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He said to them, “I can help you, if you don’t harm me.” Change into Indirect Speech

He said to them, “I can help you, if you don’t harm me.” Change into Indirect Speech

2 Answers

  1. Indirect Speech: He told them that he could help them, if they didn’t harm him.

    Explanation: If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the modals like can changes to could, will/shall change to would, have to changes to had to etc.

    And when the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the present indefinite tense (simple present tense), then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past indefinite tense.

    Present Indefinite Tense > Past Indefinite Tense.

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