Reported Statements

Reported (indirect) speech conveys what someone said without using their exact words. Tenses backshift one step into the past, and pronouns, time expressions, and place words are adjusted to reflect the new reporting context.

Tense Backshift

Present Simple → Past Simple

'I work here.' → He said he worked there.

Present Continuous → Past Continuous

'I am working.' → She said she was working.

Present Perfect → Past Perfect

'I have finished.' → She said she had finished.

Past Simple → Past Perfect

'I sent the report.' → He said he had sent the report.

Will → Would

'I will attend.' → She said she would attend.

Can → Could | May → Might

Standard modal backshifts

Time/place changes

now→then | today→that day | tomorrow→the next day | here→there | this→that

Example Sentences

She told me that the project would be completed by end of week.

He said he had already submitted the report.

The manager announced that the office would close early on Friday.

She mentioned that she was working on a new proposal.

He told the team that the deadline had been moved to Tuesday.

The director said the company had exceeded its annual targets.

She explained that she could not attend the meeting.

He told the client that the delivery would arrive the next day.

The HR manager said all employees had to complete the training.

She claimed she had never received the email.

Common Mistakes

She said me that she was busy.

She told me that she was busy.

'Tell' requires a personal object (told me). 'Say' does not take an object before the content (said that...).

He said that he will attend tomorrow.

He said that he would attend the next day.

Backshift 'will' → 'would'; change 'tomorrow' → 'the next day'.

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