Discours Indirect: Changements de Temps et de Lieu
perspective, clarté et cohérence.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Shift time and place words to match the reporter's perspective, moving from 'here and now' to 'there and then'.
- Change 'now' to 'then' or 'at that time' (e.g., 'I am busy now' becomes 'He said he was busy then').
- Change 'here' to 'there' to reflect the change in location (e.g., 'Come here' becomes 'He told me to go there').
- Shift relative dates like 'tomorrow' to 'the next day' (e.g., 'I'll call tomorrow' becomes 'She said she'd call the next day').
Overview
reported speech.backshift), mais aussi les marqueurs de temps et de lieu. Ces derniers, appelés deictic expressions (expressions déictiques), dépendent entièrement du contexte : le « ici » et le « maintenant » du locuteur original ne sont plus les nôtres au moment où nous rapportons l'information.deictic centre (le centre déictique). Dans le discours direct, le centre est le présent et la position géographique du locuteur. Quand tu rapportes ses paroles, tu déplaces ce centre vers ton propre présent et ta propre position.backshift est systématique. Si le verbe introducteur est au passé (ex: said, told), tout ce qui est proche (now, here, today) doit être éloigné (then, there, that day).here désigne le bureau et today désigne le mardi. Si tu rapportes cela le jeudi à la maison, tu dois dire : « He said he was working there that day ». Si tu gardes here, tu suggères que tu es toujours au bureau avec la personne, ce qui crée une confusion spatiale.this à that est aussi très courant. En français, nous avons « ce » ou « cette », qui s'adaptent, mais en anglais, le that devient l'outil indispensable pour marquer la distance narrative. C'est une question de logique : tu crées une distance entre l'événement original et ton récit actuel.now | then | "I'm busy now" → He said he was busy then |today | that day | "I'm tired today" → She said she was tired that day |yesterday | the day before | I left yesterday → He said he had left the day before |tomorrow | the next day | "I'll call tomorrow" → She said she would call the next day |here | there | Come here! → He told me to go there |this | that | I like this → She said she liked that |reported speech quotidiennement. Au bureau, pour rapporter les consignes d'un manager : « He said he needed the report by that day ». Entre amis, pour raconter les derniers potins : « She told me she had seen him the day before ».today en that day. Si tu es toujours dans le même lieu, here peut rester here. C'est une question de bon sens : si le contexte de ton auditeur est identique au tien, la modification est moins stricte.- 1L'oubli du changement de temps (Interférence L1) : Les francophones ont tendance à garder le temps original car en français, le discours indirect ne nécessite pas toujours un changement aussi radical. Exemple : « Il a dit qu'il est fatigué » (au lieu de « qu'il était fatigué »). En anglais, le
backshiftest obligatoire si le verbe introducteur est au passé.
- 1La confusion
here/there: Nous utilisons souvent « ici » en français pour désigner un lieu passé. En anglais,hereest strictement réservé au lieu où se trouve le narrateur. Utiliserheredans un récit passé est une erreur classique qui déroute l'auditeur anglophone.
- 1La traduction littérale de
actually: Beaucoup d'étudiants pensent queactuallysignifie « actuellement ». C'est un faux ami. Dans le contexte du discours rapporté, cela crée des contresens temporels majeurs. Il faut utiliserat the momentouthen.
reported speech avec le direct speech ou le reporting verbs au présent.here, now) | Distance (there, then) |- 1Dois-je toujours utiliser
that? Non,thatest optionnel. Tu peux dire « He said he was tired » ou « He said that he was tired ». C'est une question de fluidité.
- 1Est-ce que je peux garder
tomorrowsi je raconte une histoire passée ? Non, c'est une erreur. Si l'événement est passé,tomorrowdoit devenirthe following day.
- 1Pourquoi le
backshiftest-il si important ? Parce qu'en anglais, le temps du verbe indique la distance temporelle par rapport au présent. Sans ce changement, le récit perd sa cohérence logique.
