Indirect Speech

Table 1.6.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Present Indefinite Present Continuous Present Perfect Past Indefinite Future Indefinite	Past Indefinite Past Continuous Past Perfect Past Perfect Future- in-the Past
a) He lives in New York. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ Present Indefinite I thought that he lived in New York. Past Indefinite b) Mother is sleeping. Present Continuous I knew that mother was sleeping. Past Continuous c) He has returned from London. Present Perfect I was told that he had returned from London Past Perfect d) He bought a new car. Past Indefinite I heard that he had bought a new car. Past Perfect e) He will send us a letter. Future Indefinite He supposed that he would send us a letter. Future-in-the Past

Table 1.7.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
today yesterday tomorrow ago this these here last year last month last next	that day the day before the next day before that those there the year before the month before the … before the following

Table 1.8.

Indirect Commands.
Keep quiet! Don’t make noise!
He told me He asked me	to keep quiet and not to make noise

Table 1.9.

Indirect Questions.
Special questions.	He asked (me)… He wanted to know… He wondered…
“What are you doing?” “Where do you live?” “What have you prepared for today? ” “When did you come home yesterday?” “When will your mother come home?”	what I was doing. where I lived. what I had prepared for that day. when I had come home the day before. when my mother would come home.
General questions.	He asked (me)… He wanted to know… He wondered…
“Are you watching TV?” “Does she go to work?” “Have you done your homework?” “Did you skate last winter?” “Will you see your friend tomorrow?”	if, whether	I was watching TV. She went to work. I had done my homework. I had skated the winter before. I should see my friend the next day.

Table 1.10.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
“Let’s play chess”, said Nick. “All right”, said Pete. “Oh, no”, said Mike.	Nick suggested playing chess. Pete agreed. Mike refused.

Exercise 1. Open the brackets:

1. My friend asked me who (is playing, was playing) the piano in the sitting room. 2. He said he (will come, would come) to see me off. 3. I was sure he (posted, had posted) the letter. 4. I think the weather (will be, would be) fine next week. I hope it (will not change, would not change) for the worse. 5. I asked my sister to tell me what she (has seen, had seen) at the museum. 6. He asked me where I (study, studied). 7. I thought that I (shall finish, should finish) my homework at that time. 8. He says he (works, worked) at school two years ago. 9. He says that he (knows, knew) the laws of the country. 10. We heard that he (is painting, was painting) a new picture.

Exercise 2. Change the sentences from Direct into Indirect Speech.

I. 1. “Please bring me some fish soup,” he said to the waitress. 2. “Don’t worry over such a small thing,” she said to me. 3. “Promise to come and see me,” said Jane to Alice. 4. Father said to me: “Ring me up tomorrow.” 6. “Don’t eat too much ice cream,” said Mike’s mother to him. 7. “Take this book and read it,” said the librarian to the boy. 8. “Don’t sit up late,” said the doctor to Mary. 9. “Buy some meat in the shop,” said my mother to me. 10. He said to us: “Come here tomorrow.”

II. 1. He said: “I have just received a letter from my uncle”. 2. “I am going to the theatre tonight,” he said to me. 3. Mike said to her: “I shall do it today if I have time.” 4. He said to her: “I spoke to Mr. Brown this morning.” 5. I said to them: “I can give you his address.” 6. He said: “I haven’t seen my cousin today.” 7. Tom said: “I have already had breakfast, so I am not hungry.” 8. Misha said: “I saw them at my parent’s house last year.” 9. Oleg said: “My room is on the second floor.” 10. “You have not done your homework well,” said the teacher to me.

III. 1. He said to her: “Where do you usually spend your summer holidays?” 2. Ann said to Mike: “When did you leave London?” 3. She said to Boris: “When will you be back home?” 4. Boris said to them: “How can I get to the railway station?” 5. Mary asked Tom: “What time will you come here tomorrow?” 6. She asked me: “Why did you come here yesterday?” 7. She asked me: “What will you do tomorrow if you are not busy at your office?” 8. I said to him: “How long are you going to stay there?” 9. I said to him: “How long will it take you to get there?” 10. I said to Mike: “When will your father come home?”

IV. 1. I said to Mike: “Have you packed your suitcase?” 2. I said to Kate: “Did anybody meet you at the station?” 3. I asked Tom: “Have you had breakfast?” 4. I asked my sister: “Will you go for a walk after dinner?” 5. I said to the man: “Are you living at the hotel?” 6. He said to me : “Do you often go to see your friends?” 7. She said to me: “Have you sent them a telegram?” 8. She said to me: “Did you send them a telegram yesterday?” 9.He said to us: “Did you go to the museum this morning?” 10. I said to her: “Can you give me their address?”

V. 1. Mary asked: “Where does John live?” 2. Helen said to me: “How long have you lived here?”

3. John said to me: “Wait five minutes for me.” 4. She asked: “Did you see this movie?” 5. The teacher said to us: “Don’t write in pencil.” 6. I asked her: “Where is it?” 7. He begged me: “Please send the money immediately.” 8. She said to him: “Do you like my new hat?” 9. Paul said: “We shall have to discuss this text tomorrow.” 10. Alec asked me: “Have you ever been to the National Gallery?” “Yes, I have,” said I. “I visited it last year when we were staying in London.” “Let’s go to Finland for the winter holidays,” said Alec. “No,” said I. “I have already been to Finland. Let’s go to Greece.” “All right,” said Alec.

VI. 1. “I shall go to see my friend tomorrow,” said Kate. “Will you go with me?” “Yes, I shall,” said Pete. 2. “Let’s play badminton,” said Mike. “All right,” said Nina. 3. “There is a new film on at our cinema,” said Lena. “Let’s go and see it.” “No, I can’t,” said Mike. “I shall be busy.” 4. My brother said: “In two hours I shall have finished my work and then I shall go to the cinema.” Then he said to me: “Let’s go together.” “All right,” I said. 5. Nellie said: “Yesterday I went to see Paul, but he was not at home.” “Let’s go to see him today,” said Nick. “I think he will be at home.” “No,” said Nellie, “I can’t go today, I am very busy.” 6. “I haven’t seen him since last year,” said Lena, “and I think he has grown. Let’s go and see him tomorrow,” “All right,” said I. “It will be interesting to talk to him.”