Level 09 – Step 05 : Sequence of Tenses (He said that he would come. She thought she had finished.)
/Level 09 – Step 05 : Sequence of Tenses (He said that he would come. She thought she had finished.)
＜🚪 Let’s Begin＞
/＜🚪 Let’s Begin＞
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn about sequence of tenses — how we change verb tenses in reported speech and after verbs of thinking or saying.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn about sequence of tenses — how we change verb tenses in reported speech and after verbs of thinking or saying.
🐧Igupen: That sounds important.
/🐧Igupen: That sounds important.
Does it mean we change tenses when we tell what someone said before?
/Does it mean we change tenses when we tell what someone said before?
🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
/🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
When we report the past, some verbs move back in time.
/When we report the past, some verbs move back in time.
We will look at simple rules and easy examples.
/We will look at simple rules and easy examples.
🐧Igupen: I’m ready — let’s practice!
/🐧Igupen: I’m ready — let’s practice!
＜📚 Lesson ＞
/＜📚 Lesson ＞
What is sequence of tenses?
/What is sequence of tenses?
Sequence of tenses tells us how to change verb tenses when we report what someone said or thought, especially when the original speaking or thinking happened in the past.
/Sequence of tenses tells us how to change verb tenses when we report what someone said or thought, especially when the original speaking or thinking happened in the past.
If the reporting verb is in the past (said, thought, told), we often move the verb in the reported clause one step back in time.
/If the reporting verb is in the past (said, thought, told), we often move the verb in the reported clause one step back in time.
Simple rules (easy steps)
/Simple rules (easy steps)
1.
/1.
If the original (direct) speech is present simple, reported speech changes present simple → past simple.
/If the original (direct) speech is present simple, reported speech changes present simple → past simple.
Direct: He says, “I come.” → Reported: He said that he came.
/Direct: He says, “I come.” → Reported: He said that he came.
2.
/2.
If the original is present perfect, reported: present perfect → past perfect.
/If the original is present perfect, reported: present perfect → past perfect.
Direct: She said, “I have finished.” → Reported: She said that she had finished.
/Direct: She said, “I have finished.” → Reported: She said that she had finished.
3.
/3.
If the original is past simple, reported: past simple → past perfect (often).
/If the original is past simple, reported: past simple → past perfect (often).
Direct: He said, “I came.” → Reported: He said that he had come.
/Direct: He said, “I came.” → Reported: He said that he had come.
4.
/4.
For future (will), reported: will → would.
/For future (will), reported: will → would.
Direct: He said, “I will come.” → Reported: He said that he would come.
/Direct: He said, “I will come.” → Reported: He said that he would come.
5.
/5.
If the reported idea is still true now, we can sometimes keep the original tense, but for beginners it’s safest to follow the backshift rules above.
/If the reported idea is still true now, we can sometimes keep the original tense, but for beginners it’s safest to follow the backshift rules above.
Common examples
/Common examples
He said, “I will help.” → He said that he would help.
/He said, “I will help.” → He said that he would help.
She thought, “I finished the homework.” → She thought she had finished the homework.
/She thought, “I finished the homework.” → She thought she had finished the homework.
When not to backshift (short note)
/When not to backshift (short note)
If the reporting verb is in the present (says/thinks), do not backshift.
/If the reporting verb is in the present (says/thinks), do not backshift.
He says that he is tired.
/He says that he is tired.
If the fact is still true and you want to show it, you may keep the tense.
/If the fact is still true and you want to show it, you may keep the tense.
The teacher said that the Earth is round.
/The teacher said that the Earth is round.
#### 🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/#### 🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Look at the reporting verb first.
/Look at the reporting verb first.
If it is past (said, thought, told), move the verb in the reported clause one step back (present → past, past → past perfect, will → would).
/If it is past (said, thought, told), move the verb in the reported clause one step back (present → past, past → past perfect, will → would).
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Direct: “I am tired.” → He said he was tired.
/Direct: “I am tired.” → He said he was tired.
Direct: “I have seen it.” → She said she had seen it.
/Direct: “I have seen it.” → She said she had seen it.
Direct: “I will call you.” → He said he would call me.
/Direct: “I will call you.” → He said he would call me.
＜🌼 Sample Sentences＞
/＜🌼 Sample Sentences＞
No.01 He said that he would come.
/No.01 He said that he would come.
No.02 She thought she had finished.