Common Time and Place Transformations
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Example (Direct) | Example (Reported) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Now
|
Then / At that time
|
I am ready now.
|
He said he was ready then.
|
|
Today
|
That day
|
I'll do it today.
|
She said she'd do it that day.
|
|
Tomorrow
|
The next/following day
|
See you tomorrow.
|
He said he'd see me the next day.
|
|
Yesterday
|
The day before / previous day
|
I went yesterday.
|
She said she had gone the day before.
|
|
Here
|
There
|
Put it here.
|
He told me to put it there.
|
|
This / These
|
That / Those
|
I like this car.
|
He said he liked that car.
|
|
Ago
|
Before
|
A week ago.
|
A week before.
|
|
Next week
|
The following week
|
I'm busy next week.
|
He said he was busy the following week.
|
Meanings
The process of adjusting adverbs of time and place when converting direct speech into indirect speech to maintain logical consistency from the reporter's perspective.
Temporal Shift
Changing time-related words (now, yesterday, tomorrow) to reflect the passage of time since the original statement.
“She said she had finished the report the day before.”
“They mentioned they would arrive the following week.”
Spatial Shift
Changing place-related words (here, this room) to reflect the reporter's current location relative to the original speaker.
“He told me to meet him there.”
“She said she liked that house.”
Demonstrative Shift
Changing 'this' and 'these' to 'that' and 'those' when they refer to specific objects or time periods.
“He said he wanted those shoes.”
“She mentioned she was busy that morning.”
Reference Table
| Discours direct | Discours indirect | Exemple (direct) | Exemple (indirect) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
now
|
then / at that moment
|
She said, "I'm busy now."
|
She said she was busy then.
|
|
today
|
that day
|
He said, "I'll do it today."
|
He said he would do it that day.
|
|
tonight
|
that night
|
They announced, "We're leaving tonight."
|
They announced they were leaving that night.
|
|
yesterday
|
the day before / the previous day
|
She claimed, "I finished it yesterday."
|
She claimed she had finished it the day before.
|
|
tomorrow
|
the next day / the following day
|
He promised, "I'll call you tomorrow."
|
He promised he would call me the next day.
|
|
last week
|
the week before / the previous week
|
They said, "We went skiing last week."
|
They said they had gone skiing the week before.
|
|
next year
|
the following year
|
She stated, "I'll move next year."
|
She stated she would move the following year.
|
|
here
|
there
|
He asked, "Is anyone here?"
|
He asked if anyone was there.
|
|
this
|
that
|
She remarked, "I love this song."
|
She remarked that she loved that song.
|
|
these
|
those
|
He showed me, "These are my trophies."
|
He showed me that those were his trophies.
|
Spectre de formalité
The director stated that the meeting would commence there the following day. (Workplace communication)
He said the meeting would start there the next day. (Workplace communication)
He said the meeting was there tomorrow. (Workplace communication)
He was like, 'meeting's there tomorrow'. (Workplace communication)
Discours Indirect : Changements de Temps et de Lieu
Expressions de Temps
- now then
- today that day
- yesterday the day before
- tomorrow the next day
- last week the previous week
Lieu et Démonstratifs
- here there
- this that
- these those
Pourquoi Changer ?
- perspective changement de locuteur à rapporteur
- clarity éviter la confusion sur le moment/l'endroit
- logical consistency correspondre au nouveau 'maintenant' et 'ici'
Direct vs. Indirect : Temps/Lieu
Faut-il Changer le Temps/Lieu dans le Discours Indirect ?
La déclaration originale est-elle rapportée au passé (par exemple, 'She *said*...') ?
Le discours direct contient-il une expression de temps ou de lieu (par exemple, 'now', 'here', 'tomorrow') ?
Le temps ou le lieu sont-ils toujours les mêmes pour VOUS, le rapporteur, que pour le locuteur original ?
Changements Courants : Direct vers Indirect
Marqueurs de Temps
- • now → then
- • today → that day
- • tomorrow → the next day
- • yesterday → the day before
Lieu et Démonstratifs
- • here → there
- • this → that
- • these → those
Références Passées
- • last week → the week before
- • ago → before
Références Futures
- • next month → the following month
Exemples par niveau
He said he was there.
