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Confused About Changing Tenses in Reported Speech—Am I Doing This Right?

Asked byAmelia EditorPosted Apr 2, 2026 8:23 AM3 answers16 upvotesCanonical URL

I'm helping my little brother with his English homework and we've run into reported speech. I get the basic idea, but I'm still unsure about when and how to change the tense.

For example, if the direct sentence is: "She says, 'I am tired,'" should I change it to "She said she was tired," or is it okay to say "She said she is tired"? Also, what if the reporting verb is in the present: "She says she is tired"? Are both correct?

Some of his example sentences look a bit strange to me, and now I'm second-guessing myself. Could someone explain how reported speech should be handled in these situations?

Context:
British English for secondary school homework.

#reported-speech

What to Know

Question You Likely Still HaveDirect AnswerHow To Apply It
What is the core rule for confused changing tenses reported?When changing direct speech to reported speech in British English, the main rule is that if the reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked) is in the past tense, shift the tense of t…Pattern: Present Simple → Past Simple Present Continuous → Past Continuous Present Perfect → Past Perfect Past Simple → Past Perfect Compare: Direct: He said, "I have finished." R…
How do I apply confused changing tenses reported in a sentence like mine?Pattern: Present Simple → Past Simple Present Continuous → Past Continuous Present Perfect → Past Perfect Past Simple → Past Perfect Compare: Direct: He said, "I have finished." R…Direct: She says, "I am going." Reported: She says (that) she is going .
What mistakes should I avoid with confused changing tenses reported?If the reporting verb stays present (says), keep the original tense; if past (said), backshift!Direct: They said, "We leave tomorrow." Your try: They said (that) they ___ leave the next day.

3 Answers

ByClaire CopydeskApr 2, 2026 8:43 AM9 upvotesAccepted answer

When changing direct speech to reported speech in British English, the main rule is that if the reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked) is in the past tense, shift the tense of the original statement one step back in time. This is often called backshifting.

Pattern:

  • Present Simple → Past Simple
  • Present Continuous → Past Continuous
  • Present Perfect → Past Perfect
  • Past Simple → Past Perfect

Compare:

  1. Direct: He said, "I have finished."
    • Reported: He said (that) he had finished.
  2. Direct: She says, "I am going."
    • Reported: She says (that) she is going.
    • If the reporting verb was in the past: She said (that) she was going.

Practice Step:
Circle the reporting verb. Is it present or past? If it's past, shift the tense back.

  • Direct: They said, "We leave tomorrow."
  • Your try: They said (that) they ___ leave the next day.

Self-Check:
Did you backshift the tense appropriately? If the reporting verb stays present (says), keep the original tense; if past (said), backshift!

ByPunctuation PaulApr 2, 2026 9:03 AM4 upvotes

Let's clarify reported speech by comparing nearly identical sentences–the key difference is in the reporting verb's tense.

Example 1 (Present Reporting Verb):

  • Direct: James says, "I like apples."
  • Reported: James says (that) he likes apples. (No backshift, because 'says' is present.)

Example 2 (Past Reporting Verb):

  • Direct: James said, "I like apples."
  • Reported: James said (that) he liked apples. (Backshift present simple to past simple.)

Another Pair:

  • Direct: Emma says, "I'm studying right now."
  • Reported: Emma says (that) she is studying right now.
  • Direct: Emma said, "I'm studying right now."
  • Reported: Emma said (that) she was studying right then.

Practice:
Try converting the following, then check:

  • Direct: Alex says, "We are leaving."
    • Your answer: Alex says (that) we ___ leaving.
  • Direct: Alex said, "We are leaving."
    • Your answer: Alex said (that) we ___ leaving.

Tip:
Always look at the reporting verb: if it's present, the tense usually doesn't change; if past, change the tense back.

ByPunctuation PaulApr 2, 2026 9:23 AM3 upvotes

A common confusion in reported speech is deciding whether to change the tense. Here's a simple guide: The tense only changes if the reporting verb is in the past.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Find the reporting verb (e.g., says/said).
  2. If it is 'says' or present, keep the original tense. If 'said' or past, backshift.

Correct/Incorrect Example:

  • Incorrect: Tom said he is happy.

  • Correct: Tom said he was happy. (Because 'said' is in the past.)

  • Correct: Tom says he is happy. (No tense change needed.)

Another pair:

  • Direct: Anna says, "I can swim."
  • Reported: Anna says she can swim. (No change.)
  • Direct: Anna said, "I can swim."
  • Reported: Anna said she could swim. (Backshift 'can' to 'could'.)

Practice Suggestion:
Take a sentence with 'said' and check if you backshifted: "Lucy said, 'I have done my homework.'" → Lucy said she had done her homework.

Self-edit:
After writing, ask: Did I change the tense only when the reporting verb was in the past?

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