Direct speech

Reported speech

Main clause in the present

The manager says : "You will die if you sit on your laurels."

The manager says (that) they will die if they sit on their laurels.

Main clause in the past

The manager said : "You will die if you sit on your laurels."

The manager said they would die if they sat on their laurels.

He said : "I have always believed in innovation."

He said (that) he had always believed in innovation."

He said : "We are less successful when we are carrying out less research."

He said (that) they were less successful when they were carrying out less research.

He told the employees : "You must/should always do your best."

He told the employees they must/should always do their best.

He asked : "What are our competitors doing ?"

He asked what their competitors were doing.

He wondered : "What profits do other firms make ?"

He wondered what profits other firms made.

He wondered : "Am I right ?"

He wondered if/whether if he was right.

One client asked : "Who's the boss ?"

One client asked who the boss was.

Other words

now

then

today

that day

tomorrow

the next day

yesterday

the day before

next week

the following week

last year

the past year

Activities

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