引述別人的話時，一般採用兩種方式：一是引用別人的原話，把它放在引號內，稱爲直接引語；二是用自己的話加以轉述，被轉述的話不放在引號內，稱爲間接引語。間接引語在大多數情況下是一個賓語從語。直接引語變成間接引語時，要注意以下幾點：人稱變化、時態變化、賓語從句要用陳述句語序。
1.時態變化
直接引語變爲間接引語時，若主句爲過去時態，變爲間接引語的賓語從句的時態如下表：
直接引語 間接引語
一般現在時 一般過去時
一般過去時 過去完成時
一般將來時 過去將來時
現在進行時 過去進行時
現在完成時 過去完成時
過去完成時 過去完成時（不變）
過去進行時 過去進行時（不變）
can could
may might
must must/ had to eg:
"l like English very much,"he said.
他說：“我很喜歡英語。”
→He said that he liked English very much.
He said, "It would rain soon."
他說：“很快就會下雨。”
→He said that it would rain soon.
注意：
[1] 若直接引語爲客觀真理，則變爲間接引語時時態不變：
"The earth moves around the sun and the moon moves around the earth, the teacher told me. → The teacher told me the earth moves around the sun and the moon moves around the earth。
The teacher said to us,"Knowledge is power."老師對我們說：“知識就是力量”
→The teacher told us that knowledge is power.
[2]直接引語是過去進行時，時態不變。如：
Jack said. "John, where were you going when I met you in the street?"→Jack asked John where he was going when he met him in the street。
[3]直接引語中有具體的過去某年、某月、某日作狀語，變爲間接引語時，時態不變。如：
Xiao Wang said. "I was born on April 2l, 1980。" →Xiao Wang said he was born on April 20, 1980。
[4]直接引語如果是一般現在時。表示一種反覆出現或習慣性的動作，變間接引語，時態不變。如：
He said, "I get up at six every morning。" →He said he gets up at six every morning。
[5]如果直接引語中的情態動詞沒有過去時的形式（例：ought to， had better, used to)和已經是過去時的形式時，（例：could, should, would, might）不再變。如：
Peter said. "You had better come have today。" →Peter said I had better go there that day。
(6)如果直接引語所述事實在當時和目前同樣生效，變爲間接賓語時，一般現在時不改爲一般過去時。如：
He said, "I’m a boy, not a girl."
→He said that he is a boy ,not a girl.
(7)如果直接引語中含有since, when, while 引導的表示過去時間的狀語從句，在變爲間接引語時，只改變主句中的謂語動詞，從句的一般過去時則不變。如：
He said to me, "I have taught English since he came here ."
→He told me that he had taught English since he came here.
2.時間狀語的變化
直接引語變爲間接引語時，有些時間狀語也要作相應的變動。
直接引語 間接引語
now 現在 then 那時；當時
today 今天 that day 那天
tonight 今晚 that night 那天晚上
this week 本週 that week 上週
yesterday 昨天 the day before前一天
the day before yesterday 前天 two days before 前兩天
two days ago 兩天前 three days before 三天前
last week 上週 the last week 前一週
tomorrow 明天 the next day 第二天
next week 下週 the next week 第二個星期
eg:
He said,"l'm sleeping now ."他說：“我現在在睡覺。”
→He said that he was sleeping then.
3、如何變人稱：
下面有一句順口溜“一隨主。二隨賓，第三人稱不更新”。“一隨主”是指在直接引語變間接引語時，如果從句中的主語是第一人稱或被第一人稱所修飾。從句中的人稱要按照主句中主語的人稱變化如：
She said. "My brother wants to go with me. "→She said her brother wanted to go with her.
“二隨賓”是指直接引語變間接引語時，若從句中的主語及賓語是第二人稱。或被第二人你所修飾。從句中的人稱要跟引號外的主句的賓語一致。如果引號外的主句沒有賓語。也可以用第一人稱，如：
He said to Kate. "How is your sister now?"→He asked Kate how her sister was then。
“第三人稱不更新”是指直接引語變間接引語時。如果從句中的主語及賓語是第三人稱或被第三人稱所修飾從句中的人稱一般不需要變化如：
Mr Smith said。 "Jack is a good worker。"→Mr Smith said Jack was a good worker。
4.代詞等一般地應作用相應的變化。
指示代詞 this ---that these--- those
表地點的詞 here --there
動詞 bring -- take come –go
5.語序變化
疑問句一律使用陳述句語序，不能使用疑問句語序。
6.各類句子由直接引語變間接引語的方法
1).當直接引語爲陳述句時，變爲間接引語的方法是：將直接引語變爲由that引導的賓語從句，跟在引述的動詞之後（that也可以省略）。eg:
She said :"My sister doesn't want to come here."她說：“我妹妹不願意來這。”
→She said that her sister didn't want to go there .
