13.2.1 Direct to Indirect Speech with Same Tenses

When changing direct speech to indirect/reported speech, it's not always necessary to change the tenses. Tenses remain the same when reported speech is made immediately/shortly after the direct speech, or the situation is a fact or true.

Convert the following direct statements into indirect speech without changing the tenses of the verbs.

Example: The big boy told the small boy, “The sun rises in the east.”

Example: The big boy told the small boy, “The sun rises in the east.”

The big boy told the small boy that the sun rises in the east. (It's a fact that the sun rises in the east.)

1. He said, "My brother is working in the Post Office."

1. He said, "My brother is working in the Post Office."

1. He said that his brother is working in the Post Office.

2. "It is still raining hard," my sister has just told me.

2. "It is still raining hard," my sister has just told me.

2. My sister has just told me that it is still raining hard.

3. Bob told him, "I don't want to buy your car."

3. Bob told him, "I don't want to buy your car."

3. Bob told him that he doesn't want to buy his car.

4. "I work hard every day of the year," he always tells us.

4. "I work hard every day of the year," he always tells us.

4. He always tells us that he works hard every day of the year.

5. He never says, "I'm sorry" to anybody in his life.

5. He never says, "I'm sorry" to anybody in his life.

5. He never says he is sorry to anybody in his life.

6. She will probably reply, "I'm very sorry but I'm too busy to go to the cinema with you."

6. She will probably reply, "I'm very sorry but I'm too busy to go to the cinema with you."

6. She will probably reply that she is very sorry but she is too busy to go to the cinema with him.

7. He has often said to us, "I'm tired of living in this noisy city."

7. He has often said to us, "I'm tired of living in this noisy city."

7. He has often said to us he is tired of living in this noisy city.

8. My father has warned me, "There are a couple of cobras somewhere in the hedge."

8. My father has warned me, "There are a couple of cobras somewhere in the hedge."

8. My father has warned me that there are a couple of cobras somewhere in the hedge.

9. Whenever his children ask him for money he will say, "I haven't got any."

9. Whenever his children ask him for money he will say, "I haven't got any."

9. Whenever his children ask him for money he will say that he hasn't got any.

10. "The train arrives at one o'clock," Nick told us.

10. "The train arrives at one o'clock," Nick told us.

10. Nick told us that the train arrives at one o'clock.