13.2.1 Direct to Indirect Speech with Same Tenses

Convert the following direct statements into indirect speech without changing tense.

It's not always necessary to change the tenses when converting direct speech to indirect / reported speech that's made immediately, or shortly after, the direct speech occurs (or if the situation is an established fact or always true). Tenses remain the same when reporting speech.

Check your answers by clicking the sentence.

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.
The big boy told the small boy the sun rises in the east. (The "sun rises in the east" is a fact.)

0 of 10 questions completed.

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

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

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

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

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

5. He never says, "I'm 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 that she is very sorry but she is too busy to go to the cinema with him.
6. She will probably reply 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."

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.
8. My father has warned me 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 that he hasn't got any.
9. Whenever his children ask him for money he will say he hasn't got any.

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

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