1. Reporting Verb:
* Start with a reporting verb like "said," "told," "remarked," "explained," etc.
* Choose the verb that best reflects the speaker's tone or intention.
2. Reporting Clause:
* Introduce the reporting clause, typically with a conjunction like "that."
3. Changes in Pronouns:
* Adjust pronouns to reflect the change in perspective. For example, if the original speaker said, "I am happy," the indirect speech would be "He/She said that he/she was happy."
4. Changes in Tense:
* Shift the verb tense one step back.
* Present simple: Becomes past simple (e.g., "He says" becomes "He said")
* Present continuous: Becomes past continuous (e.g., "She is eating" becomes "She said she was eating")
* Past simple: Becomes past perfect (e.g., "He went" becomes "He said he had gone")
* Past continuous: Becomes past perfect continuous (e.g., "She was singing" becomes "She said she had been singing")
5. Time and Place Adverbs:
* Adjust time and place adverbs as needed. For example, "yesterday" becomes "the previous day" or "the day before."
6. Other Changes:
* If the original sentence contains a direct address (e.g., "John, you're late."), remove the direct address and adjust the sentence accordingly.
* Consider any other changes necessary to maintain meaning and clarity.
Example:
Direct Speech: "I am going to the park tomorrow," she said.
Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the park the next day.
Important Note: Sometimes, you might need to keep the tense in direct speech, depending on the reporting verb and the context. For example:
* "He said, 'I am going to the park tomorrow,'" becomes "He said that he was going to the park tomorrow," because the "said" indicates a past action, and the "tomorrow" refers to a future time relative to the original utterance.