reported speech sequence of tenses

The mother said that she loved her baby.

The mother said she loved her baby.

(In this sentence "that" is optional)

John said that his daughter had graduated from college.

John said his daughter had graduated from college.

But……

John said his daughter graduated from college. (This doesn’t follow the sequence of tenses, but it’s a little mistake which most people won’t notice.

"Can we ride on the bike again?" the students asked.

The students asked if they could ride on the bike again.

The students asked whether they could ride on the bike again.

Remember to use if or whether when describing a question.

If you’re still confused, this video might help:

Now try this exercise.

This next video will help you with describing questions:

Click here for a quiz.

In the next lesson, you will learn about the future conditional

Next: Lesson 12

Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

• He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
• We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

• We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
• She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Reported Speech Exercises

Perfect english grammar.

Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site:

( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech )

Reported Statements:

• Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Past Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Perfect Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Future Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Statement Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• 'Say' and 'Tell' (quite easy) (in PDF here)

Reported Questions:

• Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)

Reported Orders and Requests:

• Reported Requests and Orders Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 1 (difficult) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 2 (difficult) (in PDF here)

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English Grammar

English Grammar Online is intended for the general reader who wishes to familiarize himself with the basic elements of English grammar and improve his English language skills.

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Sunday 2 February 2020

Sequence of tenses and reported speech: statements.

• I live in London. → He said (that) he lived in London.
• I am not feeling well. → Sam told me he wasn’t feeling well.
• It happened three days ago. → He told me it had happened three days before.
• I’ll telephone this evening. → Sam said he would telephone that evening.
• Present Tense becomes Past;
• Past Tense becomes Perfect;
• Future Tense becomes Future-in-the-Past.

• when the verb of the object clause expresses a universal truth or facts that hold true always:
• if there is an indication of the exact time of the action:
• with the modal verbs must , could , might , should , would and ought to, which have only one form. ‘Must’ can remain unchanged or be replaced by ‘ had to ’.
• when the verb in the actual words spoken is already Past Perfect:
• Go to the ' Grammar '
• Go to the Cases When the Rules of the Sequence of Tenses Are Optional page   
• When NOT to Use Sequence of Tenses Examples

Backshift (Sequence-of-Tense Rule in Grammar)

The glossary of grammatical and rhetorical terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In English grammar, backshift is the changing of a present tense to a past tense following a past form of a reporting verb . Also known as the sequence-of-tense rule .

Backshift (or backshifting ) may also occur when a verb in a subordinate clause is affected by the past tense in the main clause . Chalker and Weiner offer an example of backshift where logically the present tense would be used: "I didn't apply for the job, although I was female and had the right degree" ( Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar , 1994).

See Examples and Observations below. Also, see:

• Indirect Speech
• Sequence of Tenses (SOT)
• Tense Shift

Examples and Observations

• "Notice the contrast between has and had in this pair: i Kim has blue eyes. [original utterance: present tense] ii I told Stacy that Kim had blue eyes. [indirect report: preterite] If I say [i] to Stacy, I can use [ii] as an indirect report to tell you what I said to Stacy. . . . My utterance to Stacy contained the present tense form has , but my report of it contains preterite had . Nonetheless, my report is entirely accurate. This kind of change in tense is referred to as backshift . "The most obvious cases of backshift are with verbs of reporting that are in the preterite, like told or said . . . . "[B]ackshift also happens quite generally in constructions where one clause is embedded within a larger one containing a preterite verb: i Stacy didn't know that Kim had blue eyes. ii I wondered at the time whether they were genuine. iii I wish I knew if these paintings were genuine. All the [highlighted] verbs have backshifted tense." (Rodney D. Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Student's Introduction To English Grammar . Cambridge University Press, 2005)
• " Backshifting occurs not only with indirect speech, but also with reported feelings and thoughts expressed frequently with verbs such as know, think, realize, and forget . (19a) She knows that we are meeting tomorrow. (19b) She knew that we were meeting tomorrow. In (19a) the reporting verb ( knows ) is in the present tense, as is the verb in the reported clause ( are ). In (19b), when the reporting verb is past tense ( knew ), the verb in the reported clause is backshifted to past tense ( were ). Note that the time of the situation ('we are meeting') has not changed; it remains in the future." (Dee Ann Holisky, Notes on Grammar . Orchises Press, 1997)
• Exceptions to Backshifting - "In certain situations, the sequence of tense rules are relaxed and backshifting is not required. Essentially, backshifting is not required if a statement about the present or future still holds. . . . "A shift is not necessary if: - the original statement is a general truth. Torrecelli concluded that the atmosphere is/was a sea of air pressing down on the earth. - the speaker is reporting something that is still true. Fred said he drives/drove a 1956 Belchfire Special. - the speaker is reporting something still possible for the future: The forecast said we will/would be having lots of rain. - the speaker repeats something he or she just said. John: I like opera. Bill: What did you say? John: I said I like opera. " (Ron Cowan, The Teacher's Grammar of English: A Course Book and Reference Guide . Cambridge University Press, 2008) - " Backshift . . . is optional when what was said applies equally at the time of reporting: Benjamin said that he is/was coming over to watch television tonight . Such traditional shifts are not, however, used in certain types of relaxed, colloquial reporting and storytelling: Then he says he's coming and she says that he could come or not for all she cared ." (Tom McArthur, Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language . Oxford University Press, 2005)

