The reporting verb is often in the present when the reference is general or to 'present time' in contexts like the following - reporting, e g a rumour
A A little birdie tells me you re applying for a new job
B Who tells you?
A Never you mind!
Indirect statements with tense changes
- passing on messages
A Come in now Jim Dinner s ready
B What does your mother say?
C She says you must come in now dad (She says) dinner s
ready
- reading a newspaper, etc and reporting
A What does the article say?
B It s about the kitchen of the future The writer says we'II have
robots which can understand instructions and carry them out
- general (no special time)
A So how are we supposed to wire this plug?
B The instructions say that the brown wire means live and it goes
into the hole marked L It says here that the blue means neutral and it goes into the hole marked N
- reporting something someone says very often
Mary s always talking about money She s always complaining that
things are expensive and she s always asking how much I ve paid
for one thing and another
Indirect statements with tense changes
Form with reporting verb in the past
Actual spoken statements in the present (simple and progressive)
TOM / need to go to the bank PAM I' m waiting for Harriet
Indirect statements: present past
Tom said (that) he needed to go to the bank Pam said (that) she was waiting for Harriet
Actual spoken statement in the present perfect
I' ve moved to another flat
Indirect statement: present perfect past perfect (past perfect obligatory)
Sylvia said (that) she had moved to another flat
Actual spoken statements in the past (simple and progressive)
/ moved to another flat I was waiting for Harriet I had been waiting for hours before you arrived
indirect statements: past -> past or past perfect (past perfect optional)
She said (that) she moved/had moved to another flat
He said (that) he was waiting had been waiting for Harriet
He said (that) he had been waiting for hours (past perfect does not change)
Actual spoken statements with the'present' form of modals
/ can see you tomorrow I'II help you
indirect statements: modal 'present' -> 'conditional' or 'past' [> 11.8.3]
She said (that) she could see me the next day She said (that) she would help me
Actual spoken statements with the 'past' or 'conditional' form of modals
/ could see you tomorrow I would complain if I were you
Indirect statements: the 'past' or 'conditional' modal does not change
He said (that) he could see me the next day
She said (that) she would complain if she were me
15 Direct and indirect speech