changed as follows:
| here | there |
| now, at the present time | then, at the time |
| present | existing, current |
| today | that day, at the time |
| tomorrow | the day after, the next day |
| yesterday | the day before, the previous day |
| ago | before, earlier |
