当人们用自己的话报导别人的话时，被报导的部分称为间接引语（indirect speech），也可称作引语结构（report
structure）。
Mary said she had already seen the film.
He replied that he was going by train.
这时被引用部分常常是引用动词的宾语。除了say, reply这类词外，还有很多动词可跟这种从句。
He felt he had to do something.
She guessed that he had gone to town.
He thought she was worried.
He explained that the train wasn’t running.
在使用间接引语时要注意下面几点：
1．引语前一般要用连词that。在个别动词后（如say, tell等）或在口语中可省略。
He told his mother that the boy was very naughty.
He says he can’t wait another day.
2．要根据意思改变人称。
“I’ve got your letter,” she said.
→She said she had already got my letter.
She said to him, “Your pronunciation is better than mine.”
→She told him that his pronunciation was better than hers.
3．引语中的谓语要和句子主要谓语在时态上一致。
Kitty said,“I’ll call again after supper.”
→Kitty promised that she would call again after supper.
Mary said,“I’m beginning to sleep better.”
→Mary said that she was beginning to sleep better.
Nancy said,“We’ ve got two first places in the sports meet.”
→Nancy said that they’d got two first places in the sports meet.
过去时若有表示具体年份的状语，则不必改变。
“I was born in 1980.”Julia said.
Julia said that she was born in 1980.
4．指示代词、地点及时间状语等，也需作必要的更动。
She said,“I’ll come here again tonight.”
→She said (that) she would go there again that night.
He said,“I arrived yesterday morning.”
→He said (that) he’d arrived the morning before.
She said,“My sister will be back tomorrow evening.”
→She said (that) her sister would be back the following evening.
一般说来，here 常改为there，today 改为that day。这类改变大致可用下表表示：
|
|
在直接引语中 |
在间接引语中 |
指示
代词 |
this (place)
these (places)
|
that (place)
those (places)
|
时间
状语 |
now
today, tonight
this week (month, etc)
yesterday
last week (month)
two days (a year, etc) ago
tomorrow
next week (month, etc.)
|
then
that day, that night
that week (month, etc.)
the day before,
the previous day
the week (month, etc.) before
two days (a year,etc.) before
(earlier)
the next (following ) day
the next (following) week (month,etc.)
|
表地点
的词 |
here |
there |
动词 |
come, bring |
go , take |
动词
时态
|
一般现在时
现在进行时
现在完成时
一般过去时
过去完成时
一般将来时
|
一般过去时
过去进行时
过去完成时
过去完成时
不变
过去将来时
|
1．陈述句和感叹句的间接引语
一般都要变成以that 引导的宾语从句，口语中that可省略，引述动词用say, tell等。感叹号变成句号。
He said:“I’ve left my book in my room.”
→He told me that he had left his book in his room.
She said:“He will be very busy.”
→She said that he would be very busy.
He often says,“What a great country China is!”
→He often remarks with admiration (that ) China is such a great
country.
2．疑问句的间接引语
（1）一般疑问句后连接代词用if或whether，而引述选择疑问句时用whether，引述动词用ask，没有间接宾语的可以加一个间接宾语me,
him等。
She said to Tom,“Can you help me ?”
→She asked Tom if / whether he could help her.
She asked,“Is this book yours or his?”
→She asked me whether that book was mime or his.
（2）引述特殊疑问句用原句中的疑问词做连接词，疑问语序改为陈述语序。
The teacher asked,“How did you repair it ?”
→The teacher asked me how I had repaired it .
3．祈使句的间接引语
采用“动词+宾语+不定式”结构，即ask / tell/order sb. (not) to do
sth.
ask sb. (not) to do sth.（表示客气）
tell sb. (not) to do sth.（命令性强于上面）
order sb. (not) to do sth.（命令性最强）
注意：引语中的呼语可改成宾语。引语中的please去掉，动词改为ask/tell/order等。
The teacher said to the students,“Don’t waste your time.”
→The teacher told the students not to waste their time.
Mother said,“Tom, get up early, please.”
→Mother asked Tom to get up early.
4．直接引语变间接引语的特殊情况
（1）直接引语如果是客观真理，变间接引语时，时态不变。
The teacher said,“The earth goes round the sun.”
→The teacher said that the earth goes round the sun.
（2）当强调动作或状态现在仍然如此时（如改变可能引起误会），可以保持原时态。
She said ,“I’ll be back tonight.”
→She said that she will be back tonight.
她说她今晚回来。（这可能是午后的话）
（3）直接引语中凡有when, since引导的从句，在变为间接引语时，从句的过去时态不变。
He said, “I have studied English since I was at the age of five.”
→He said he had studied English since he was at the age of five
（4）当直接引语是虚拟语气时，保持原时态不变。
“It’s time we began planning our holidays.”he said.
→He said that it was time they began planning their holidays.
“We wish we didn’t have to take exams.”said the children.
→The children said they wished they didn’t have to take exams.
（5）当直接引语中含有情态动词时，动词不变。
“You should be back by six.”she said.
→She said I should be back by six.
