1、说话人一字不变地转述别人的话，被引用的话就叫直接引语。例如：Jenny said， "Can you swim， Susan?"2、说话人用自己的话转述别人的话，而且可以对原话有所变动，这叫做间接引语。例如：Jenny asked Susan if she could 3、直接引语变间接引语的方法：1）陈述句变成以that引导的宾语从句。2）一般疑问句变成以if 或whether引导的宾语从句，要注意宾语从句要变成陈述句语序。3）特殊疑问句变成以特殊疑问词引导的宾语从句，也要注意宾语从句变成陈述句语序。4)以上变宾语从句时，注意如果主句用了一般过去时，则宾语从句要变成过去的相应时态。5）祈使句变成动词不定式。如：ask sb (not) to do sth， tell / order sb (not) to do 6)直接引语变间接引语时，还要注意人称的相应变化。
直接引语 （把那个人说的话照搬）李明说：“我是个学生”。Li Ming said，"I am a student"间接引语（用你的身份说他的话）李明说他是个学生。Li Ming said that he was a 直接引语变间接引语是人称要变，时态也要变。一般现在时变为一般过去时一般过去时变为过去完成时一般将来时变为过去将来时现在进行时变为过去进行时现在完成时变为过去完成时总尔言之把现在将来的都变成过去的即可。
引述别人的话有两种方式：一是使用引号引出人家的原话，这叫做直接引语；一是用自己的话把人家的话转述出来，这叫做间接引语。例如：John said， "I'm going to London with my "约翰说："我要和父亲到伦敦去。"（引号内是直接引语）John said that he was going to London with his 约翰说，他要和他父亲去伦敦。（宾语从句是间接引语）由直接引语变为间接引语，分以下情况：1． 直接引语是陈述句时间接引语为that引导的宾语从句（口语中that可以省略），主句的引述动词主要有say ，tell， repeat， explain， think等。He said ， "You are younger than I"-'He said (that ) I was younger than 直接引语是疑问句时间接引语为陈述语序：主句的谓语动词say 改为ask，或改为wonder， do not know， want to know， be not sure， be puzzled等。（1） 一般疑问句或反意疑问句变为if (whether)引导的宾语从句。She said， "Do you often come here to read newspapers?"→She asked me if (或whether)I often went there to read She asked me ， "You have seen the film， haven't you?"→She asked me whether(或if )I had seen the （2） 选择疑问句变为whether… 宾语从句。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 (3)特殊疑问句变为由原来的疑问词引导的宾语从句。He asked ， "Where do you live?"→He asked me where I 直接引语是祈使句时间接引语为不定式，作ask ， tell， beg， order， warn， advise等动词的宾语补足语（don't 变为not ）The teacher said to the boy， "Open the "→The teacher told the boy to open the His father said to him ， "Don't leave the door "→His father told him not to leave the door [注意]（1） 有些表示建议、提议、劝告或要求的祈使句，可以用suggest ，insist等动词 加以转述。例如：He said， "Let's go to the "→He suggested (our )going to the 或He suggested that we(should) go to the (2) "Would you mind opening the window?" he →He asked me to open the "Why don't you take a walk after supper?" he asked →he advised me to take a walk after "Shall we listen to the music?" he →He suggested listening to the 直接引语是感叹句时间接引语为what 或how 引导，也可以用that 引导。She said， "What a lovely day it is !"→She said what a lovely day it was 或She said that it was a lovely 5．如果主句谓语动词为各种现在时或一般将来时，则间接引语中的动词仍保持直接引语原来时态。如果主句谓语动词为过去时，间接引语中的动词时态按下列变化：（1） 一般现在时变为一般过去时（2） 现在进行时变为过去进行时（3） 一般将来时变为过去将来时（4） 现在完成时变为过去完成时（5） 一般过去时变为过去完成时（6） 过去完成时不变，仍为过去完成时[注意]（1） 如果直接引语是表示客观真理时，变为间接引语，一般现在时不改为一般过去时。如：The teacher said "The earth goes round the "→The teacher said that the earth goes round the （2） 如果直接引语中有明确表示过时间的状语，变为间接引语时，一般过去时不改为过去完成时。如：He said to me， "I was born in "→He told me that he was born in (3)如果直接引语所述事实在当时和目前同样生效，变为间接宾语时，一般现在时不改为一般过去时。如：He said， "I'm a boy， not a "→He said that he is a boy ，not a (4)如果直接引语中的谓语动词表示一种反复出现或习惯动作，在变为间接引时，一般现在时不改为一般过去时。如：The girl said， "I get up at six every "→The girl said that she gets up at six every (5)如果直接引语中含有since， when， while 引导的表示过去时间的状语从句，在变为间接引语时，只改变主句中的谓语动词，从句的一般过去时则不变。如：He said to me， "I have taught English since he came here "→He told me that he had taught English since he came (6)如果直接引语中含有情态动词 must， need， had better以及情态动词的过去式could， might， should， would，在变为间接引语时，这些情态动词没有时态的改变。例如：The teacher said to me "You must pay more attention to your " →The teacher told me that I must (have to ) pay more attention to my He said ， "I could swim when I was only six "→He said that he could swim when he was only 代词等一般地应作用相应的变化，变化方法见下表。指示代词this……these these……those 表示时间的词now……then today……that day this week(month ，etc)……that week (month ，etc) yesterday……the day before last week(month ，etc)……the week(month ，etc) before three days (a year ，etc) ago……three days (a etc) before tomorrow……the next (following ) day next week (month ，etc)……the next (following ) week (month ，etc) 表地点的词here……there 动词bring……take come……go