He said he was there.
She said she was happy then.
She said she was happy then.
They said they liked that.
They said they liked that.
He told me to go there.
He told me to go there.
He said he would call that day.
He said he would call that day.
She said she had seen him the day before.
She said she had seen him the day before.
They said they were leaving the next day.
They said they were leaving the next day.
He mentioned he lived in that house.
He mentioned he lived in that house.
She told me she had finished it two hours before.
She told me she had finished it two hours before.
He said he would be busy the following week.
He said he would be busy the following week.
They asked if I had been there the previous month.
They asked if I had been there the previous month.
She said she couldn't talk at that moment.
She said she couldn't talk at that moment.
The witness claimed he had seen the suspect there that night.
The witness claimed he had seen the suspect there that night.
She explained that those documents were ready for review.
She explained that those documents were ready for review.
He promised he would have the results by the following morning.
He promised he would have the results by the following morning.
They noted that the weather had been terrible the week before.
They noted that the weather had been terrible the week before.
The CEO remarked that the company had faced similar challenges the previous decade.
The CEO remarked that the company had faced similar challenges the previous decade.
He argued that the events of that day had changed everything.
He argued that the events of that day had changed everything.
She suggested that we meet there the following fortnight.
She suggested that we meet there the following fortnight.
They wondered why he hadn't arrived by that time.
They wondered why he hadn't arrived by that time.
The author reflects on how those fleeting moments defined his youth.
The author reflects on how those fleeting moments defined his youth.
It was stipulated that the funds be transferred by the following business day.
It was stipulated that the funds be transferred by the following business day.
He recounted the tale, noting that he had stood there exactly fifty years before.
He recounted the tale, noting that he had stood there exactly fifty years before.
The diplomat stated that the treaty would be signed there the subsequent month.
The diplomat stated that the treaty would be signed there the subsequent month.
Facile à confondre
Learners often remember to change the verb (is -> was) but forget the time word (now -> then).
'Ago' is used for time measured from the present moment. 'Before' is used for time measured from a point in the past.
In direct speech, 'come' implies movement toward the speaker. In reported speech, the reporter is often elsewhere, so 'come' becomes 'go'.
Erreurs courantes
He said I am here now.
He said he was there then.
She said she likes this.
She said she liked that.
They said they will come tomorrow.
They said they would come the next day.
He said he arrived two days ago.
He said he had arrived two days before.
She asked if I was coming here.
She asked if I was going there.
He said he would do it next week.
He said he would do it the following week.
He said he is here today (when reported a week later).
He said he was there that day.
Structures de phrases
He said he would be ___ the following ___.
She mentioned that she had seen ___ the day ___.
They told us to put ___ ___.
It was reported that the event had taken place ___ ___ before.
Real World Usage
He said he was going there tonight.
The client mentioned they would review it the following week.
I saw him standing there two hours before.
She told me she had seen them that day.
The Prime Minister stated that day that taxes would not rise.
The agent said the flight would depart at that time.
Pense depuis TA perspective
now a encore du sens ? Est-ce que here est toujours le même endroit ? Adapte les mots de temps et de lieu à ton point de vue actuel. "I'm busy now devient She said she was busy then".N'oublie pas les DEUX changements
backshift) et l'expression de temps/lieu. L'un sans l'autre peut sembler bizarre ou prêter à confusion. I will come here tomorrowdevient
He said he would go there the next day.
Le contexte est roi
She said her name *is* Sarah), tu n'as pas forcément besoin de *tout* changer. Utilise ton jugement, mais si tu as un doute, change !
She said her name *is* Sarah.
SMS vs. Conversation formelle
peut devenir He said he couldn't meet me that day" en formal.Smart Tips
Immediately think 'before'. It's the most common mistake in B1 exams.
Check if you are still there. If you are, don't change 'here' to 'there'.
You can almost always use 'the' instead of 'that' to sound more natural.
If you are reporting it on Saturday, you can just say 'today'!
