Backshifting
Write the reported speech equivalent of each tense
Present Simple?
Past Simple?
Future Simple (will)?
Can ?
Present Continuous?
Past continous?
Present Perfect?
Answers:
Past simple
Past perfect
Would
Could
Can
Past progressive
Past perfect progressive
Past perfect
Convert the following time expression into reported speech:
now
today
yesterday
tomorrow
last week
next month
Answers:
then/at that time
that day
the day before
the next day/ the following day
the week before
the following month
Say
Convert: "I work remotely." → She __ that she worked remotely.
Convert: "You should arrive early." → He __ me that I should arrive early.
(Answer: said)
(Answer: told)
Convert: She said she was tired
I am tired
Convert: "I like pizza."
→ He said he liked pizza.
Which is false?
1. Present Simple becomes Past Perfect in reported speech.
2. "I saw" backshifts to "had seen" in reported speech.
3. Future Simple ("will") shifts to "would" in reported speech.
4. "I can swim" becomes "I could swim" in reported speech.
5. Past Continuous stays the same in reported speech.
Answer:
The first and last sentences are false
Spot the error in the following sentences and correct it:
Direct: "I saw her yesterday."
Reported: He said he had seen her yesterday.
Direct: "We will finish tomorrow."
Reported: They said they would finish tomorrow.
Direct: "She is working now."
Reported: He said she was working now.
Answers:
Error: ❌ yesterday → ✅ the day before
Error: ❌ tomorrow → ✅ the next day
Error: ❌ now → ✅ then/at that time
Rewrite the following sentences with a different set of reporting verbs, replace "said that" with a differnt verb:
"She said that the meeting was postponed." (clarification)
"He said that I should update my password." (suggestion)
"They said that the sidewalk was icy." (cautioning about danger).
Answers:
"She explained that the meeting was postponed."
"He advised that I should update my password."
"They warned that the sidewalk was icy."
He told me he had finished his homework
I finished my homework
Convert: We will visit Paris tomorrow.
→ They said they would visit Paris the next day.
Tense tornado: Shift the following sentences in 20 seconds or less.
"I write, I wrote, I will write, I can write, I am writing, I was writing, I have written, She said."
"She said she wrote, had written, would write, could write, was writing, had been writing, and had written."
Time expressions tornado: Shift the following sentences in 20 seconds or less.
"I need this now."
"We saw her yesterday."
"They will leave tomorrow."
"She finished the report last week."
"He starts his job next month.
He/She/They said that:
Answers:
He said he needed that then/at that time.
They said they had seen her the day before.
They said they would leave the next day.
She said she had finished the report the week before.
He said he would start his job the following month.
5. Technical Explanation
"The server crashes during peak traffic." → The engineer ___ that the server crashed during peak traffic.
6. Strong Advice
"You must renegotiate the contract." → They ___ that I must renegotiate the contract.
(Category: Statement → Answer: explained)
(Category: Command/Advice → Answer: advised)
Convert: They explained that they were working on the project then
We are working on the project now."
Find and correct the mistakes:
Direct speech (for your reference):
Sarah said, “I am meeting Tom tomorrow.”
James said, “I have finished the project today.”
Emma said, “I will call you next week.”
Sentences with errors:
Sarah said that she is meeting Tom tomorrow.
James said that he had finished the project today.
Emma said she will call me next week.
Answers:
Sarah said that she was meeting Tom the following day.
James said that he had finished the project that day.
Emma said she would call me the following week.
Apply backshifting to the following dialogue (2 min):
Alex: "I need help. I can't finish this alone. I was trying all morning."
Jamie: I will help you. What is the problem?"
Alex: "I lost my notes. I have been stuck for hours."
Alex said that..., Jamie replied that.., Alex added that..
Alex said that:
He needed help.
He couldn’t finish it alone.
He had been trying all morning.
Jamie replied that:
He would help him.
He asked what the problem was.
Alex added that:
He had lost his notes.
He had been stuck for hours.
Convert the following time expression in this dialogue:
Alex: "I can’t meet you today. Let’s talk tomorrow instead. I was busy all day yesterday."
Sam: "But we agreed last week to finalize the plans now! What changed?"
Alex: "My boss just told me this morning to prepare a report by tonight."
Alex said that:
He couldn’t meet them...
They should talk.......instead.
He had been busy all day ........
His boss had just told him.........to prepare a report.....
Sam replied:
They had agreed ....... to finalize the plans ....
He asked what have changed
Alex said that:
He couldn’t meet them that day.
