Sự thay đổi thì trong câu gián tiếp (reported speech) là một phần quan trọng trong việc chuyển các câu nói từ lời trực tiếp thành lời gián tiếp trong tiếng Anh.

1. Chuyển đổi các thì trong câu gián tiếp

1.1. Hiện tại đơn → Quá khứ đơn

• Trực tiếp: “I like pizza,” she says.
• Gián tiếp: She says that she liked pizza.

1.2. Hiện tại tiếp diễn → Quá khứ tiếp diễn

• Trực tiếp: “I am reading a book,” he says.
• Gián tiếp: He says that he was reading a book.

1.3. Hiện tại hoàn thành → Quá khứ hoàn thành

• Trực tiếp: “I have finished my work,” she says.
• Gián tiếp: She says that she had finished her work.

1.4. Hiện tại hoàn thành tiếp diễn → Quá khứ hoàn thành tiếp diễn

• Trực tiếp: “I have been studying for hours,” he says.
• Gián tiếp: He says that he had been studying for hours.

1.5. Quá khứ đơn → Quá khứ hoàn thành

• Trực tiếp: “I saw that movie,” she said.
• Gián tiếp: She said that she had seen that movie.

1.6. Quá khứ tiếp diễn → Quá khứ hoàn thành tiếp diễn

• Trực tiếp: “I was watching TV,” he said.
• Gián tiếp: He said that he had been watching TV.

1.7. Tương lai đơn → Tương lai trong quá khứ (would)

• Trực tiếp: “I will go to the store,” she says.
• Gián tiếp: She says that she would go to the store.

1.8. Tương lai tiếp diễn → Tương lai trong quá khứ (would be + V-ing)

• Trực tiếp: “I will be working at 9 AM,” he says.
• Gián tiếp: He says that he would be working at 9 AM.

1.9. Tương lai hoàn thành → Tương lai trong quá khứ (would have + V-ed/3)

• Trực tiếp: “I will have finished by 5 PM,” she says.
• Gián tiếp: She says that she would have finished by 5 PM.

2. Các điểm lưu ý khi chuyển đổi thì

2.1. Đổi các từ chỉ thời gian

• Today → That day
• Tomorrow → The next day / The following day
• Yesterday → The day before
• Now → Then
• Here → There

2.2. Đổi đại từ

• I → He/She
• Me → Him/Her
• My → His/Her
• We → They
• Our → Their

3. Ví dụ minh họa

1. Trực tiếp: “I am going to the park,” said John. Gián tiếp: John said that he was going to the park.
2. Trực tiếp: “She has lived here for five years,” she said. Gián tiếp: She said that she had lived there for five years.
3. Trực tiếp: “I will call you later,” he said. Gián tiếp: He said that he would call me later.
4. Trực tiếp: “We were having dinner at 8 PM,” they said. Gián tiếp: They said that they had been having dinner at 8 PM.

4. Trường hợp đặc biệt

• Câu hỏi: Khi chuyển đổi câu hỏi, từ để hỏi thường được giữ nguyên, và thì của động từ cũng được thay đổi theo quy tắc tương tự.
  • Trực tiếp: “Where do you live?” she asked. Gián tiếp: She asked where I lived.
• Câu yêu cầu/ra lệnh: Thường được chuyển thành câu tường thuật với “to” + động từ nguyên mẫu.
  • Trực tiếp: “Close the door,” he said. Gián tiếp: He told me to close the door.

