Reported Speech

We use reported speech when we are saying what other people say, think or believe.

• He says he wants it.
• We think you are right.
• I believe he loves her.
• Yesterday you said you didn't like it but now you do!
• She told me he had asked her to marry him.
• I told you she was ill.
• We thought he was in Australia.

When we are reporting things in the present, future or present perfect we don't change the tense.

• He thinks he loves her.
• I'll tell her you are coming.
• He has said he'll do it.

When we tell people what someone has said in the past, we generally make the tense 'more in the past'.

• You look very nice. = I told him he looked very nice.
• He's working in Siberia now. = She told me he was working in Siberia now.
• Polly has bought a new car. = She said Polly had bought a new car.
• Jo can't come for the weekend. = She said Jo couldn't come for the weekend.
• Paul called and left a message. = He told me Paul had called and had left me a message.
• I'll give you a hand. = He said he would give me a hand.

However, when we are reporting something that was said in the past but is still true, it is not obligatory to make the tense 'more in the past'. The choice is up to the speaker. For example:

"The train doesn't stop here."

• He said the train doesn't stop here.
• He said the train didn't stop here.

"I like Sarah."

• She said she likes Sarah.
• She said she liked Sarah.

When we are reporting what was said, we sometimes have to change other words in the sentence.

We have to change the pronoun if we are reporting what someone else said. Compare these two sentences. In each case the person actually said "I don't want to go."

• I said I didn't want to go.
• Bill said he didn't want to go.

We have to change words referring to 'here and now' if we are reporting what was said in a different place or time.
Compare these two sentences. In each case the person actually said "I'll be there at ten tomorrow."

• (If it is later the same day) He said he would be there at ten tomorrow.
• (If it is the next day) He said he would be there at ten today.

Now compare these two sentences.

• (If we are in a different place) He said he would be there tomorrow at ten.
• (If we are in the place he is coming to) He said he would be here at ten tomorrow.

Statements

1) If the introductory sentence starts in the present (Susan says), there is no backshift of tenses in Reported speech.

Example:
Direct speech: Susan: "I work in an office."
Reported speech: Susan says (that) she works in an office.

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2) If the introductory sentence starts in the past (Susan said), 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." (could, might, should, ought to)	Peter said (that) he would work in the garden. (could, might, should, ought to)
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.

Shifting/Conversion of expressions of time

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

Note:

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.

Note:

The word >that< can be left out.