Reported Speech Rules: Direct to Indirect Transformations

Posted on Mar 31, 2026 in English

Time and Place Adverb Changes

“Angela likes fashion magazines.”
→ She said that Angela liked fashion magazines.
“Charles is a wonderful person.”
→ She said that Charles was a wonderful person.
“I’m having a party tomorrow.”
→ She said that she was having a party the next day.
“These are my favourite books.”
→ He said that those were his favourite books.
“We are having a great time.”
→ She said that they were having a great time.
“Peter is driving his new bike.”
→ She said that Peter was driving his new bike.
“Susan buys many teen magazines.”
→ She said that Susan bought many teen magazines.
“Daniel writes every day.”
→ She said that Daniel wrote every day.

“Sally doesn’t like horror films.”
→ Arthur said that Sally didn’t like horror films.
“Mary doesn’t go to school on foot.”
→ She said that Mary didn’t go to school on foot.
“Rich isn’t watching TV.”
→ She said that Rich wasn’t watching TV.
“The fireplace isn’t working properly.”
→ She said that the fireplace wasn’t working properly.
“John doesn’t take a bath every day.”
→ Martha said that John didn’t take a bath every day.
“He doesn’t enjoy being alone.”
→ She said that he didn’t enjoy being alone.
“My cousin Peter doesn’t speak Spanish.”
→ She said that her cousin Peter didn’t speak Spanish.
“They don’t understand their parents.”
→ She said that they didn’t understand their parents.

“Does Angela like fashion magazines?”
→ She asked if Angela liked fashion magazines.
“Where is my suitcase?”
→ She asked where her suitcase was.
“Do you enjoy watching TV?”
→ She asked me if I enjoyed watching TV.
“Does Rachel wear glasses?”
→ He wanted to know if Rachel wore glasses.
“How do you come to school?”
→ He wanted to know how I came to school.
“Can you spell your name?”
→ She asked me if I could spell my name.
“Where is the calendar?”
→ He wanted to know where the calendar was.
“Is this your mobile phone?”
→ He asked me if that was my mobile phone.

“Andrew is a great fan of Keane.”
→ She said that Andrew was a great fan of Keane.
“Charles isn’t sleeping now.”
→ She said that Charles wasn’t sleeping then.
“Paula is a very happy person.”
→ She said that Paula was a very happy person.
“Why do you want to work there?”
→ He wanted to know why I wanted to work there.
“This isn’t my favourite food.”
→ He said that that wasn’t his favourite food.
“What time is it?”
→ He asked me what time it was.
“I don’t want to go abroad.”
→ He said that he didn’t want to go abroad.
“She has a beautiful smile.”
→ She said that she had a beautiful smile.

Tense	Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Present Simple	She said, “I like coffee.”	She said that she liked coffee.
Present Continuous	He said, “I am working.”	He said that he was working.
Present Perfect	She said, “I have finished.”	She said that she had finished.
Present Perfect Continuous	He said, “I have been studying.”	He said that he had been studying.
Past Simple	She said, “I saw him yesterday.”	She said that she had seen him the day before.
Past Continuous	He said, “I was watching TV.”	He said that he had been watching TV.
Past Perfect	She said, “I had finished my work.”	She said that she had finished her work.
Past Perfect Continuous	He said, “I had been sleeping.”	He said that he had been sleeping.
Future Simple	She said, “I will call you.”	She said that she would call me.
Future Continuous	He said, “I will be waiting for you.”	He said that he would be waiting for me.
Future Perfect	She said, “I will have finished by then.”	She said that she would have finished by then.
Future Perfect Continuous	He said, “I will have been working for two hours.”	He said that he would have been working for two hours.