In Tamil the use of direct speech is more common. So the learner should avoid indirect
speech in conversation.
Conversion of Direct speech into Indirect speech
Table 4.1 Change present tense of the verb 'be' into past tense of the verb 'be' |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | He said to me, “I am a boy”.
He told me that he was a boy. |
 |
He said to me, “Are you a boy?”
He asked me if/whether I was a boy. |
 | He said to me, “How are you?”
He asked me how I was.
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Change of Pronouns
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Rule 1. The first person pronouns in the statements, questions, commands and
exclamations refer to the first (pro)noun before the introductory verb (say, tell etc.)
In short, the first person pronouns refer to the first (pro)noun.
Rule 2. The second person pronouns in the statements, questions, etc. refer to the
(pro)noun after the introductory verb. In short, second person pronouns refer to
the second (pro)noun.
Rule 3. Sometimes the first person plural pronouns may refer to both the pronouns before and
after the introductory verb (eg. Peter said to Jane, "We are happy")
Table 4.2 Change present continuous into past continuous
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TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 |
He said to her, “I am writing a letter now”.
He told her that he was writing a letter then.
or
He told her that he was writing a letter then.
|
 |
He said to her, “Are you writing a letter now?”
He asked her if/whether she was writing a letter then.
|
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He said to her, “What are you writing now?”
He asked her what she was writing then.
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Table 4.3 Change present tense of ‘have’ into past tense of ‘have’
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TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 |
He said to them, “I have a car”.
He told them that he had a car.
or
He told them that he had a car.
|
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He said to them, “Have you a car?”
He asked them if they had a car.
|
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He said to them, “where do you have my pen?”
He asked them where they had his pen. |
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Table 4.4 Change present perfect into Past perfect
|
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 |
She said to us, “I have seen this film”.
She told us that she had seen that film.
or
She told us that she had seen that film.
|
 | She said to us, “Have you seen this film?”
She asked us if/whether we had seen that film.
|
 |
She said to us, “How long have you lived here?”.
She asked us how long we had lived there.
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Table 4.5 Change simple present into simple past |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | I said to him, “I live in Chennai”.
I told him that I lived in Chennai.
or
I told him that I lived in Chennai.
|
 | I said to him, “Do you live in Chennai?”.
I asked him if/whether he lived in Chennai.
|
 | I said to him, “Where do you live?”
I asked him where he lived.
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Table 4.6 Change simple past into past perfect |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | She said to them, “I lived in Chennai last year”.
She told them that she had lived in Chennai the year before.
or
She told them that she had lived in Chennai the year before.
|
 |
She said to them, “Did you study yesterday?”.
She asked them if/whether they had studied the day before.
|
 | She said to them, “How did you buy the books last week?”.
She asked them how they had bought the books the previous week.
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Table 4.7 Change simple future into future in the past
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TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | He said to her, “I shall meet you tomorrow”.
He told her that he would meet her the following day/ the next day.
|
 |
He said to her, “Will you meet me next week?”.
He asked her if/ whether she would meet him the following week.
|
 | He said to her, “When will you meet me tomorrow?”
He asked her when she would meet him the next day.
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Table 4.8 Change past continuous into past continuous or past perfect continuous
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TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | She said to him, “When I was living in Delhi, I often saw you”.
She told him that when she was living in Delhi she often saw him.
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Table 4.9 Change direct commands into indirect commands |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | They said to me, “Go out”.
They told me to go out.
|
 | They said to me, “Don’t go out”.
They told me not to go out.
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Table 4.10 Requests
|
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | I said to him, “Please go out”
I asked/ requested him to go out.
|
 |
I said to him, “Please don’t go out”.
I asked/ requested him not to go out.
|
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I said to him, “Can/ could/ will/ would you please give me five rupees?”
I asked/ requested him to give me five rupees.
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Table 4.11 Change exclamations into statements |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | Muruhan said to Valli, “How beautiful you are!”
Muruhan exclaimed to Valli that she was (very) beautiful.
or
Muruhan exclaimed to Valli that she was (very) beautiful.
|
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Muruhan said to valli, “what a beautiful girl you are!”
Muruhan exclaimed to valli that she was a (very) beautiful girl.
or
Muruhan exclaimed to valli that she was a (very) beautiful girl.
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Table 4.11 Continued |
TAMIL |
ENGLISH |
 | He said, “Alas! my father is sick.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that his father was sick.
or
He exclaimed with sorrow that his father was sick.
|
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He said, “Congratulations!”
He congratulated me.
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 | She said, “happy Christmas!”
She wished me a happy Christmas.
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 | He said to her, “Bravo! You have done well”.
He applauded her, saying that she had done well.
or
He applauded her, saying that she had done well.
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