! Life is great events

Tenses change in reported speech

1)It is usual for the verb in the reported clause to move one tense back if the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., said, told).
Present ---------------------Past
Present Perfect--------------Past Perfect
Past-------------------------Past Perfect
I m going. He said he was going.
She s passed her test. He told me she had passed her test.
My father died when I was six. She said her father had died when she was six.
The verb also moves one tense back when we are reporting thoughts and feelings.
I thought she was married, but she isn t.
I didn t know he was a teacher. I thought he worked in a bank.
I forgot you were coming. Never mind. Come in.
I hoped you would call.
2)There is no tense change if:
-The reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g. says, asks).
The train will be late . He says the train will be late.
I come from Spain. She says she comes from Spain.
-The reported speech is about something that is still true.
Rain forests are being destroyed.
She told him that rain forests are being destroyed.
I hate football.
I told him I hate football.
Some modal verbs change.
Can----------could
Will----------would
May---------might
She can type well. He told me she could type well.
I ll help you. She said she d help me.
I may come. She said she might come.
Other modal verbs don t change.
You should go to bed. He told me he should go to bed.
It might rain. She said she thought it might rain.
Must stays as must, or changes to had to.
I must go! He said he must/had to go.

Reporting verbs
There are many reporting verbs.
We rarely use say with an indirect object (the person spoken to).
She said she was going. Not She said to me she was going.
Tell is always used with an indirect object in reported speech.
She told me/the doctor/us/her husband the news.
We can use that after say and tell.
He told her (that) he would be home late.
She said (that) sales were down fro last year.
Many verbs are more descriptive than say and tell, for example, explain, interrupt, demand, insist, admit, complain, warn.
He explained/complained/admitted that he would be home late.
He explained/complained/admitted that sales were down that year.

1)It is usual for the verb in the reported clause to move one tense back if the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., said, told).
Present ------------------------Past
Present Perfect-----------------Past Perfect
Past----------------------------Past Perfect
I m going. He said he was going.
She s passed her test. He told me she had passed her test.
My father died when I was six. She said her father had died when she was six.
The verb also moves one tense back when we are reporting thoughts and feelings.
I thought she was married, but she isn t.
I didn t know he was a teacher. I thought he worked in a bank.
I forgot you were coming. Never mind. Come in.
I hoped you would call.

2)There is no tense change if:
-The reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g. says, asks).
The train will be late . He says the train will be late.
I come from Spain. She says she comes from Spain.
-The reported speech is about something that is still true.
Rain forests are being destroyed.
She told him that rain forests are being destroyed.
I hate football.
I told him I hate football.
Some modal verbs change.
can----------could
will---------would
may----------might
She can type well. He told me she could type well.
I ll help you. She said she d help me.
I may come. She said she might come.
Other modal verbs don t change.
You should go to bed. He told me he should go to bed.
It might rain. She said she thought it might rain.
Must stays as must, or changes to had to.
I must go! He said he must/had to go.

Reporting verbs
There are many reporting verbs.
We rarely use say with an indirect object (the person spoken to).
She said she was going. Not She said to me she was going.
Tell is always used with an indirect object in reported speech.
She told me/the doctor/us/her husband the news.
We can use that after say and tell.
He told her (that) he would be home late.
She said (that) sales were down fro last year.
Many verbs are more descriptive than say and tell, for example, explain, interrupt, demand, insist, admit, complain, warn.
He explained/complained/admitted that he would be home late.
He explained/complained/admitted that sales were down that year.