Also Known As: backshifting, sequence-of-tense (SOT) rule, succession of tenses

• Sequence of Tenses in English Grammar
• Past Participles in English Grammar
• Preterit(e) Verbs
• Indirect Speech in the English Language
• How to Teach Reported Speech
• What Are Reporting Verbs in English Grammar?
• What Is Attribution in Writing?
• The Present Tense of Verbs in English Grammar
• Using Reported Speech: ESL Lesson Plan
• Spanish Verb Mandar Conjugation
• Spanish Verb Conseguir Conjugation
• Visual Explanations of Each English Tense
• Rewriting a Paragraph in Future Tense
• How to Conjugate the Italian Verb Offrire
• Spanish Verb Compartir Conjugation
• Spanish Verb Cambiar Conjugation

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Sequence of tenses: past simple + present perfect

I'm having a problem with reporting the following sentence in a simple-past context:

Person X: Since they arrived, he's been very happy.

The person X said that since they had arrived, he (???) very happy.

Thank you very much!

• reported-speech

• 1 I would say, "Person X said that since they had arrived, he had been very happy." Note, BTW, that "The person X" wouldn't be used. One might use "person X" to stand for "John", or refer to "the person outside the door." –  Scott - Слава Україні Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 18:46
• Thanks Scott! Thank you also for the comment on the definite article! –  learningalways Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 19:51
• I'm not sure I concur Scott. If it's the reporting that is supposed to be in simple past (i.e., using said ) I'd say: Person X said that since they arrived he's been very happy ' on the other hand if Person X's statement is supposed to be in simple past it'd have to be: ' Person X said that after they arrived he was very happy ' –  Jim Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 22:08

3 Answers 3

Here is our original sentence, in direct speech:

Person X: Since they arrived , he's been very happy.

To report that sentence, which was said in the past, in indirect speech, there are a few ways to change the tenses:

(a) Person X said that since they had arrived , he had been very happy. (b) Person X said that since they arrived , he was very happy. (c) Person X said that since they arrived , he has been very happy.

The typical tense changes after past reporting verb ( said in our sentence) are discussed in Practical English Usage by Michael Swan under 275.2. Here is the summary:

will → would simple present → simple past present progressive → past progressive present perfect → past perfect past → past perfect can → could may → might past perfect tenses do not change

So, if we applied these rules to our sentence, "past → past perfect" would change arrived into had arrived , and "present perfect → past perfect" would change he's been into he had been (or he'd been ). This is how we get sentence (a).

(a) Person X said that since they had arrived , he had been very happy.

However, as Swan noted in 278.1 indirect speech (5): advanced points: reporting past tenses ,

However, past perfect tenses are not always used, especially if the time relationships are clear without a change from past to past perfect.      This man on TV said that dinosaurs were around for 250 million years.     (NOT *... that dinosaurs had been around ...)      I told you John (had) phoned this morning, didn't I?      We were glad to hear you (had) enjoyed your trip to Denmark.

Because in your sentence it is clear that the arrival was the reason of his being happy, thus the backshift from arrived to had arrived is optional . And since we chose not to backshift the since-clause, we must change the tense in the main clause to match it. This is how we get sentence (b).

(b) Person X said that since they arrived , he was very happy.

Note that, though the sentence is possible, the usage of the tenses is a little different from the original.

Here is another possibility, which reports what person X said more faithfully. If that person X said the sentence recently, and we can safely assume that what X said is still true, then the backshift is entirely optional. This is how we get sentence (c).

(c) Person X said that since they arrived , he has been very happy.

With reported speech , both the simple past and the present perfect tenses usually both shift to the past perfect, provided that there is no relevance to the present.

That would suggest:

Person X: Since they arrived, he's been very happy. Person X said that since they'd arrived, he'd been very happy.

With that said, this source , however, notes:

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true.

While the statement is not in the present tense, it could potentially still be true/applicable.

So, in other words, if the person whom Person X is speaking about is, in fact, still happy and the situation is unchanged, then you don't need to shift the tense backward.

