Rule # 1 of Changes in the Tenses| Direct & Indirect Speech

All the tenses of the Reported Speech are changed while going from Direct Narration to Indirect Narration under a proper and standard set of rules. The change in the tenses is depending on the tenses used in both Reporting as well as in Reported Speech. One can classify the Tense Changing Rules into three basic and easily followed rules. 

Rule # 1

The first rule of the Changes in the tenses is about the effect of the Present tense in the Reporting speech. The presence of Present Tense in the Reporting Speech results in no change in any sense of the Reported Speech as follows:

           Present Tense, “Present Tense.”

                           Present Tense that Present Tense.

            Present Tense, “Past Tense.”

                            Present Tense that Past Tense.

            Present Tense, “Future Tense.”

                           Present Tense that Future Tense.

In this situation, when there is a Present tense in the Reporting Speech, there is no change in the tenses of the Reported Speech. Direct Narration can go easily into Indirect Narration only by following the:

• General Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech,
• Other Words Changing Rules,
• Pronouns Changing Rules

Present Tense, “Present Tense.”

       There is no change of tense when there is a Present Tense in both Reporting and Reported Speech. One can easily make Indirect Narration only by following:

• General Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech,
• Other Words Changing Rules,
• Pronouns Changing Rules

Examples

1. She says,” I live with my parents.”
   • She says that she lives with her parents.
2. He says,” I do not like to play hockey.”
   • He says that he does not like to play hockey.
3. We say, “He cannot help us.”
   • We say that he cannot help us
4. He says, “We are playing Cricket daily.”
   • He says that we are playing Cricket Daily.
5. They say, “They are not making fun of her dressing.”
   • They say that they are not making fun of her dress.
6. You say,” I have finished my work on time.
   • You say that you have finished your work on time.
7. He says,” She has not checked her patients.”
   • He says that she has not checked her patients.
8. He says to her, “Your brother has been coming here for the last 10 years.”
   • He says to her that her brother has been coming there for the last 10 years.
9. We say, “We have not been working in this factory.”
   • We say that we have not been working in that factory.
10. He says to me, “You may go.”
    • He says to me that I may go.

Present Tense, “Past Tense.”

When there is a Present Tense in the Reporting Speech and Past Tense in the Reported Speech, then there is no change in the tense of the Reported Speech.

Examples

1. He says,” I liked jumping.”
   • He says that he liked jumping.
2. They say, “We were living in this house before 1990.”
   • They say that they were living in that house before 1990.
3. I say,” I took a dose of medicine at 11’O clock.”
   • I say that I had taken a dose of medicine at 11’O clock.
4. They say to him, “Her uncle had been waiting for her for 2 hours.”
   • They say to him that her uncle had been waiting for her for 2 hours.
5. You say,” I bought it of my own accord.”
   • You say that you bought it of your own accord.
6. You say, “I was playing tennis with her.”
   • You say that you were playing tennis with her.
7. He says, “I did not like this house very much.”
   • He says that he did not like that house very much.
8. They say, “You went to Murree for the summer vacation.”
   • They say that you went to Murree for the summer vacation.

Present Tense, “Future Tense.”

  The combination of Present Tense, and “Future Tense.”, also does not require any change in the tense to take the Indirect form of Speech.

1. They say, “We shall be eating apples.”
   • They say that they will be eating apples.
2. We say, “We shall go for a morning walk.”
   • We say that we shall go for a morning walk.
3. She says, “You will not like this dress.”
   • She says that you will not like that dress.
4. We say, “They will be playing together in this playground.”
   • We say that they will be playing together in that playground.
5. She says,” She will have been waiting for her aunt.”
   • She says that she will have been waiting for her aunt.
6. He says to her,” You will not wear the new pink dress.”
   • He says to her that she will not wear the new pink dress.
7. We say to them,” Her uncle will not be watering the plants.”
   • We say to them that her uncle will not be watering the plants.
8. She says to me,” You will not have reached the station on time.”
   • She says to me that I shall not have reached the station on time.
9. They say,” You will not have been working in this factory for long.”
   • They say you will not have worked in that factory for long.

So, the Present Tense in the Reporting Speech cannot change the tense of the Reported Speech.