She said, "I am very happy to help you."→
She said that she was very happy to help you.
She said, “I am very happy to be with you.” →She said (that) she was very happy to be with me.
He said,“I will choose a book for my students.” →He said(that)he would choose a book for his students.
2). 直接引語是一般(選擇/反意)疑問句，變成間接引語時，由連詞whether或if 引導。例如：
He asked me, "Do you like playing football?"→
He asked me if/whether I liked playing football.
He asked, “Are you sure your mother will come?”→He asked me whether / if I was sure my mother would come.
注意：大多數情況下，if和whether 可以互換，但後有or not,或在動詞不定式前，或放在介詞後作連接詞時，一般只用whether。例如：
She asked me whether he could do it or not.
He hesitated about whether to drive or take the train.
She asked me whether or not he could do the work. / She asked me whether he could do the work or not.
3). 直接引語是特殊疑問句，變成間接引語時，由相應的疑問詞who, whom, whose, how, when, why, where 等引導。例如：
My sister asked me, "How do you like the film?"→
My sister asked me how I liked the film.
My sister asked me, “How do you like the play?”→My sister asked me how I liked the play.
Tom asked me, “Who is the boy over there?”→Tom asked me, “Who was the boy over there?”
4).當直接引語爲祈使句時，變爲間接引語的方法是：使用ask / tell / order sb. to do sth. 這一結構進行轉換，若祈使句爲否定式則用ask / tell / order sb. not to do sth., 其中ask, tell, order 的選擇要根據句子的語氣而定。ask(委婉語氣)，tell(一般語氣)，order (命令語氣)或warn, advise等+複合賓語(名/代詞+動詞不定式)構成. 例如：
The captain ordered, "Be quiet."→
The captain ordered us to be quiet.
He said, “Please come here again tomorrow.”→He asked me to go there again the next day.
“Be careful with the dog.”→He warned me to be careful with the dog.
"Get up early tomorrow , Bill,"he said. 他說：“比爾，明天早點起牀。”
→He told Bill to get up early the next day.
注意：此種情況的否定句，在動詞不定式前加not。
My teacher asked me, "Don't laugh."→
My teacher asked me not to laugh.
直接引語如果是以“Let‘s”開頭的祈使句，變爲間接引語時，通常用“suggest +動名詞（或從句）。”如：
He said, "Let’s go to the film." →He suggested going to the film.或He suggested that they should go to see the film.
有些表示建議、提議、勸告或要求的祈使句，可以用suggest ,insist等動詞 加以轉述。例如：
He said, "Let’s go to the theatre."
→He suggested (our )going to the theatre.或He suggested that we(should) go to the theatre.
(2) "Would you mind opening the window?" he asked.
→He asked me to open the window.
"Why don’t you take a walk after supper?" he asked .
→he advised me to take a walk after supper.
"Shall we listen to the music?" he asked.
→He suggested listening to the music.
5).直接引語如果是感嘆句，改爲間接引語時，改成用疑問代詞what或疑問副詞how引導的賓語從句。也可以改爲that引導的從句。e.g.
He said to me ,"What a beautiful park it is."
→ He told me what a beautiful park it was.
或 He told me that the park was quite beautiful.
（附加資料）.直接引語是疑問句時
間接引語爲陳述語序：主句的謂語動詞say 改爲ask,或改爲wonder, do not know, want to know, be not sure等。
（1） 一般疑問句或反意疑問句變爲if (whether)引導的賓語從句。
She said, "Do you often come here to read newspapers?"
→She asked me if (或whether)I often went there to read newspapers.
She asked me , "You have seen the film, haven’t you?"
→She asked me whether(或if )I had seen the film.
（2） 選擇疑問句變爲whether… 賓語從句。
I asked him, "Will you stay at home or go to a film tonight?"
→I asked him whether he would stay at home or go to a film that night.
(3)特殊疑問句變爲由原來的疑問詞引導的賓語從句。
He asked , "Where do you live?"
→He asked me where I lived.
把下列間接引語改爲直接引語
said he didn't like that book.
asked if/whether I knew the teacher's name.
teacher told/asked us not to play football in that room.
asked me to lock the door when I left .
teacher said the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.
asked how I had finished my job the day before.
er said (that) I ought to clean the room that day.
said he had been there before I went.
asked when my father would go fishing .
asked me if /whether I wanted to join them.