For example:

Person X : My neighbor was very happy after the new tenants initially moved in ; that is , of course until they began stealing his mail. Per Person X, since the new tenants had moved in , his neighbor had initially been very happy; that was , however, he said, before they'd begun stealing his neighbor's mail.

Side note : If this is something that you've written yourself (as opposed to an example you're directly quoting from a grammar book), I think that the entire sentence (i.e. the direct speech) should be in the present perfect.

Person X: Since the couple has arrived, the gentleman has been very happy. Person X said that since the couple had arrived, the gentleman had been very happy. ( or, if this is still applicable According to Person X, the gentleman has been very happy since the couple has arrived .)

• -1 for your suggestion about the putting the entire sentence in the present perfect, which I find ungrammatical. –  Peter Shor Commented Jan 11, 2014 at 1:49
• I don't think it's entirely incorrect, but "Since the couple arrived, the gentleman has been very happy" sounds better to me. –  BobRodes Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 15:15

It's quite simple actually once you use the rules for reported speech. Since you are using the simple past context, every tense must shift to its respective past form.

So, the simple past tense should become the past perfect tense and the present perfect tense should become the past perfect tense.

Your answer should be:

The person X said that since they had arrived, he had been very happy.

There are no two ways about this one; this is the only way to do it.

• Yes and no. Consider this: "The person said that since they had arrived on time, he was very happy. If they hadn't arrived on time, he wouldn't have been very happy at all." Now, I know that I'm using an alternate meaning of the word since, but the meaning does exist. –  BobRodes Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 15:11
• Yes, and I was quite aware of that interpretation when I wrote this answer. However, I guessed the questioner wanted a structural answer keeping the words with their meanings intact. –  Neil D'Silva Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 15:15
• @NeilD'Silva I agree with you about that—if you change it to "was", you're no longer reporting what they said faithfully. However, I disagree about a different point: most grammar books (such as Quirk et al. 1985) say that backshift is optional if the reported speech is still valid in the present. Quirk et al. go on to talk specifically about this case. (The following comment is from page 1028.) –  user230 Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 20:52
• 'If the indirect speech itself contains a subordinate clause, then the verb of that subordinate clause may be in the present tense because of current validity even though both the main verb of the sentence and the superordinate verb are in the past: (1) "They reminded us that they had frequently denied that the drug has any therapeutic value." (2) "She thought she had told me that breakfast is served between seven and ten."' –  user230 Commented Mar 14, 2014 at 20:52
• @snailplane I understand the point being made. In practical life (and speech), we need to be open to all options. Hence, the extract from Quirk is extremely relevant in a real-life scenario. However, the asker presumably needs a response for a grammar exercise question (as is evident from the tone of their question) and hence we should decide which response we must write. Quirk's examples are applicable in a narrow scenario; so, shouldn't we abide by the more encompassing rules? –  Neil D'Silva Commented Mar 15, 2014 at 4:14

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• English Grammar
• English Tenses
• Sequence Of Tenses

Sequence of Tenses - A Complete Guide with Rules and Examples

Have you come across sentences with multiple verbs ? Does every verb in the sentence have the same tense ? Is there a particular sequence in which the tenses are to be used with multiple verbs in the sentence? This article will answer these questions and also any other questions you might have based on the sequence of tenses. Go through the different rules to learn how they work and also check out the examples given to understand clearly. Furthermore, you can also try out the practice exercise given in the article to test your understanding of the same.

Table of Contents

The sequence of tenses – what does it mean, rule 1: past follows past, rule 2: any tense after present or future tense, rule 3: present follows future.

• Rule 4: Use of Past Tense in Subordinate Clauses

Rule 5: Use of Modal Verbs When the Conjunction ‘That’ Is Used

Check your understanding of the sequence of tenses, frequently asked questions on sequence of tenses.

When translated literally, the sequence of tenses can be said to refer to a particular sequence in which multiple tenses will have to appear in a sentence. In other words, it can be said that in a sentence having two clauses , deciding the tense of the subordinate clause is solely dependent on the tense of the main clause .

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the term ‘sequence of tenses’ refers to “the rules according to which the tense of a subordinate clause depends on the tense of the main clause, so that, for example, ‘I think that you are wrong’ becomes ‘I thought that you were wrong’ in the past tense .” The Collins Dictionary defines the term as “the sequence according to which the tense of a subordinate verb in a sentence is determined by the tense of the principal verb, as in I believe he is lying, I believed he was lying, etc.”, and according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the sequence of tenses is “an arrangement of the tenses of successive verbs in a sentence designed to express a coherent relationship, especially between main and subordinate parts”.

