The Sequence of English Tenses.

If the introductory verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported statement must be changed.

 

Simple

Continuous

Perfect Perfect Continuous

Past

 

 

He said

that…

Present write

am writing

have written have been writing Past   wrote  

was writing

had written   had been writing Future will write will be writing

will have written

will have been writing Future-in- the-Past  would write would be writing

would have written

would have been writing                

 

 

Study the forms of the verb – to write – in the reported speech.

 

 

Tense-form	Direct	Reported
Present Simple	write	wrote
Past Simple	wrote	had written
Future Simple	will write	would write
Present Progressive	is writing	was writing
Past Progressive	was writing	was writing/had been writing
Future Progressive	will be writing	would be writing
Present Perfect	have/has written	had written
Past Perfect	had written	had written
Future Perfect	will have written	would have written
Present Perfect Progressive	have been writing	had been writing
Past Perfect Progressive	had been writing	had been writing
Future Perfect Progressive	will have been writing	would have been writing

 

Additional Changes in Reported Speech

 

Additional changes	D irect s peech	R eported s peech
1. Pronouns and possessives change to the second or third person except – when the speaker is reporting his own words.	1.Kate said, “I like my new bicycle.”	1. Kate said she liked her new bicycle.
2. Modal verbs in the reported speech:   3. ought to, could, would, had better, used to V – aren’t changed.	can may will shall must	could might would should had to

Some more additional changes in reported speech. Certain words and time  expressions.

Direct speech

Reported speech

now теперь then, at that time тогда, в то время today сегодня that day в тот день tonight сегодня вечером that night в тот вечер yesterday вчера the day before, the previous day накануне tomorrow завтра the next day, the following day на следующий день the day after tomorrow послезавтра a day later день спустя in an hour через час an hour later час спустя this week на этой неделе that week на той неделе last week на прошлой неделе the week before неделю спустя next week на следующей неделе the following week на будущей неделе two days ago два дня назад two days before за два дня до этого here здесь there там come* приходить go* идти

 Study the samples

Direct speech	Reported speech
Present Simple Jack said, “ Sheknows the answer	Past Simple Jack said (that) sheknew the answer.
Past Simple Sue said, “ Theytold the truth.”	Past Perfect Sue said (that) theyhad told the truth.
Future Simple Greg said, “Dad will speak to you. ”	Future in- the- Past Greg said (that) dad would speak to me.
Present Continuous Anna said, “We are leaving today. ”	Past Continuous Anna said (that) theywere leaving that day.
Past Continuous I said: “I was thinking about it all day long.	Past Continuous/Past Perfect Continuous I said (that) I was / had been thinking about it all day long.
Future Continuous Alec said, “ I shall be reading for my exam all day long tomorrow. ”	Future Continuous in-the-Past Alec said (that) shewould be reading for her exam all day long the next day. ”
Present Perfect Bob said, “ I have read the story.”	Past Perfect Bob said (that) hehad read the story.
Past Perfect Matt said, “I had read this book by yesterday. ”	Past Perfect Matt said (that) hehad read this book by the day before. ”