Bài tập

1. She said she ___ to the store later.
2. He told me that he ___ his work by noon.
3. They ___ where she had gone.
4. She asked if he ___ at home yesterday.
5. I wondered what they ___ at that moment.
6. He mentioned that he ___ the movie before.
7. She asked me where I ___ last year.
8. He said he ___ by the time we arrived.
9. She told me she ___ anything all day.
10. They ___ they would come back tomorrow.
11. He wondered if I ___ ready by then.
12. She ___ me that she had been working there for five years.
13. He asked where I ___ the day before.
14. She said she ___ the question.
15. They said they ___ such a beautiful place.
16. He told me that he ___ to the gym every day.
17. She ___ if I had completed the assignment.
18. He said he ___ very busy that day.
19. They told me they ___ to travel abroad next year.
20. She wondered what time the meeting ___.
21. He said he ___ his parents last weekend.
22. They asked if I ___ any plans for the evening.
23. She told me she ___ to attend the party.
24. He asked whether I ___ any other languages.
25. They said they ___ late because of the traffic.
26. She wondered why they ___ so early.
27. He mentioned that he ___ her before.
28. They told me they ___ to go out in the rain.
29. She asked me if I ___ to Paris.
30. He said he ___ his keys and couldn’t find them.
31. They ___ that they had been waiting for hours.
32. She asked if he ___ any help with his homework.
33. He told me he ___ to call me.
34. They said they ___ sushi before.
35. She wondered if I ___ the answer.
36. He mentioned that he ___ to Japan next month.
37. They asked if I ___ available for a meeting.
38. She told me she ___ the project ahead of schedule.
39. He said he ___ about buying a new car.
40. They ___ that they had moved to a new house.
41. She asked if I ___ to join them for dinner.
42. He said he ___ feeling well that day.
43. They told me they ___ a hotel for the weekend.
44. She asked where I ___ the keys.
45. He mentioned that he ___ for his exams all night.
46. They said they ___ excited about the trip.
47. She wondered if he ___ on time.
48. He told me that he ___ to take a day off.
49. They ___ that they had never seen snow before.
50. She asked me if I ___ how to swim.
51. He said he ___ the movie very much.
52. They told me they ___ a new house last year.
53. She asked where I ___ my vacation.
54. He mentioned that he ___ to go to the doctor.
55. They said they ___ the party a lot.
56. She wondered if I ___ the news.
57. He told me that he ___ late that night.
58. They ___ that they had never been to Italy.
59. She asked me if I ___ to come along.
60. He said he ___ his wallet at home.
61. They told me they ___ a surprise party.
62. She asked where I ___ after work.
63. He mentioned that he ___ tired after the long day.
64. They said they ___ track of time.
65. She wondered if I ___ her keys.
66. He told me that he ___ what to do.
67. They ___ that they had been to New York.
68. She asked if I ___ the instructions.
69. He said he ___ happy with the results.
70. They told me they ___ for the bus when it started raining.
71. She asked me where I ___ my car.
72. He mentioned that he ___ time to finish the report.
73. They said they ___ disappointed with the service.
74. She wondered if he ___ her back.
75. He told me that he ___ the book.
76. They ___ they were going to visit their grandparents.
77. She asked me if I ___ to try the dessert.
78. He said he ___ any money left.
79. They told me they ___ their own business.
80. She asked where I ___ my new shoes.
81. He mentioned that he ___ his relatives last summer.
82. They said they ___ a great time at the concert.
83. She wondered if I ___ free on Saturday.
84. He told me that he ___ the new policy.
85. They ___ they were moving to a new city.
86. She asked if I ___ the answer to the question.
87. He said he ___ confused about the instructions.
88. They told me they ___ a good restaurant.
89. She asked where I ___ the movie.
90. He mentioned that he ___ late for the meeting.
91. They said they ___ the topic.
92. She wondered if he ___ on time.
93. He told me that he ___ to bed early.
94. They ___ they had seen the play last week.
95. She asked me if I ___ my homework.
96. He said he ___ his phone.
97. They told me they ___ a vacation.
98. She asked where I ___ the documents.
99. He mentioned that he ___ a break.
100. They said they ___ the dish before.

Đáp án

1. was going
2. would finish
3. did not know
4. had been
5. were doing
6. had seen
7. had lived
8. would leave
9. had not eaten
10. said
11. would be
12. told
13. had been
14. did not understand
15. had ever seen
16. went
17. asked
18. had been
19. were planning
20. would start
21. had visited
22. had
23. could not
24. spoke
25. were
26. had left
27. had met
28. did not want
29. had ever been
30. had lost
31. said
32. needed
33. had forgotten
34. had never tried
35. knew
36. would be traveling
37. was
38. had finished
39. was thinking
40. mentioned
41. wanted
42. had not been
43. had booked
44. had put
45. had been studying
46. were
47. would arrive
48. was planning
49. had never seen
50. knew
51. did not like
52. had bought
53. spent
54. had enjoyed
55. had heard
56. was working
57. said
58. wanted
59. had forgotten
60. were planning
61. went
62. had been
63. had lost
64. had seen
65. did not know
66. said
67. understood
68. was
69. had been waiting
70. had parked
71. had not had
72. were
73. would call
74. had finished
75. said
76. wanted
77. did not have
78. had started
79. had bought
80. had visited
81. had
82. was
83. did not like
84. were
85. knew
86. was
87. had found
88. had seen
89. had been
90. did not understand
91. would arrive
92. went
93. said
94. had finished
95. had lost
96. were planning
97. had left
98. needed
99. had never tried
100. had eaten