Basics. Reported Statements: Tense and Time Shifts: correct answers
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When you tell someone what another person said, you usually shift the tense one step back into the past. This is called backshift, and it happens because the reporting verb (said, told, explained) is already in the past — so the words inside need to move back in time to match.
Think of it as a chain reaction. The original speaker used the present because they were speaking then. But you're reporting it now, and that moment has already passed.
Here's the core pattern:
| Direct speech (original) | Reported speech (shifted) |
|---|---|
| present simple → | past simple |
| present continuous → | past continuous |
| past simple → | past perfect |
| present perfect → | past perfect |
| will → | would |
| can → | could |
Worked Examples
Imagine your friend Marco says: "I work at a hospital."
Later, you report this:
✅ Marco said he worked at a hospital. ❌ Marco said he works at a hospital.
The second version is wrong if Marco said this at a specific past moment and you're simply relaying his words. Present simple (work) must shift to past simple (worked).
Now a trickier one. Your colleague tells you on Monday: "I have finished the report."
On Tuesday, you tell your boss:
✅ She said she had finished the report. ❌ She said she has finished the report.
Present perfect (have finished) shifts to past perfect (had finished). The has version sounds like you're still anchored in the original moment, but you're not — you're reporting from a later point.
When You Don't Need to Backshift
Backshift is not always required. If the information is still true right now, you can keep the original tense:
✅ He said the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Nobody would argue with keeping the present tense here — it's a permanent fact. Similarly, if someone told you something five minutes ago and the situation hasn't changed, many speakers skip the shift:
"I'm tired." → She said she is tired. (still true, just reported)
This is perfectly natural in everyday English, but in a grammar exercise or exam context, the "safe" choice is always to backshift. Examiners expect it.
Also, modals that are already "past-shaped" don't shift further. Could, would, should, might, and ought to stay the same:
"You should call her." → He said I should call her. (no change)
Time and Place Shifts
Tenses aren't the only thing that moves. Time and place references shift too, because the "here and now" of the original speaker is no longer your "here and now":
- today → that day
- yesterday → the day before / the previous day
- tomorrow → the next day / the following day
- here → there
- this → that
- ago → before / earlier
Direct: "I'll call you tomorrow." Reported: She said she would call me the next day.
The Mistake That Catches Everyone
The single most common error at this level is forgetting to shift past simple one more step to past perfect. Learners handle present → past fine, but when the original sentence is already past, they leave it unchanged:
Original: "I saw the film last week." ❌ He said he saw the film the previous week. ✅ He said he had seen the film the previous week.
Because saw is already past, it feels "done" — but in reported speech, it still needs to retreat to had seen. Train yourself to ask: "Can I push this one step further back?" If the answer is yes, do it.
One last tip: always change the pronoun to match the new speaker's perspective. "I love coffee" becomes She said she loved coffee, not She said I loved coffee — unless you're the one who loves coffee.
Correct answers
Question 1
The correct answers are Professor Higgins stated that Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and Professor Higgins stated that Jupiter was the largest planet in our solar system.
Normally, present tense verbs backshift to the past tense in reported speech (is $\rightarrow$ was). However, when reporting a general truth or a scientific fact that is still true, backshifting is completely optional! Both "is" and "was" are grammatically correct here.
The option using "if" is incorrect because this is a statement, not a reported yes/no question. The option using "been" is missing a helping verb (e.g., had been), making it grammatically incomplete.
Question 2
Help the entertainment journalist finalize her article about the reclusive actor by selecting the correct reported speech forms.
In the exclusive interview, the actor revealed that he was working on a secret sci-fi film. He also mentioned that he had never read such a captivating script in his entire career.
In the exclusive interview, the actor revealed that he was working on a secret sci-fi film. He also mentioned that he had never read such a captivating script in his entire career.
When reporting statements in the past, we usually "backshift" the tenses.
The direct speech "I am working" (present continuous) changes to "was working" (past continuous).
The direct speech "I have never read" (present perfect) changes to "had never read" (past perfect).
Question 3
Yesterday, the forecaster warned that it would rain frogs the following day.
In reported speech with a past tense reporting verb ("warned"), the modal verb "will" changes to "would."
Time words also change to reflect when the speech is being reported. "Tomorrow" changes to "the next day" or "the following day" because the original "tomorrow" is no longer the speaker's current "tomorrow."
