What are the rules for changing reported regrets in indirect speech?

Direct And Indirect Speech Questions Medium



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What are the rules for changing reported regrets in indirect speech?

The rules for changing reported regrets in indirect speech are as follows:

1. Change the tense: The verb expressing regret in the direct speech is usually changed to the past tense in the indirect speech. For example, "I wish I could go" changes to "He said he wished he could go."

2. Change the pronouns: The pronouns used in the direct speech are usually changed to reflect the perspective of the speaker in the indirect speech. For example, "I regret not studying harder" changes to "She said she regretted not studying harder."

3. Change the adverbs of time and place: If there are any adverbs of time or place in the direct speech, they may need to be changed to reflect the new context in the indirect speech. For example, "I wish I could have gone yesterday" changes to "He said he wished he could have gone the day before."

4. Use reporting verbs: Introduce the reported regret with appropriate reporting verbs such as "said," "told," "explained," etc. For example, "I regret not taking the job" changes to "She explained that she regretted not taking the job."

5. Use reporting clauses: Use reporting clauses such as "that," "if," or "whether" to introduce the reported regret. For example, "I wish I had studied more" changes to "He said that he wished he had studied more."

It is important to note that these rules may vary depending on the specific context and tense of the reported regret.