Reported Speech: Statements

Shift tenses back when reporting.

Examples

• She said she was tired.

Key rules

• Backshift tenses: present → past, past → past perfect, will → would
• Change pronouns and time words: now → then, tomorrow → the next day
• Say tells someone only with an object: tell me, say to me
• No backshift is needed if the fact is still true

Common mistakes

• She said me she was tired → She told me she was tired
• He said he will come → He said he would come