Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense

Learn how to convey a message what someone has said, felt or thought in present perfect tense. Direct and indirect speech of present perfect tense along with structures and examples for affirmative, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentences.

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Direct and Indirect Speech of Present Perfect Tense

Tense Change
As a rule, when you report something that someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone has said we go one tense back. Instead we use past perfect tense in reported speech instead of present perfect tense.

Affirmatives

• Direct speech: RP +, + S + have/has (adverb) + V3 + ROTS
  You said, “I have never been to Iran.”
• Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had + (adverb) + V3 + ROTS
  You told me that you had never been to Iran

Negatives

• Direct speech: RP +, + S + have/has (adverb) + not + V3 + ROTS
  They said, “We have not committed any crime.”
• Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had (adverb) + not + V3 + ROTS
  They said that they had not committed any crime.

Interrogatives

• Direct speech: RP +, + have/has (adverb) + S +V3 + ROTS
  She asked, “Has your brother learned English at Learn ESL?”
• Indirect speech: RP + if + S + had + V3 + ROTS
  She asked me if my brother had learned English at Learn ESL.

Negative interrogatives

• Direct speech: RP +, + have/has not + S + V3 + ROTS
  He asked, “Haven`t they left yet?”
• Indirect speech: RP + if + S +had not + V3 + ROTS
  He asked me if they hadn`t left yet.

WH/Information questions

• Direct speech: RP +, + WH + have/has + S + V3 + ROTS
  She asked, “Where have you been these days?”
• Indirect speech: RP + WH + S + had + V3 + ROTS
  She wanted to know where I had been those days.

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Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.