Noun Clauses/Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
staff.washington.edu › marynell › grammarNoun Clauses/Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) (except for a few exceptions*, the following changes are made when reporting quoted speech) If the reporting verb (the main verb of the sentences, e.g., said, is in the past, the verb in the noun clause will usually be in a past form. If the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or future, the noun clause verb is not changed.