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English grammar

Reporting: when to shift the tense and when not to

B2 · Upper intermediate Verbs and time Questions 10

The rule

B1 teaches that a reported verb steps back one tense. B2 is the exceptions, which are more common than the rule in speech. You do NOT shift when the statement is still true (She said the shop opens at nine), when the reporting verb is present (He says he is coming), after if in a second conditional, or with could, would, should, might and ought to, which have nowhere further back to go. Place and time words shift too — here/there, today/that day, tomorrow/the next day — and questions lose their inversion completely.

Pattern

said (that) + one step back · no shift when still true / present reporting verb / already-past modals · questions lose inversion

Examples

  1. She said the shop opens at nine, so we went early.

  2. He asked why the invoice had not been paid.

  3. They told us they would let us know the next day.

  4. She said she might not be able to come.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: He asked where was the office.

    Right: He asked where the office was.

    A reported question takes statement word order.

  • Wrong: She said she might could come.

    Right: She said she might be able to come.

    Two modals cannot stack; use be able to.

  • Wrong: He said the earth went round the sun.

    Right: He said the earth goes round the sun.

    A permanent truth does not have to shift back.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. She asked whether the room was still available.
    2. She asked that the room was still available.
    3. She asked whether was the room still available.
    4. She asked whether the room is still available yesterday.
    Show answer

    Answer: A She asked whether the room was still available.

    Reported questions drop the inversion.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. He say he is coming on Thursday.
    2. He says he is coming on Thursday.
    3. He says that he came on Thursday.
    4. He says he was coming on Thursday.
    Show answer

    Answer: B He says he is coming on Thursday.

    A present reporting verb causes no shift.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. They told me they have already paid yesterday.
    2. They told to me they had already paid.
    3. They told me they had already paid.
    4. They said me they had already paid.
    Show answer

    Answer: C They told me they had already paid.

    tell takes a person; say does not.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    He asked me _____ I had seen the letter.

    1. what
    2. if
    3. that
    4. did
    Show answer

    Answer: B He asked me if I had seen the letter.

    A yes-or-no question is reported with if or whether.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    She said she _____ ring back the following morning.

    1. shall
    2. would
    3. will
    4. is going
    Show answer

    Answer: B She said she would ring back the following morning.

    will steps back to would.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    He told us the train _____ at platform four every day.

    1. leaves
    2. has left
    3. left yesterday
    4. was leave
    Show answer

    Answer: A He told us the train leaves at platform four every day.

    A timetable is still true, so no shift is needed.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    She wanted to know what _____ .

    1. has happening
    2. happened did
    3. did happen
    4. had happened
    Show answer

    Answer: D She wanted to know what had happened .

    A past event under a past report steps back.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    He warned us that the road _____ closed the next day.

    1. is being
    2. will be
    3. would be
    4. was be
    Show answer

    Answer: C He warned us that the road would be closed the next day.

    Future in the past is would.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. She asked me what time the meeting started.
    2. She asked me what time does the meeting start.
    3. She asked me when the meeting started.
    4. She asked what time the meeting was.
    Show answer

    Answer: B She asked me what time does the meeting start.

    A reported question cannot keep does.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. He told me that he was busy.
    2. He said to me that he was busy.
    3. He said that he was busy.
    4. He said me that he was busy.
    Show answer

    Answer: D He said me that he was busy.

    say does not take an indirect object without to.

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