Present Tenses
Past Tenses
Modal Verbs
Optional Backshifting
100

Mary: I am at home. (said)

Mary said she was at home.

100

Mary: I wasn't hungry. (said)

Mary said she hadn't been hungry.

100

Mary: I can drive a bus. (commented)

Mary commented she could drive a bus.

100

Mary: Our friends are very talkative. (admitted)

Mary admitted their friends are/were very talkative.

200

Mary: I don't like chocolate. (told)

Mary told me she didn't like chocolate.

200

Mary: I and my family lived in Canada. (told)

Mary told me they had lived in Canada.

200

Mary: May we come in?

Mary asked if they could come in.

200

Mary: I don't like rainy days. (said)

Mary said she doesn't/didn't like rainy days.

300

Mary: My sister isn't cleaning her own bedroom. (confessed)

Mary confessed her sister wasn't cleaning her own bedroom.

300

Mary: This song was playing the whole afternoon. (commented)

Mary commented that song had been playing the whole afternoon.

300

Mary: They must go now. (suggested)

Mary suggested they had to go then.

300

Mary: John is going to the beach. (told)

Mary told me John is/was going to the beach.

400

Mary: Josh has been to Miami last vacation. (said)

Mary said Josh had been to Miami the previous vacation.

400

Mary: You had done it! (told)

Mary told me I had done that.

400

Mary: It won't rain tomorrow. (said)

Mary said it wouldn't rain the next/following day.

400

Mary: What are you studying at school?

Mary asked what I am/was studying at school.

500

Mary: Have you ever eaten Japanese food?

Mary asked if I had ever eaten Japanese food.

500

Mary: What had John done?

Mary asked what John had done.

500

Mary: Would you and your sister like some coffee?

Mary asked if I and my sister would like some coffee.

500

Mary: Will you answer the door?

Mary asked if I will/would answer the door.