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Master English Grammar

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

Learn how to change tenses when reporting what someone said. Understand sentences like 'I am tired' → He said he was tired.

What Are Tense Changes in Reported Speech?

Tense changes occur when we report what someone has said. The tense usually shifts back in reported speech, meaning that present tense becomes past tense, past tense becomes past perfect, etc.

Why Is This Important?

Knowing how to change tenses in reported speech is essential for accurately relaying what someone has said in indirect speech.

How to Change Tenses in Reported Speech

When reporting direct speech, we usually shift the verb tense back. For example, 'I am tired' → He said he was tired. Present tense changes to past tense in reported speech.

Common Examples

'I am tired' → He said he was tired. (Present to past)
'I have eaten' → She said she had eaten. (Present perfect to past perfect)
'I went to the store' → He said he had gone to the store. (Past to past perfect)

Key Points

  • Present Simple becomes Past Simple
    • 'I go to school' → He said he went to school.
    • 'She works hard' → She said she worked hard.
  • Present Continuous becomes Past Continuous
    • 'I am reading' → He said he was reading a book.
    • 'She is studying' → She said she was studying for the test.
  • Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect
    • 'I have finished' → She said she had finished her homework.
    • 'We have seen that movie' → He said they had seen the movie.

Rules for Tense Changes in Reported Speech

  • Use Past Simple when reporting present simple statements

    • He said he went to the store.
    • She said she worked yesterday.

  • Use Past Continuous when reporting present continuous statements

    • He said he was reading a book.
    • She said she was studying for the exam.

  • Use Past Perfect when reporting present perfect statements

    • He said they had finished their work.
    • She said she had already eaten dinner.

  • Special Cases & Exceptions:

    There are exceptions when tense changes are not necessary, such as when the reporting verb is in the present or when the information is still true or universally known.

  • If the information in the reported speech is still true, you can sometimes keep the present tense.

    • He said the Earth is round.
    • She said she works at the bank.
ExampleTenseUse
'I am tired' → He said he was tired.Present Simple → Past SimplePresent tense becomes past tense in reported speech
'I have eaten' → She said she had eaten.Present Perfect → Past PerfectPresent perfect becomes past perfect
'I went to the store' → He said he had gone to the store.Past Simple → Past PerfectPast simple becomes past perfect

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of these videos. These are publicly available resources used to provide additional information on the topic.