Reported Statement
Þ If the statement happens in the present, there is no backshift of tenses in the reported statement.
Example: Jack says, "I eat in a cafe." > Jack says that he eats in a cafe.
Þ If the statement happens in the past, there is a backshift of tenses in the reported statement.
Example: Jack said "I eat in a cafe." > Jack said that he ate in a cafe.
| 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 |
| Bob: "I sleep in the bedroom." | Bob said that he sleeped in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I slept in the bedroom." | Bob said that he had sleeped in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I have slept in the bedroom." | |
| Bob: "I had slept in the bedroom." | |
| Bob: "I will sleep in the bedroom." | Bob said that he would sleep in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I can sleep in the bedroom." | Bob said that he could sleep in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I may sleep in the bedroom." | Bob said that he might sleep in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I would sleep in the bedroom." | Bob said that he would sleep in the bedroom. (could, might, should, ought to) |
| (could, might, should, ought to) | |
| Progressive forms | |
| Bob: "I'm sleeping in the bedroom." | Bob said that he was sleeping in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I was sleeping in the bedroom." | Bob said that he had been sleeping in the bedroom. |
| Bob: "I have been sleeping in the bedroom." | |
| Bob: "I had been sleeping in the bedroom." | |
Shifting 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 |
