Direct/Indirect Speech

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Reporting Verb Logic

The action starts with the Reporting Verb (e.g., said, says, told).
- If it's in Present or Future (says, will say), the tense of the reported speech NEVER changes.
- If it's in Past (said), a tense shift is mandatory.

Example:

Q: He says, 'I am happy.'

Solution: Logic: Reporting verb is 'says' (Present). Tense remains 'am/is'.
Verdict: *He says that he is happy.* (Not was happy!)

Tense Shift (The Time Jump)

When the reporting verb is in Past (said), all present tenses shift back to their corresponding past forms.
- V1/V2 -> V2/Had+V3
- is/am/are -> was/were
- was/were -> had been
- can/will/may -> could/would/might

Example:

Q: Ravi said, 'I wrote a book.'

Solution: Logic: 'Said' is Past. 'Wrote' (V2) must shift to Past Perfect (Had+V3).
Verdict: *Ravi said that he had written a book.*

Pronoun Shift (The SON Rule)

Use the SON Rule to change pronouns:
- 1st Person (I, we) -> changes by Subject of Reporting Verb.
- 2nd Person (you) -> changes by Object of Reporting Verb.
- 3rd Person (he, she, they) -> No change.

Example:

Q: He said to me, 'You are late.'

Solution: Logic: 'You' is 2nd Person, changes by 'me' (Object).
Verdict: *He told me that I was late.*

Distance & Time Shifts

In Indirect speech, 'Closeness' becomes 'Distance'.
- this -> that
- here -> there
- now -> then
- today -> that day
- tomorrow -> the next day/the following day.

Example:

Q: She said, 'I will come tomorrow.'

Solution: Logic: Shift 'will' to 'would' and 'tomorrow' to 'the next day'.
Verdict: *She said that she would come the next day.*