Grammar Reference
Grammar Reference
In reported statements verbs generally move one tense back (into the past).
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| "I am hungry." | She told me (that) she was hungry. |
| "I can't go shopping." | She told me (that) she couldn't go shopping. |
| "We don't know." | They told me (that) they didn't know. |
| "The doctor will phone." | He told me (that) the doctor would phone. |
| "I saw her there." | He told me (that) he had seen her there. |
| "I've been to the shops." | She told me (that) she had been to the shops. |