A statement is in Direct Speech if the words spoken by a person are exactly quoted. When the same words are reported by a third person, it is done in Reported/Indirect Speech.

In Indirect speech, there are changes in tenses, pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of place and time.

• Changes in tenses

Simple present tense changes to Simple past tense

Present continuous changes to Past continuous

Present perfect changes to Past perfect

Simple past changes to Past perfect

Past continuous changes to Past perfect continuous

Past perfect remains Past perfect

Will and Shall in future tense change to Would (Shall changes to Should in questions)

• Changes in pronouns occur according to the context
• Changes in demonstratives

This –> That

These –> Those

Here –> There

• Changes in adverbs

Today –> That day

Yesterday –> The previous day

Tomorrow –> The next day

Tonight –> That night

Here –> There

The reporting verb used in the reported speech corresponds to the type of statement e.g. told (assertive), asked (interrogative), requested (request), exclaimed (exclamatory), ordered (imperative) and so on.