English Grammar - Reported speech
Statements
1) If the sentence starts in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan says that she works in an office.
2) If the sentence starts in the past, there is often backshift of tenses in Reported speech. (see: Note)
Example: Susan: "I work in an office." Susan said that she worked in an office.
| Backshift of tenses | |
| from | to |
| Simple Present | Simple Past |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
| Present Perfect | |
| Past Perfect | |
| will | would |
| Progressive forms | |
| am/are/is | was/were |
| was/were | had been |
| has been | |
| had been | |
| Backshift of tenses | |
| from | to |
| Peter: "I work in the garden." | Peter said that he worked in the garden. |
| Peter: "I worked in the garden." | Peter said that he had worked in the garden. |
| Peter: "I have worked in the garden." | |
| Peter: "I had worked in the garden." | |
| Peter: "I will work in the garden." | Peter said that he would work in the garden. |
| Peter: "I can work in the garden." | Peter said that he could work in the garden. |
| Peter: "I may work in the garden." | Peter said that he might work in the garden. |
| Peter: "I would work in the garden." | Peter: "I would work in the garden." |
| Progressive forms | |
| Peter: "I'm working in the garden." | Peter said that he was working in the garden. |
| Peter: "I was working in the garden." | Peter said that he had been working in the garden. |
| Peter: "I have been working in the garden." | |
| Peter: "I had been working in the garden." | |
If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well.
Peter: "I worked in the garden yesterday."
Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before.
| this (evening) | that (evening) |
| today/this day | that day |
| these (days) | those (days) |
| now | then |
| (a week) ago | (a week) before |
| last weekend | the weekend before / the previous weekend |
| here | there |
| next (week) | the following (week) |
| tomorrow | the next/following day |
In some cases the backshift of tenses is not necessary, e.g. when statements are still true.
John: "My brother is at Leipzig university."
John said that his brother was at Leipzig university. or
John said that his brother is at Leipzig university.
or
Mandy: "The sun rises in the East."
Mandy said that the sun rose in the East. or
Mandy said that the sun rises in the East.
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/reported.htm
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Effi 2010.04.08. 18:57:16