Type Approach Direct Speech Indirect Speech
She said that she was
Statements Use "that" and change tense She said, "I am happy." happy.
Change tense, use "if", He asked, "Are you He asked if I was going to
Questions "whether" or "Wh-" words going to the concert?" the concert.
She asked, "Where is the She asked where the
station?" station was.
Commands and Change command to She said, "Close the She asked me to close the
Requests infinitive phrase door." door.
Exclamatory She said, "What a She exclaimed that it was
Sentences Change to statements beautiful sunset!" a beautiful sunset.
Direct Speech (Tense) Indirect Speech (Tense Change)
Present Simple Past Simple
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Will Would
Can Could
May Might
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
this that
these those
here there
now then
today that day
the next day / the following
tomorrow day
the day before / the previous
yesterday day
last night the night before
ago before
can could
will would
may might
must had to
shall should
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
here there
this that
these those
now then
today that day
yesterday the previous day
tomorrow the following day
last night the previous night
next week the following week
ago before
can could
will would
may might
must had to
shall should
is was
are were
have had
has had
do did
does did
did had
said said that
told told
asked asked
wanted wanted
thought thought
knew knew
saw saw
heard heard
believed believed
understood understood
wondered wondered
hoped hoped
wished wished
Direct Speech (Tense) Indirect Speech (Tense Change)
Present Simple Past Simple
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Simple Past Perfect
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Past Perfect
Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Future Simple (will) Would
Future Continuous (will be) Would be
Future Perfect (will have) Would have
Future Perfect Continuous (will have been) Would have been
Modal verbs: Can Could
Modal verbs: May Might
Modal verbs: Must, Should, Would, Could, Might, Ought to No change
Indirect Speech
Direct Speech (Tense) Example (Tense Change) Example
He said he played
Present Simple "I play football." Past Simple football.
"I am playing He said he was playing
Present Continuous football." Past Continuous football.
"I have played He said he had played
Present Perfect football." Past Perfect football.
"I have been playing Past Perfect He said he had been
Present Perfect Continuous football." Continuous playing football.
He said he had played
Past Simple "I played football." Past Perfect football.
"I was playing Past Perfect He said he had been
Past Continuous football." Continuous playing football.
"I had played He said he had played
Past Perfect football." Past Perfect football.
"I had been playing Past Perfect He said he had been
Past Perfect Continuous football." Continuous playing football.
He said he would play
Future Simple (will) "I will play football." Would football.
"I will be playing He said he would be
Future Continuous (will be) football." Would be playing football.
"I will have played He said he would have
Future Perfect (will have) football." Would have played football.
Future Perfect Continuous (will "I will have been He said he would have
have been) playing football." Would have been been playing football.
He said he could play
Modal verbs: Can "I can play football." Could football.
He said he might play
Modal verbs: May "I may play football." Might football.
Modal verbs: Must, Should, "I must play He said he must play
Would, Could, Might, Ought to football." No change football.
Type Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Statements John said, "I am tired." John said that he was tired.
Emily said, "I have finished my Emily said that she had finished her
homework." homework.
He said, "I will call you later." He said that he would call me later.
Questions He asked, "Do you like football?" He asked if I liked football.
She asked, "Where do you live?" She asked where I lived.
They asked, "Can we join you?" They asked if they could join us.
Commands and
Requests My mom said, "Clean your room." My mom told me to clean my room.
The teacher said, "Do your
homework." The teacher told us to do our homework.
She said, "Please help me." She asked me to help her.
He exclaimed that it was a beautiful
Exclamatory Sentences He said, "What a beautiful flower!" flower.
She said, "How exciting!" She said that it was exciting.
He said, "What a disaster!" He exclaimed that it was a disaster.
