VIOLATED |
STRICTLY OBSERVED |
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OUT-OF-DATE-REPORTING
Direct speech |
Reported speech |
Present simple “I want to go to bed early,” he said. |
Past simple He said (that) he wanted to go to bed early. |
Present continuous “She is feeding the baby,” he said. |
Past continuous He said (that) she was feeding the baby. |
Present perfect “I have bought a new dress,” she said. |
Past perfect She said (that) she had bought a new dress. |
Past simple “I finished work early,” Alex said. |
Past simple or past perfect Alex said (that) he (had) finished work early. |
Past continuous “I was planning to call you later,” she said. |
Past continuous or Past perfect continuous She said (that) she was planning/ had been planning to call me later. |
Future (will) “I will talk to you tomorrow,” she said. |
Conditional (would) She said (that) she would talk to me the next day. |
The sequence of tenses is not observed in Object Clauses when: |
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• a general truth or scientific law is expressed: |
Copernicus concluded that the earth goes round the sun. |
• something habitual, customary, or characteristic is represented: |
We asked a bank clerk when the bank closes. |
• in newspaper and magazine articles: |
It was announced in Cairo yesterday that the election will be held in June |
Nearness |
Distance |
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Now this |
then, at this time, immediately that |
last week |
the week before, the previous week |
today, tonight |
that day, that night |
next week |
the week after, the following week |
yesterday |
the day before, the previous day |
two days ago |
two days before |
tomorrow |
the next day, the following day |
here |
there |
this week |
that week |
come |
go |
We can use the verbs say and tell both in direct and reported speech.
Tell is always followed by a personal object (told me).
Say is used with or without a personal object. When used with a personal object it is always followed by the preposition to (said to me).
Study the following examples:
Direct speech |
Reported speech |
He said, “I’m Ted.” |
He said (that) he was Ted. |
He said to me, “I’m Ted”. |
He said to me that he was Ted. |
He told me, “I’m Ted”. |
He told me that he was Ted. |
Say and tell are also used with the following expressions:
say |
good morning, afternoon, etc., something, nothing, etc., one’s prayers, so, a few words |
tell |
the truth, a lie, a secret, a story, the time, the difference, smb one’s name, smb the way, one from another, one’s fortune |
Direct speech |
Reported speech |
He said, “I will have some tea.” |
He said (that) he would have some tea. |
He said, “She can type fast.” |
He said (that) she could type fast. |
He said, “I can talk to you tomorrow.” |
He said (that) he could/would be able to talk to me next day. (it refers to the future) |
He said, “They may come home.” |
He said (that) they might come home. |
He said, “What shall I tell her?” |
He asked what he should tell her. |
He said, “You must stay in.” |
He said (that) I must/had to stay in. |
He said, “She must be exhausted.” |
He said (that) she must be exhausted. |
Direct Question |
Indirect Question |
What are you doing? |
He asked me what I was doing. |
Where do you live? |
He wanted to know where I lived. |
When did you see Tom? |
He asked me when I had seen Tom. |
Where is the manager? |
He asked me where the manager was. |
Who has broken the window? |
She wondered who had broken the window. |
Ask (someone) + if + підрядне речення |
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Direct question |
Reported question |
Are you watching TV? |
He asked (me) if I was watching TV. |
Do you like sailing? |
He wanted to know if I liked sailing. |
Did you eat raw fish? |
He wondered if I had eaten raw fish. |
Have you found your passport? |
He asked me if I had found my passport. |
Will you fly to Paris tomorrow? |
He wondered if I would fly to Paris the next day. |