24 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Tenses

24 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Tenses






Tense Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Present Simple like ice cream. He said that he liked ice cream.
Present
Continuous
I am living in Paris. He said that he was living in Paris.
Past Simple bought a car. He said he bought a car.
Past
Continuous
was walking along the Street. He said he had been walking along the Street.
Present Perfect haven’t seen Mary. He said he hadn’t seen Mary.
Past Perfect had taken Spanish lessons before. He said he had taken Spanish lessons before.
Will I’II see you later. He said he would see me later.
Would would help, but… He said he would help but…
Can can speak perfect Spanish. He said he could speak perfect Spanish.
Could could swim when I was four. He said he could swim when he was four.
Should should call my mother He said he should call her mother.
Might might be late. He said he might be late.