一、直接引语和间接引语的概念
直接引语和间接引语是叙述人们说话的两种方法.
直接引语指说话人直接引用别人的原话.这样重复的话语要放在引号内,且在原话前加逗号,引号内每个句子的第一个单词的首字母必须大写.例如：
He asked, “Where did you go?” 他问：“你到哪里去了?”
间接引语是指说话人用自己的话把别人的意思转述出来.间接引语在多数情况下是变成宾语从句,即和主句一起构成一个含宾语从句的主从复合句,不用引号.例如：
She said (that) those books were hers. 她说那些书是她的.
二、直接引语转间接引语
直接引语在转换成间接引语时,要注意人称的变化、句子结构的变化、主从句时态的一致、语序的变化、指示代词的变化、时间状语的变化、地点状语的变化以及部分动词的变化等事项.
1、人称的变化
直接引语在转换成间接引语时,人称的变化规则是：一随主,二随宾,三不变.
1) 一随主：即直接引语中的代词是第一人称时,在间接引语中必须和主句的主语相一致.例如：
Tom says, “I’m from America.” 汤姆说：“我来自美国.”
→Tom says (that) he is from America. 汤姆说他来自美国.（I变成了和主语Tom相一致的he）
2) 二随宾：即直接引语中的代词是第二人称时,在间接引语中必须和主句的宾语相一致.例如：
She asked me, “Where do you live?” 她问我：“你住在哪里?”
→She asked me where I live. 她问我我住在哪里.(you变成了和宾语me相一致的I)
3）三不变：即直接引语中的代词是第三人称时,在间接引语中保持不变.例如：
Kate said,” They like reading.” 凯特说：“他们喜欢阅读.”
→Kate said (that) they liked reading. 凯特说他们喜欢阅读.（they保持不变）
【注意】人称的变化包括人称代词、物主代词和反身代词等.
2、句子结构的变化
1）直接引语是陈述句时,用连词that引导,that通常可以省略,尤其是在口语中.例如：
He said, “I have been to Beijing.”
→He said (that) he had been to Beijing.
【注意】如果间接引语是由that引导的两个或两个以上的并列宾语从句,第一个连词that可以省略,以后的连词that一般不省略,以免造成句子结构上的混乱.例如：
Doctor Li said, “You are nothing wrong. You’ll be better soon.”
→Doctor Li said（that）I was nothing wrong and that I would be better soon.
2）直接引语为疑问句时,要注意将注意原主句中的谓语动词say改为ask （sb.）、wonder或want to know等,且间接引语中必须使用陈述句的语序（即宾语从句中的主语之前不能任何动词）.至于说连词的确定,情况如下：
a) 直接引语为一般疑问句、反意疑问句或选择疑问句时,间接引语中用连词if或whether引导.例如：
He said, “Do you have any music CDs?”
→He asked（me）whether/if I had any music CDs.
→He wondered whether/if I had any music CDs.
→He wanted to know whether/if I had any music CDs.
I asked, “Will you take a bus or a train?”
→I asked him whether he would take a bus or a train.
→I wondered whether he would take a bus or a train.
→I wanted to know whether he would take a bus or a train.
b）直接引语为特殊疑问句时,就由原来的疑问词来充当间接引语的连词,注意原特殊疑问词的被修饰语必须紧随其后,不可分开.如：
He asked, “How many bowl of rice did you have, Lucy?”
→He asked Lucy how many bowl of rice she had had.
c) 直接引语形式上是疑问句,但表示请求,建议意义时,可ask sb. to do sth.,suggest doing,advise sb. to do sth. 等形式来转述.如：
“Could you open the door, please?” he asked.
→He asked me to open the door.
“Why not going out for a walk?” he asked us.
→He advised us to go out for a walk.
→He suggested going out for a walk.
3）直接引语为祈使句时,改为间接引语时,一般用带to的不定式表达,原主句中的谓语动词通常要改为ask, advise, beg, tell, order, offer, request, suggest, warn等.如ask sb. to do（由肯定祈使句变成）,ask sb. not to do（由否定祈使句转变）,并且在不定式短语中的时间状语、地点状语、人称及时态都作相应的变化.如：
He said,“Jane,be careful, please.”
→He asked Jane to be careful.
“Don’t be late for class again.” He said the boy.
→He told the boy not to be late for class again.
He said, “Let's have a walk.”
→He suggested our having a rest.
He said, “Let me help you.”
→He offered to help me.
4）直接引语是感叹句时,转间接引语可用what或how引导,也可用that引导,如：
The policeman said, “How clever you are!”
→The policeman said how clever I was.
→The policeman said I was very clever.
3、主从句时态的一致
1) 如果主句的谓语动词是一般现在时,直接引语变为间接引语时,从句的动词时态保持不变.例如：
He says, “China is very great.” →He says (that) China is very great.
Mum says, “I’ll be back in a minute.” →Mum says she’ll be back in a minute.
2) 如果主句的谓语动词是一般过去时,直接引语变为间接引语时,从句的谓语动词通常要改成相应的过去时态.具体情况见下表：
直接引语x09间接引语
一般现在时x09一般过去时
一般过去时x09一般过去时/过去完成时
现在进行时x09过去进行时
一般将来时x09过去将来时
现在完成时x09过去完成时
过去完成时x09过去完成时
过去进行时x09过去进行时
过去将来时x09过去将来时
3）直接引语陈述的如果是客观事实、真理、名言、警句、谚语等,在变为间接引语时,时态保持不变.
Our teacher said, “The earth goes around the sun.”
→Our teacher said (that) the earth goes around the sun.
4、指示代词,时间状语,地点状语和动词等的变化
直接引语中的一些指示代词,时间状语,地点状语和部分动词须作如下相应的变化：
x09直接引语x09间接引语
指示代词x09this这 x09that那
x09these这些x09those那些
时
间
状
语x09now现在x09then那时
x09today 今天x09that day 那天
x09tonight 今晚x09that night那天晚上
x09this week 这星期x09that week那个星期
x09yesterday 昨天x09the day before前一天
x09last week 上星期x09the week before前一个星期
x09ago以前x09before 以前
x09tomorrow明天x09the next/following day第二天
x09next week 下星期x09the next week 第二个星期
地点状语x09here 这里x09there 那里
动 词
x09come来x09go 去
x09Bring带走,拿走x09take 带来,拿来
【注意】直接引语中的时间状语根据实际情况转述为间接引语时,有时不需要改变.
如tomorrow,转述的动作发生在说话的当天,就不用改变；但如果转述的动作不发生在说话的当天,则要将tomorrow变为the next day.
又如here,转述地点就是说话时的地点时,不须变化.
5、标点符号
整个复合句的标点符号必须与主句一致,即主句是陈述句时用句号,主句是问句时用问号.