Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)
Table of Contents
Introduction
In narration change (Direct to Indirect), the tense of the reported clause changes depending on the tense of reporting verb. When reporting verb is put in the past tense, the tense of the reported clause changes. As the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the reported clause should also move back in the past as well. However if the reporting verb is in present or future tense, the tense of the reporting verb does not change.
Present Tense
| Tense | Changes into |
|---|---|
| simple present tense | simple past tense |
| present continuous | past continuous |
| present perfect tense | past perfect tense |
| Present perfect continuous | past perfect continuous |
Past Tense
| Tense | Changes into |
|---|---|
| Simple past tense | past perfect |
| Past continuous | past perfect continuous |
| Past perfect | remains same/no change |
| Past perfect continuous | remains same/no change |
Future Tense
| Tense | Changes into |
|---|---|
| will | would |
| will be | would be |
| will have | would have |
| will have been | would have been |
