Change 'be' into indirect speech

Answer 1

Any tense of 'to be' can be either direct or indirect. It has to do with the structure of the sentence. The first examples are direct quotes. The second examples are reporting what was said. Notice how the subject or object pronouns can change from the direct example to the indirect.

Direct: John said, "I am so happy to meet you."

Indirect: John said he was so happy to meet me.

Direct: My mother told me: "I am really upset that you came home so late."

Indirect: My mother told me that she was really upset that I came home so late.

Direct: The professor announced: "I will not be in class next Monday; there will be a substitute"

Indirect: The professor announced that she will not (won't) be in class next Monday, and there will be a substitute."