Module 9 Instructor Guidance

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech. In grammar, when you report someone else’s statement in your own words without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech. If you quote exactly what a person says, there is no change in the words and it is referred to as direct speech.

Direct Speech: She said, “I am tired today.”

Indirect/Reported Speech: The teacher said that she was tired today.

The concept of indirect, or reported, speech isn't difficult to understand. However, in indirect speech there are changes in tenses that can be a bit confusing. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech. Review the examples in the chart.

Direct and Reported Speech Examples
Phrase in Direct Speech	Equivalent in Reported Speech
Simple present	Simple past
"I always eat pizza on Friday", John said.	John said that he always ate pizza on Friday.
Present continuous	Past continuous
"I am watching a movie", she explained.	She explained that she was watching a movie.
Simple past	Past perfect
"Ann arrived on Sunday", he said.	He said that Ann had arrived on Sunday.
Present perfect	Past perfect
"I have traveled to France", he told me.	He told me that he had traveled to France.
Past perfect	Past perfect
"I had just pulled out of the garage," I explained.	I explained that I had just pulled out of the garage.
Present perfect continuous	Past perfect continuous
They whined, "We have been studying for hours".	They whined that they had been studying for hours.
Past continuous	Past perfect continuous
"They were living in Chicago", Tony told me.	Tony told me that they had been living in Chicago.
Future	Present conditional
"I will be in Cathedral City next week", he said.	He said that he would be in Cathedral City next week.
Future continuous	Conditional continuous
She said, "I'll be taking the train to the city next week".	She said that she would be taking the train to the city next week.