A Past Tense in the Reporting Verb is generally followed by a Past Tense in the Reported Verb, with corresponding changes in adjectives and adverbs.
The Past Indefinite and Past Continuous tenses in the Reported Speech are converted into Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous tenses respectively if the Reporting Verb is in the Past tense.
If the Reported Speech states some general, universal, or habitual truth, the Present Tense used there is not changed into the corresponding past form.
Let's look at some examples:
Example 1: Direct: "I love playing football," said Tom. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) Tom said that he loves playing football.
(b) Tom said that he loved playing football.
(c) Tom says that he loves playing football.
(d) Tom will say that he loves playing football.
Ans: (b) Tom said that he loved playing football.
Sol: The present tense "love" changes to the past tense "loved" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Example 2: Direct: "I have never been to Paris," said Maria. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) Maria said that she had never been to Paris.
(b) Maria says that she had never been to Paris.
(c) Maria said that she has never been to Paris.
(d) Maria says that she has never been to Paris.
Ans: (a) Maria said that she had never been to Paris.
Sol: The present perfect "have been" changes to past perfect "had been" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Example 3: Direct: "I am going to the store," said John. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) John said that he was going to the store.
(b) John says that he was going to the store.
(c) John said that he is going to the store.
(d) John says that he is going to the store.
Ans: (a) John said that he was going to the store.
Sol: The present continuous "am going" changes to past continuous "was going" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Example 4: Direct: "I will call you tomorrow," said Jane. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) Jane said that she would call me tomorrow.
(b) Jane says that she would call me tomorrow.
(c) Jane said that she will call me tomorrow.
(d) Jane says that she will call me tomorrow.
Ans: (a) Jane said that she would call me tomorrow.
Sol: The future tense "will call" changes to "would call" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Example 5: Direct: "I am learning French," said Peter. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) Peter said that he was learning French.
(b) Peter says that he was learning French.
(c) Peter said that he is learning French.
(d) Peter says that he is learning French.
Ans: (a) Peter said that he was learning French.
Sol: The present continuous "am learning" changes to past continuous "was learning" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Example 6: Direct: "I have finished my homework," said Lisa. How would you convert this into indirect speech?
(a) Lisa said that she finished her homework.
(b) Lisa says that she finished her homework.
(c) Lisa said that she has finished her homework.
(d) Lisa says that she has finished her homework.
Ans: (c) Lisa said that she has finished her homework.
Sol: The present perfect "have finished" changes to past perfect "had finished" because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
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