In the English language reported speech affects the sequence of tenses, if the main clause is in the past ("I said", "She asked"). It applies to some of the tenses.
| Original tense |
Reported tense |
Example |
| Present Simple |
Past Simple |
"I work here" - He said he worked there |
| Present Continuous |
Past Continuous |
"She is dancing" - He said he was dancing |
| Present Perfect |
Past Perfect |
"I have never been to Alaska" - He said he had never been to Alaska |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
Past Perfect Continuous |
"Jane has been driving for 8 hours" - He said that Jane had been driving for 8 hours |
| Past Continuous |
Past Perfect Continuous |
"I was singing" - He said that he had been singing |
| Past Simple |
Past Perfect |
"I saw you in the mall" - She said that she had seen him in the mall |
| will |
would |
"You will thank me" - She said that he would thank her |
Changes in time and place words
| Original word |
Reported word |
Example |
| here |
there |
"I work here" - He said he worked there |
| this |
that |
"What are you doing this weekend?" - He asked what she was doing that weekend |
| now |
then |
"He's praying now" - She said he was praying then |
| yesterday |
the day before |
"I saw you yesterday" - He said that he had seen him the day before |
| tomorrow |
the day before |
"I will repair my bike tomorrow" - He said that he would repair her bike the day after |
| last week |
the week before |
|
| next week |
the week after |
|
| ago |
before |
"I was born 30 years ago" - He said that he had been born 30 years before |
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