/No.02 She thought she had finished.
No.03 The teacher said that the test was difficult.
/No.03 The teacher said that the test was difficult.
No.04 They told us that they had already eaten.
/No.04 They told us that they had already eaten.
No.05 Mom said she would buy a new book.
/No.05 Mom said she would buy a new book.
No.06 He said he was busy yesterday.
/No.06 He said he was busy yesterday.
No.07 She said that she had never seen that movie.
/No.07 She said that she had never seen that movie.
No.08 The coach said the team had trained hard.
/No.08 The coach said the team had trained hard.
No.09 He told me that he would call at six.
/No.09 He told me that he would call at six.
No.10 Anna said she believed the story was true.
/No.10 Anna said she believed the story was true.
＜🎓 Practice exercises ＞
/＜🎓 Practice exercises ＞
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Change to reported speech (use a past reporting verb): Direct: He said, “I will finish the work.”
/Q1: Change to reported speech (use a past reporting verb): Direct: He said, “I will finish the work.”
Q2: Change to reported speech: Direct: She said, “I have lost my keys.”
/Q2: Change to reported speech: Direct: She said, “I have lost my keys.”
Q3: Change to reported speech: Direct: Tom said, “I am hungry.”
/Q3: Change to reported speech: Direct: Tom said, “I am hungry.”
Q4: Change to reported speech: Direct: Maria said, “I saw the accident yesterday.”
/Q4: Change to reported speech: Direct: Maria said, “I saw the accident yesterday.”
Q5: Choose the correct reported form: Direct: “I can help,” he said. → He said that (a) he could help. (b) he can help.
/Q5: Choose the correct reported form: Direct: “I can help,” he said. → He said that (a) he could help. (b) he can help.
Q6: Fill in the blank: Direct: “They will arrive soon,” she said. → She said that they ____ arrive soon. (use would/will)
/Q6: Fill in the blank: Direct: “They will arrive soon,” she said. → She said that they ____ arrive soon. (use would/will)
Q7: Change to reported speech: Direct: “I may come,” she said. (Use past reporting verb; use ‘might’ as backshift)
/Q7: Change to reported speech: Direct: “I may come,” she said. (Use past reporting verb; use ‘might’ as backshift)
Q8: True or False: If the reporting verb is present (says), we must always backshift the tense.
/Q8: True or False: If the reporting verb is present (says), we must always backshift the tense.
Q9: Change to reported speech: Direct: He said, “I had finished my homework.”
/Q9: Change to reported speech: Direct: He said, “I had finished my homework.”
Q10: Fill in the blank with the correct past perfect: Direct: “I bought the tickets,” he said. → He said that he ____ bought the tickets. (use had/has)
/Q10: Fill in the blank with the correct past perfect: Direct: “I bought the tickets,” he said. → He said that he ____ bought the tickets. (use had/has)
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: He said that he would finish the work.
/A1: He said that he would finish the work.
A2: She said that she had lost her keys.
/A2: She said that she had lost her keys.
A3: Tom said that he was hungry.
/A3: Tom said that he was hungry.
A4: Maria said that she had seen the accident the day before.
/A4: Maria said that she had seen the accident the day before.
A5: (a) he could help. → He said that he could help.
/A5: (a) he could help. → He said that he could help.
A6: would → She said that they would arrive soon.
/A6: would → She said that they would arrive soon.
A7: She said that she might come.
/A7: She said that she might come.
A8: False → If the reporting verb is present, we usually do not backshift.
/A8: False → If the reporting verb is present, we usually do not backshift.
A9: He said that he had finished his homework.
/A9: He said that he had finished his homework.
A10: had → He said that he had bought the tickets.
/A10: had → He said that he had bought the tickets.
＜🦉 Closing ＞
/＜🦉 Closing ＞
🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done.
Remember to check the reporting verb first and move the tense back when that verb is in the past.
/Remember to check the reporting verb first and move the tense back when that verb is in the past.
🐧Igupen: So past reporting verb → move the reported tense one step back.
/🐧Igupen: So past reporting verb → move the reported tense one step back.
I’ll remember that!
/I’ll remember that!
🦉Professor Owl: Practice changing direct speech into reported speech a little every day.
/🦉Professor Owl: Practice changing direct speech into reported speech a little every day.
You will get faster and more confident — keep going!
/You will get faster and more confident — keep going!