Prononciation
Stress on the Shift
When reporting, we often put a slight stress on the shifted word (there, then, that) to emphasize the change in context.
Falling intonation on time markers
He said he'd arrive the next ↘day.
Conveys a completed piece of information.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of the 'T' rule: Time and Territory (Place) always move Toward the past/distance (Then, There, That).
Association visuelle
Imagine a person standing in a spotlight labeled 'NOW/HERE'. When they speak, they are in the light. When you report it, you are standing outside the light, looking at them from a distance. The light is 'THAT' place and 'THEN' time.
Rhyme
If they said 'here', you say 'there'. If they said 'now', you say 'then' with care.
Story
A spy is listening to a secret meeting. The villain says, 'We meet here tomorrow!' The spy runs to his boss and says, 'He said they would meet there the next day.' If the spy said 'here tomorrow', the boss would go to the wrong place at the wrong time!
Word Web
Défi
Look at your last 3 sent text messages. Try to report them out loud to an imaginary person, changing all time and place words correctly.
Notes culturelles
British speakers are more likely to use 'the following fortnight' instead of 'two weeks later' in formal reported speech.
Americans often use 'that' as a filler or to add distance even when not strictly required by grammar rules.
In news reporting, 'yesterday' is often kept if the newspaper is published the very next morning, but changed to 'Tuesday' or 'that day' in weekly magazines.
The concept of 'deixis' (pointing with words) comes from Ancient Greek. English developed specific adverbial shifts to maintain narrative clarity as the language moved from Old English to Middle English.
Amorces de conversation
What did your boss say in the meeting yesterday?
Tell me about a promise someone made to you last year.
What was the last thing your best friend told you on the phone?
If you could report a famous historical speech, what would you say?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
He said he would call me ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
She told me she was here last week.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella dijo que iría allí esa noche.'
Answer starts with: ["S...
Score: /4
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesHe said he was ___ ___.
She said she would see me...
Find and fix the mistake:
He said he had finished the work two days ago.
She said she liked ___ ___.
You must always change 'here' to 'there' even if you are still in the same room.
B: 'What did he say?' C: 'He said he had gone to London ___ ___.'
Direct: 'Today' -> Reported: ?
1. Now, 2. Here, 3. Ago
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe news reported that the event would happen ___.
My mom told me to clean my room now.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Él dijo que había estado allí la semana anterior.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct speech expressions with their reported speech forms:
She promised to send the documents ___.
He told us he will be here today.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Nos dijo que se mudarían el año siguiente.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct speech expressions with their reported speech forms:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Not if you are reporting the speech on the same day it was spoken. If someone says 'I'll call tomorrow' at 10 AM and you tell a friend at 2 PM, you can still say `tomorrow`.
It changes to `before` or `earlier`. For example, 'three days ago' becomes `three days before`.
Yes! Often `this` becomes `the` if the specific 'that-ness' isn't important. 'I like this book' -> 'He said he liked the book'.
Because 'come' implies moving toward the speaker. If the reporter is in a different place, the movement is now 'away' from the original spot, which requires `go`.
Both are correct. `The following day` is slightly more formal and common in writing, while `the next day` is common in speech.
It follows the same rule as 'today' and becomes `that night`.
Yes, especially in formal business emails where you are summarizing past conversations for a third party.
Usually, people will still understand you, but it might sound like the event is happening `now` or `here`, which can be factually confusing.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Cambios de tiempo y lugar
English is stricter about backshifting the verb along with the time word.
Le discours indirect
French often uses 'le lendemain' for 'the next day', which is a very fixed phrase compared to English variations.
Indirekte Rede
German relies on verb mood (subjunctive) more than adverbial shifts to signal reported speech.
引用 (In'yō)
Japanese does not require backshifting of tenses or time words as frequently as English.
الكلام المنقول (Al-kalam al-manqul)
Arabic often maintains the original time word if the meaning is clear from context.
间接引语 (Jiànjiē yǐnyǔ)
The lack of tense shifts in Chinese makes the adverbial shifts the *only* way to show time, yet they are often omitted if the context is clear.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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