引述别人的话时,一般采用两种方式：一是引用别人的原话,把它放在引号内,称为直接引语；二是用自己的话加以转述,被转述的话不放在引号内,称为间接引语.间接引语在大多数情况下是一个宾语从语.直接引语变成间接引语时,要注意以下几点：人称变化、时态变化、宾语从句要用陈述句语序.
1.直接引语是陈述句,变成间接引语时,由连词that 引导.例如：
She said, "I am very happy to help you."→
She said that she was very happy to help you.
2. 直接引语是一般(选择/反意)疑问句,变成间接引语时,由连词whether或if 引导.例如：
He asked me, "Do you like playing football?"→
He asked me if/whether I liked playing football.
注意：大多数情况下,if和whether 可以互换,但后有or not,或在动词不定式前,或放在介词后作连接词时,一般只用whether.例如：
She asked me whether he could do it or not.
He hesitated about whether to drive or take the train.
3. 直接引语是特殊疑问句,变成间接引语时,由相应的疑问词who, whom, whose, how, when, why, where 等引导.例如：
My sister asked me, "How do you like the film?"→
My sister asked me how I liked the film.
4. 直接引语是祈使句,变成间接引语时,把动词原形变成动词不定式,并在动词不定前加tell, ask, order 等的宾语.例如：
The captain ordered, "Be quiet."→
The captain ordered us to be quiet.
注意：此种情况的否定句,在动词不定式前加not.
My teacher asked me, "Don't laugh."→
My teacher asked me not to laugh.
5. 一些注意事项
(1)直接引语是客观事实、普遍真理等,变成间接引语时,时态不变.例如：
They told their son,"The earth goes round the sun."→
They told their son that the earth goes round the sun.
(2)直接引语变间接引语时, 指示代词、时间状语、地点状语等要作相应的变化.如：this/that→ these/those, now→then, today→that day, yesterday→the day before, last year→the year before, ago→before, here→there等.例如：
He said, "I haven't seen her today."→
He said that he hadn't seen her that day.
注意：如果转述时就在原来的地方,就在说话的当天,就不必改变指示代词、时间状语、地点状语等.
(3)间接引语一般要用陈述句的语序,即主、谓、宾的顺序.例如：
He asked Lucy, "Where did you go?"→
He asked Lucy where she went.
Tom said, "What do you want, Ann?"→
Tom asked Ann what she wanted.