Question 4
Reconstruct the office gossip by dragging the correct words into this email draft to a coworker.
Our manager announced that the board had decided to cancel that controversial marketing campaign. She explained that she wanted the team to focus entirely on the upcoming merger instead.
Our manager announced that the board had decided to cancel that controversial marketing campaign. She explained that she wanted the team to focus entirely on the upcoming merger instead.
When the reporting verb is in the past ("announced", "explained"), present tenses shift back. "Has decided" (present perfect) becomes "had decided" (past perfect), and "wants" (present simple) becomes "wanted" (past simple).
Additionally, demonstrative pronouns shift away from the speaker: "this" changes to "that".
Question 5
The correct answers are Madam Zelda announced that she would find the cursed amulet there the next day and Madam Zelda announced she would find the cursed amulet there the following day.
When reporting a statement made in the past, time and place words usually change to fit the new perspective. "Here" becomes there, and "tomorrow" becomes the next day or the following day. The modal "will" also backshifts to would.
The option using "told" is incorrect because "told" requires a listener (e.g., told us that...).
Question 6
Help the party planner correctly report Sandra's rather unusual kitchen activities. Choose the grammatically correct reported statement.
Sandra told me, "I am baking a tuna cake for my dog today."
The correct answer is Sandra told me that she was baking a tuna cake for her dog that day.
When reporting a statement from the past, the present continuous tense ("am baking") shifts back to the past continuous ("was baking"). Additionally, time expressions change: "today" becomes "that day."
Note that "said me" is incorrect because the verb say cannot be followed directly by a personal object without to (it should be "said to me" or "told me").
Question 7
The suspect claimed that he had never seen that diamond.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense ("claimed"), the present perfect tense ("have seen") backshifts to the past perfect ("had seen").
Demonstrative pronouns also shift away from the speaker's original physical context. "This" becomes "that."
Question 8
Complete the detective's official report by correctly adapting the witness's direct statements ("I will contact the authorities tomorrow. I can't find the documents here.").
The witness stated that she would contact the authorities the following day. She also claimed that she couldn't find her missing documents there in the study.
The witness stated that she would contact the authorities the following day. She also claimed that she couldn't find her missing documents there in the study.
In reported speech, the modal verb "will" backshifts to "would".
Time and place expressions also change to reflect the new perspective: "tomorrow" becomes "the following day" (or "the next day"), and "here" changes to "there".
Question 9
The correct answers are Mark told me that he had left the keys on the kitchen table and Mark said he had left the keys on the kitchen table.
When reporting statements, the verb tell must be followed by a direct object (e.g., told me, told us), but never with "to".
The verb say does not take a direct personal object in this way (we cannot say said me). Furthermore, the word "that" is optional in reported speech, and the past simple tense ("left") correctly backshifts to the past perfect ("had left").
Question 10
The actor admitted that he was eating a giant pizza at that moment.
When reporting a statement introduced by a past tense verb (like "admitted"), the present continuous tense ("am eating") backshifts to the past continuous ("was eating").
Additionally, time expressions must change to fit the new perspective. "Right now" becomes "at that moment" or "then."
Question 11
You are spreading some massive office gossip, but you want your grammar to be as flawless as the news. Select the grammatically correct sentence to report what Bob said.
"I have won the lottery!" Bob said to us.
The correct answer is Bob told us that he had won the lottery.
When reporting a statement, the present perfect tense ("have won") shifts back to the past perfect ("had won").
We use told when there is a direct object receiving the information ("told us"). We cannot say "said us" (it would have to be "said to us"). Finally, "he have" is grammatically incorrect on its own.
Question 12
An alien spy is trying to blend in on Earth and needs to report their commander's transmission. Help the spy use perfect human grammar so their cover isn't blown! Choose the correct reported sentence.
The alien commander said, "I parked the spaceship behind the moon yesterday."
The correct answer is The commander said that he had parked the spaceship behind the moon the day before.
When reporting a past simple tense ("parked"), we usually backshift it to the past perfect ("had parked").
Time words also change to fit the new perspective: "yesterday" becomes "the day before" or "the previous day." Also, the reporting verb told requires a direct object (e.g., "told me"), so "told that" is incorrect.