Reported Speech: Statements

Explanation

When you report what someone said, the verb usually moves one step back: present becomes past, past becomes past perfect, and will becomes would. Pronouns and time expressions also shift.

Examples

• "I am tired," she said. She said she was tired.
• "I will call you," he said. He said he would call me.
• "We finished yesterday," they said. They said they had finished the day before.

Common mistakes

• She said she is tired.

  She said she was tired.

  Present moves back to past.

• He said he will call.

  He said he would call.

  Will becomes would.

• They said they finished yesterday.

  They said they had finished the day before.

  Both tense and time expression shift.