13.3.1 Direct to Indirect Speech using Past Perfect Tense

1. The boy told her mom, "The washing-line has broken."

1. The boy told her mom that the washing-line had broken.
1. The boy told her mom the washing-line had broken.

2. My brother said, "Some birds have eaten the bananas."

2. My brother said that some birds had eaten the bananas.
2. My brother said some birds had eaten the bananas.

3. "I did not read your letter," she told her sister.

3. She told her sister that she had not read her letter.
3. She told her sister she had not read her letter.

4. He complained to the supervisor, "Nobody came to help me."

4. He complained to the supervisor that nobody had come to help him.
4. He complained to the supervisor nobody had come to help him.

5. The police officer asked the crowd, "What's' all this then?"

6. Peter asked Mary, "Have you finished reading the magazine?"

7. "I have never come across a person as selfish as you." she told her boyfriend.

7. She told her boyfriend that she had never come across a person as selfish as he.
7. She told her boyfriend she had never come across a person as selfish as he.

8. The father shouted, "Who left the fridge door open?"

9. "Someone brought a cat to the cinema" a voice said.

9. A voice said that someone had brought a cat to the cinema.
9. A voice said someone had brought a cat to the cinema.

10. He told them, "The game hasn't started because some of the players haven't arrived."

10. He told them that the game hadn't started because some of the players hadn't arrived.
10. He told them the game hadn't started because some of the players hadn't arrived.

11. The stranger asked, "Has the train from Birmingham arrived yet?

11. The stranger asked if the train from Birmingham had arrived yet.
11. The stranger asked whether the train from Birmingham had arrived yet.

12. "Have you bought some berries for me?" I asked my mother.

12. I asked my mother if she had bought some berries for me.
12. I asked my mother whether she had bought some berries for me.

13. The man in the bookshop told me, "We have ordered your book but we haven't received it yet."

13. The man in the bookshop told me that they had ordered my book but they hadn't received it yet.
13. The man in the bookshop told me they had ordered my book but they hadn't received it yet.

14. The teacher told his parent, "Ryan cut his chin playing hockey. I've taken him to hospital."

14. The teacher told his parent that Ryan had cut his chin playing hockey, and they had taken him to hospital.
14. The teacher told his parent Ryan had cut his chin playing hockey, and they had taken him to hospital.

15. He asked me, "How did you find my address?"

15. He asked me how I had found his address.
15. He asked me how I had discovered his address.

16. The police questioned him, "When did you last see the deceased?"

16. The police questioned him as to when he had last seen the deceased.
16. The police questioned him regarding when he had last seen the deceased.
16. The police asked him when he had last seen the deceased.

17. She asked him, "How much did you pay for the pony?"

17. She asked him how much he had paid for the pony.
17. She asked him the cost for the pony.

18. "Did you ever live in Washington?" Peter asked his friend.

18. Peter asked his friend whether he had ever lived in Washington.
18. Peter asked his friend if he had ever lived in Washington before.

19. The police officer told the inspector, "I arrested two men who tried to steal something from a car."

19. The police officer told the inspector that he had arrested two men who had tried to steal something from a car.
19. The police officer told the inspector he had arrested two men trying to steal something from a car.

20. He told my father, "Two men have escaped from prison. They have stolen a car and driven to the seaport."

20. He told my father that two men had escaped from prison, had stolen a car, and had driven to the seaport.
20. He told my father two men had escaped from prison, stolen a car, and driven to the seaport.

13.3.1 Direct to Indirect Speech using Past Perfect Tense

Example: She said, “mom has just cooked a great meal.”