backshift in reported speech

"Tense" is the grammatical form of the verb that in the reported clause we sometimes shift back (backshift). "Time" refers to the actual time that something happens, such as "today" or "now" …

Present tenses in the direct speech will become past tenses in the indirect speech. This change in tense is often called backshifting. Study the following sentences.

Backshift of Verb Tenses in Reported Speech. When we use reported speech, we often change the verb tense backwards in time. This can be called “backshift.” Here are some examples in different verb tenses:

Backshift in Reported Speech. In simple terms, the structure of reported speech is: reporting clause [+ conjunction] + reported clause. We sometimes change the tense of the reported …

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to …

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report. Compare direct speech

If you use Reported Speech there are mostly two main differences. The introductory sentence in Reported Speech can be in the Present or in the Past. If the introductory sentences is in the …

Backshifting in Reported Speech. Here are some examples of backshifting, with tenses going back from present to past: Reported Speech Tenses Change Chart. Below is a reported speech tense change chart with the rules for backshifting …