Another common way to say or write what someone has said is to use Reported Speech. Reported Speech uses Noun Clauses and does not use quotations.

Structure

A common form of Reported Speech is to use a past tense main verb of a sentence, and then another past tense in the Noun Clause.

  • John asked why the sky was blue. (asked = main verb of the sentence, was = past tense in Noun Clause)
  • She said that she did not understand the grammar. (said = main verb of the sentence, did not understand = past tense in Noun Clause)

Backshifting

  • In Reported Speech, we often backshift the tense of the verb or verbs in the Noun Clause.
  • This means, if someone says something in the Present Simple tense, we need to report that speech using the Past Simple in the Noun Clause.
  • If someone says something in the Present Continuous tense, we need to report that speech using the Past Continuous tense in the Noun Clause.
Quoted Speech: Present Tenses Reported Speech: Past Tenses
James said, "I am really hungry." James said that he was really hungry.
James said, "It is starting to snow outside." James said that it was starting to snow outside.

The above two examples are changing Present Tenses to Past Tenses. Below are other backshifting rules:

Quoted Speech Reported Speech
"I study English every evening." He said that he studied English every evening.
"I am studying English." He said that he was studying English.
"I have studied English." He said that he had studied English.
"I studied English." He said that he had studied English.
"I was studying English." He said that he had been studying English.
"I had studied English." He said that he had studied English.
"I will study English." He said that he would study English.
"I am going to study English." He said that he was going to study English.
"I can study English." He said that he could study English.
"I may study English." He said that he might study English.
"I might study English." He said that he might study English.
"I must study English." He said that he had to study English.
"I have to study English." He said that he had to study English.
"I should study English." He said that he should study English.

No Backshifting


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