Page 88 - Grammar Class 08

If the reported speech contains some habitual fact, then the simple present in the

reported speech is not changed into simple past. It remains unchanged.
Read the following example:

Direct : The priest said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
Indirect : The priest said that honesty is the best policy.

2. Change in Pronoun

G When the speaker is reporting his/her own words, no change is made in the person.

G Pronouns in the second persons are changed in the indirect speech to the same
person.
G The verb said in the direct speech becomes told in the indirect speech and the

preposition is omitted.to
G Pronouns in the third person in direct speech remain the same in the indirect

speech.
G No change of persons is made when the speech is reported to the person to
whom it is first addressed.

Read the following examples:
1. Direct : He said, “ I will eat burger and not pizzas.”

Indirect : He said that I would eat burger and not pizzas.
2. Direct : You said, “My friends are very helpful to me.”

Indirect : You said that your friends were very helpful to you.

3. Change in Expressions of Time

today — that day
yesterday — the day before
In place of ‘said’ the following
the day before yesterday — two days before words can be used for the
tomorrow — the next day / the reporting verb – remembered,
following day told, assured, argued, explained,
promised, reminded, etc.
next week / month / year — the following week /
month / year

last week / month /year — the previous week / month / year
a year ago — a year before / the previous year

4. Nearness Changes to Distance

this / that — these / those here — there
now — then ago — before

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Grammar-8-8
Grammar