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Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

Jimmy said, ‘I was looking for my Jimmy said that he had been looking
Maths book.’ for his Maths book.

Past Perfect Past Perfect

Jimmy said, ‘I had thought that I Jimmy said that he had thought that
would pass this time.’ he would pass that time.

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

Jimmy said, ‘I had been working very Jimmy said that he had been working
hard those days.’ very hard those days.

Some important points

There are some cases where, even though the reporting verb is in the past tense, the
tenses of the finite verbs in the direct speech remain unchanged in the indirect speech.
These are:

1. When the content of the direct speech is a general truth or a historical or
scientific fact. For example,

• The Geography teacher said, ‘The earth is spherical in shape.’

The Geography teacher said that the earth is spherical in shape.
• The Physics teacher said, ‘Newton was a genius.’

The Physics teacher said that Newton was a genius.

2. When the content of the direct speech still holds at the time of reporting.
This is the general case. For example,

• John said, ‘My brother is studying at Delhi University.’

John said that his brother is studying at Delhi University. (His brother is still
studying there.)

John said that his brother was studying at Delhi University. (His brother is no
longer studying there.)

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