They should talk the next day instead.
He had been busy all day the day before.
His boss had just told him that morning to prepare a report by that night.
Sam replied that:
They had agreed the week before to finalize the plans then.
He asked what had changed.
Yes/No Question
"Did you work at Google before?" → They ___ I had worked at Google before.
Rhetorical Question
"Why did management approve this?" → She ___ why management had approved that.
(Category: Question → Answer: asked if)
(Category: Question → Answer: wondered)
convert into direct speech:
He asked if I had already finished the report and whether I needed more time to complete it.
He asked, “Have you already finished the report? Do you need more time to complete it?”
Covert into reported and replace "say":
Jessica said, “I will meet you next Friday at 3 PM.” (A promise).
Expected answer:
Jessica promised that she would meet me the following Friday at 3 PM.
You are a detective interrogating a time traveler from the year 2200. Convert their futuristic direct speech into reported speech.
"I am from the year 2150. In my time, cars fly, robots teach in schools, and everyone wears holographic clothes. I came back to warn you about a great disaster. Scientists have discovered a black hole near Earth. I was chosen for this mission because I know how to stop it. My team will arrive soon to help."
The time traveler said that:
He was from the year 2150. (Past Simple)
In his time, cars flew, robots taught in schools, and everyone wore holographic clothes. (All Past Simple)
He had come back to warn us about a great disaster. (Past Perfect)
Scientists had discovered a black hole near Earth. (Past Perfect)
He had been chosen for the mission because he knew how to stop it. (Past Perfect + Past Simple)
His team would arrive soon to help. (Conditional)
Conver the following into reported speech:
"I’m finalizing the Delta project now.
We launched the beta version today,
though we discovered a major bug yesterday.
The CEO wants the fix tomorrow,
but my team shipped the last update last week.
We’ll migrate all users next month."
Perfect Answer:
The candidate said she was finalizing the Delta project then.
She explained they had launched the beta version that day,
though they had discovered a major bug the day before.
She added the CEO wanted the fix the next day,
but her team had shipped the last update the week before.
She concluded they would migrate all users the following month.
Complete with the appropiate reporting verb:
The journalist’s article revealed that the mayor __ (1) __ (neutral statement) he had no knowledge of the construction delays, but his assistant __ (2) __ (strong assertion) the contractors were to blame. A city planner __ (3) __ (technical clarification) the project had been underfunded for months, while protesters __ (4) __ (public demand) he would resign. When pressed, the mayor __ (5) __ (personal recommendation) his staff should investigate further, though reporters __ (6) __ (doubtful question) he was being honest. Later, his secretary __ (7) __ (private confession) the mayor had known about the issues, making everyone __ (8) __ (rhetorical question) they had trusted him at all.
Answer Key:
said that
claimed that
explained that
promised that
advised that
wondered why
told me that
asked if
David said he had lost his phone the previous evening.
He explained that he had left it on the bus when he was coming home.
His friend Sarah offered to help him call the bus company.
David claimed that he had already tried but got no answer.
Sarah advised that he check again the next day.
David promised that he would do that.
Later, he wondered if the phone had been stolen.
Sarah warned him to change his passwords just in case.
David Said, "........................"
Sara Said, "...................."
David said, “I have lost my phone.”
He explained, “I have left it on the bus when I am coming home.”
Sarah said, “I offer to help you call the bus company.”
David said, “I have already tried but get no answer.”
Sarah said, “Check again tomorrow.”
David said, “I will do that.”
Later, he said, “I wonder if the phone has been stolen.”
Sarah said, “Change your passwords just in case.”
Convert the following conversation:
Lisa said, “I am going to the beach this weekend.”
Mark said, “I have bought new hiking boots yesterday”
Lisa said, “I want to leave early Saturday morning.”
Mark said, “I can drive us there tomorrow.”
Lisa said, “Don’t forget to bring sunscreen on Saturday.”
Mark said, “I will pack a lunch for the trip.”
Lisa said, “I wonder if it will rain this afternoon.”
Mark said, “Check the weather forecast before we go.
Example answer for number 1:
Lisa said that she was going to the beach that weekend.
Solution:
Lisa said that she was going to the beach that weekend.
Mark said that he had bought new hiking boots the day before.
Lisa said that she wanted to leave early that Saturday morning.
Mark said that he could drive them there the following day.
Lisa said not to forget to bring sunscreen that Saturday.
Mark said that he would pack a lunch for the trip.
Lisa said that she wondered if it would rain that afternoon.
Mark said to check the weather forecast before they went.