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Reported speech is typically introduced by verbs such as tell, say, explain, reply, think, hope and so forth, in the past tense.
- He said (that) he didn't want to do a barrel roll.
- They explained that they had worked on perfecting that technique.
If these verbs are in the past tense, we have to change the following:
a) verb tenses and verb forms,
b) pronouns,
c) the adverbs of time and place.
Uses of a noun instead of a pronoun
Sometimes it is best to use a noun instead of a pronoun, as the new sentence might sound somewhat confusing if that isn’t done.
"He killed them," the murderer said. - The murderer said that the man had killed them.
If we only make mechanical changes (the murderer said he had killed them), the new sentence can have a different meaning - The murderer himself killed them. (which he did , but he’s trying to blame the other person)
Uses of the pronouns in order to preserve the same meaning of a sentence
We have to change the pronouns in order to preserve the same meaning of a sentence.
"We are the best of the best," he said. - He said they were the best of the best.
"They called us," he said. - He said they had called them.
"I like your Aston Martin," she said. - She said (that) she liked my Aston Martin.
"I can lend you my nuclear bomb," he said. - He said he could lend me his nuclear bomb.
Let's suppose that we talked to our friend Rebecca on Friday. And she said: "good guy Greg came yesterday." It means that good guy Greg came on Thursday. If we report Rebecca's sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following: Rebecca: "Greg came yesterday." - Rebecca said that good guy Greg had come the day before. If we say: Rebecca said Greg had come yesterday, it is not correct, because it means that he came on Saturday.
The time expressions change as follows. today - that day, tomorrow - the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time, yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday - two days before, next week/month - the following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago - a year before/the previous year
Frodo: "We’ve been to Mordor a year ago." - Frodo said he had been to Mordor a year before
Sam: "She arrived last week." - Sam said she had arrived the previous week
Ace: "We will set sail tomorrow." - Ace said that we would set sail the next day
Past changes to past perfect
Past changes to past perfect:
"He was thinking of selling a old ship," she said. - She said (that) he had been thinking of selling a old ship.
Will changes into the conditional
Will changes into the conditional:
"I will come on the helipad," he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on the helipad.
Present perfect changes to past perfect
Present perfect changes to past perfect:
"I have broken the contract," he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the contract
Present tense changes to past tense
Present tense changes to past tense:
"I always loved you," she told me. - She told me (that) she always loved me.
