English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
More on reporting
3. A direct speech in the future tense should also be reported in the past tense: ‘ I will visit your uncle tomorrow’, said Kunle- Kunle said that he would visit my uncle the next day. ‘ I am getting married tomorrow’ said Remmy- Remmy said that he was getting married the next day.
4. A direct speech in the past tense should be reported in the past perfect tense: ‘ yesterday, I was in Lagos’, said Debby- Debby said that she had been in Lagos on the previous day. ‘My father asked me to close my door’, said Wisdom- Wisdom said that his father had asked him to close his door.
When changing a direct speech into a reported speech, certain changes occur in adverbs, pronouns and verbs.
5a. Adverbials: Now- then, today-that day, ago-before, yesterday- the previous day, tomorrow- the following day etc: ‘I saw him today’, said Tunde- Tunde said that he saw him that day.
5b. I- he/she, we- they, you-they/them/him/her, us-them, my-his/her etc: ‘I am happy’, screamed Folake- Folake scremed that she was happy.
5c. Is/am- was, will-would, may-might etc- ‘I may come’ Kunle said- Kunle said that he might come.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
