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Indirect speech: tenses

Past reporting verbs: He said he didn’t like the party.​

When we report what somebody said or thought, it is usually natural to use different tenses from the original speaker (because we are most often talking at a different time).

  • JAMES (on Saturday evening): I don’t like this party. I want to go home now. (present tenses)
  • DANIEL (on Sunday morning): James said that he didn’t like the party, and he wanted to go home. (past tenses)

It would be strange for Daniel to say on Sunday ‘James said that he doesn’t like the party’, just as it would be strange for Daniel to say, on Sunday, ‘James doesn’t like the party yesterday and goes home’. The tenses used in indirect speech are usually just the tenses that are natural for the situation. Compare:

  • James didn’t like the party.
  • James said he didn’t like the party.
  • James wanted to go home because he didn’t like the party.

The second sentence is an example of indirect speech, but it uses exactly the same tense as the other two: the one that is natural.

Examples of natural tense changes after past reporting verbs​

  • simple present → simple past

    • DIRECT: I need help.
    • INDIRECT: She thought she needed help.

  • present progressive → past progressive

    • DIRECT: My English is getting better.
    • INDIRECT: I knew my English was getting better.

  • present perfect → past perfect

    • DIRECT: This has been a wonderful trip.
    • INDIRECT: She told me that it had been a wonderful trip.

  • past → past perfect

    • DIRECT: Anna grew up in Kenya.
    • INDIRECT: I found out that Anna had grown up in Kenya.

  • will → would

    • DIRECT: The exam will be difficult.
    • INDIRECT: They said that the exam would be difficult.

  • can → could

    • DIRECT: I can fly!
    • INDIRECT: Poor chap – he thought he could fly.

  • may → might

    • DIRECT: We may come back early.
    • INDIRECT: They said they might come back early.

Past perfect tenses do not change.

  • DIRECT: I arrived late because I had lost the address.
  • INDIRECT: He said he had arrived late because he had lost the address.

would, could, etc: no change​

Past modal verbs are usually unchanged in indirect speech.

  • DIRECT: It would be nice if we could meet.
  • INDIRECT: He said it would be nice if we could meet.
note

For more details, (see here).

I told them I was British.​

After past reporting verbs, we usually change the original tenses even if the things the original speaker said are still true.

  • DIRECT: I’m British.
    INDIRECT: I told the police I was British. (The speaker is still British.)
  • DIRECT: You can use my car today.
    INDIRECT: Your mother said I could use her car today. Have you got the keys?
  • DIRECT: How old are you?
    INDIRECT: Didn’t you hear me? I asked how old you were.
  • DIRECT: That is my seat.
    INDIRECT: Sorry, I didn’t realise this was your seat.

However, it is often also possible to keep the original speaker’s tenses in these cases.

  • Didn’t you hear me? I asked how old you are.
note

For details, (see here).

No tense change after He says, I’ll tell her, etc​

After present, future and present perfect reporting verbs, tenses are usually the same as in the original (because there is no important change of time).

  • DIRECT: I don’t want to play any more.
    INDIRECT: He says he doesn’t want to play any more.
  • DIRECT: We need some help.
    INDIRECT: I’ll tell her you need some help.
  • DIRECT: Taxes will be raised.
    INDIRECT: The government has announced that taxes will be raised.