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Reported Statements

1) When reporting direct speech introduced in the present, there is no backshift of tenses. However, when reporting direct speech introduced in the past, there is often a backshift of tenses in reported speech. 2) There are specific rules for backshifting verbs and expressions of time when changing direct speech that was in the past to reported speech. Common verbs like "work" shift from present to past tense. Expressions of time like "yesterday" shift to the past form. 3) In some cases, backshifting of tenses is not necessary, such as when the statement is still true today. The word "that" can also be left out of reported speech.

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R EDIN BROW
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71 views2 pages

Reported Statements

1) When reporting direct speech introduced in the present, there is no backshift of tenses. However, when reporting direct speech introduced in the past, there is often a backshift of tenses in reported speech. 2) There are specific rules for backshifting verbs and expressions of time when changing direct speech that was in the past to reported speech. Common verbs like "work" shift from present to past tense. Expressions of time like "yesterday" shift to the past form. 3) In some cases, backshifting of tenses is not necessary, such as when the statement is still true today. The word "that" can also be left out of reported speech.

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R EDIN BROW
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Statements

1) If the introductory sentence starts in the present (Susan says), there is no backshift of
tensesin Reported speech.
Example:
Direct speech: Susan: "I work in an office."
Reported speech: Susan says (that) she works in an office.
) If the introductory sentence starts in the past (Susan said), there is often backshift of tensesin
Reported speech. (see: !ote)
Example:
Susan: "I work in an office."
Susan said (that) she worked in an office.
Backshift of tenses
from to
Simple "resent Simple "ast
Simple "ast
"ast "erfect "resent "erfect
"ast "erfect
#ill #ould
Progressive forms
am$are$is #as$#ere
#as$#ere
had %een has %een
had %een
Backshift of tenses
from to
"eter: "I work in the &arden." "eter said (that) he worked in the &arden.
"eter: "I worked in the &arden."
"eter said (that) he had worked in the &arden. "eter: "I have worked in the &arden."
"eter: "I had worked in the &arden."
"eter: "I will work in the &arden." "eter said (that) he would work in the &arden.
"eter: "I can work in the &arden." "eter said (that) he could work in the &arden.
"eter: "I may work in the &arden." "eter said (that) he might work in the &arden.
"eter: "I would work in the &arden."
(could, might, should, ought to)
"eter said (that) he would work in the &arden.
(could, might, should, ought to)
Progressive forms
"eter: "I'm working in the &arden." "eter said (that) he was working in the &arden.
"eter: "I was working in the &arden."
"eter said (that) he had been working in the &arden.
"eter: "I have been working in the
&arden."
"eter: "I had been working in the &arden."
If the sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it as well.
"eter: "I #or'ed in the &arden yesterday."
"eter said that he had #or'ed in the &arden the day before.
Shifting!onversion of expressions of time
this "evening# that "evening#
todaythis
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 nextfollowing day
$ote%
In some cases the %ac'shift of tenses is not necessary, e.&. #hen statements are still true.
(ohn: ")y %rother is at *eip+i& uni,ersity."
(ohn said (that) his %rother #as at *eip+i& uni,ersity. or
(ohn said (that) his %rother is at *eip+i& uni,ersity.
or
)andy: "-he sun rises in the East."
)andy said (that) the sun rose in the East. or
)andy said (that) the sun rises in the East.
$ote%
-he #ord .that/ can %e left out.

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