Page 86 - Carvaan Grmmar-7

Rule 3

Change in time and place is expressed in past tense.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

this that

these those

here there

now/just then

ago before

today/tonight that day/that night

yesterday the previous day/the day before

last night/week the previous night/week

tomorrow the day after/the following day

hence thence

so thus

Conversion of different types of sentences into Indirect speech :

(a) The reporting verb 'said' is usually changed into 'told' if it is followed by an object.

If there is no object, it is left unchanged.

(b) ‘That’ is used as a conjunction in place of inverted commas (“.....”).

(c) Tenses, pronouns, possessive adjectives and word denoting nearness of time and

place are changed according to the rules already stated.

Example : He said to me, “I shall help you.” (Direct speech)

He told me that he would help me. (Indirect speech)

86 Grammar-7