Rules Regarding Sequence of Tenses with Examples

Learning and understanding the rules to be followed when using multiple verbs in a sentence is the only way to comprehend how a particular sequence of tenses works. Looking at some examples and associating them with the rules is how you can master them. Given below are the rules to be followed when using multiple tenses. Go through them and apply them in sentences of your own.

If you have a verb conjugated in the past tense in the main clause or the principal clause, then make sure you conjugate the verb in the subordinate clause also in the past tense. This rule can be further broken down based on the form of past tense that appears in the principal clause.

Exceptions to Rule 1

There are two exceptions to Rule 1. Check them out.

Exception 1 – Present Follows Past

In some cases, such as one in which the subordinate clause is a general fact, a routine action or a universal truth, the tense has to be present even if the principal clause has a past tense form of the verb.

For example:

• The teacher taught us today that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
• Devi told me that she goes by bus every day.

Exception 2 – Any Tense in the Subordinate Clause

When a comparison is being made using ‘than’, note that there is no particular rule as to which tense should be used. Take a look at the following examples.

• I would go shopping with you rather than sitting at home all day doing nothing.
• I will surely miss you more than I ever missed anyone else.

If the principal clause has a verb in the present tense or the future tense , the verb in the subordinate clause can take any tense. The tense of the subordinate clause is decided based on the type of information that is being conveyed.

• He says he saw Krishna.
• My mom will definitely be happy if you come home.
• She thinks that the food here is good.
• Karthik will surely feel that we are hiding something from him.
• They are feeling that it was not their fault.

When using subordinating conjunctions like ‘when’, ‘as soon as’, ‘after’, ‘immediately after’, ‘once’, etc., to form complex sentences and ‘if/unless’ to form conditional sentences, the subordinate clause will not take the future tense when the verb in the principal clause is in the future tense. It is conjugated using the present tense instead. Check out the following examples to understand.

• I will teach you after I finish learning.
• Aruna will help her mom with the household chores as soon as she completes her assignments.
• If you do not work hard now , you will fail terribly.
• I will let my dad know that you called when he is back home.
• The team will be here immediately after they receive your signal.

Ruel 4: Use of Past Tense in Subordinate Clauses

When phrases like ‘as if’, ‘it is time / it is high time’, ‘what if’, ‘wish that’, etc. are used, make sure you use the past tense form of the verb.

• I wish I knew you earlier.
• She acted as if none of this affected her.
• It is high time you consulted a doctor.
• What if you had been given another chance?
• It is time he realised what his habit of smoking was doing to him.

In case a subordinate clause is started off with the conjunction ‘that’ or ‘so that’, you will have to use the modal verb ‘may’ if the verb in the principal clause is in the present tense and ‘might’ if it is in the past tense.

• We work hard so that we may prosper.
• They worked hard so that they might not perish.

Go through the following sentences and fill in the blanks with the right form of the verb given in brackets with reference to the sequence of tenses.

1. I wish you _______ here with me today. (to be)

2. We missed the train since we _______ home late. (leave)

3. Priya says that she _______ the guy properly. (see – negative)

4. I wish my brother _______ what he was sacrificing to get what he wanted. (understand)

5. They did not know why Pranav _______ that way. (behave)

6. He _______ to go home only after he finishes all that has been assigned to him. (allow)

7. My parents acted as if they _______ anything about the accident. (know – negative)

8. Unless you _______ what you feel (express), nobody _______ what is really going on with you. (know)

9. The teacher taught us that the Sun _______ in the East. (rise)

10. Her mom thinks that it _______ a good idea. (to be)

Now, check your answers and see how far you have understood how the sequence of tenses works.

1. I wish you were here with me today.

2. We missed the train since we left home late.

3. Priya says that she did not see the guy properly.

4. I wish my brother understood what he was sacrificing to get what he wanted.

5. They did not know why Pranav behaved that way.

6. He will be allowed to go home only after he finishes all that has been assigned to him.

7. My parents acted as if they did not know anything about the accident.

8. Unless you express what you feel, nobody will know what is really going on with you.

9. The teacher taught us that the Sun rises in the East.

10. Her mom thinks that it is a good idea.

What do you mean by the sequence of tenses?

When there is more than one clause in a sentence, the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause is completely dependent on the tense of the verb in the principal clause. The pattern in which the verbs behave and should be used is referred to as the sequence of tenses.

What is the definition of sequence of tenses?

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the term ‘sequence of tenses’ refers to “the rules according to which the tense of a subordinate clause depends on the tense of a main clause, so that, for example, ‘I think that you are wrong’ becomes ‘I thought that you were wrong’ in the past tense.” The Collins Dictionary defines the term as “the sequence according to which the tense of a subordinate verb in a sentence is determined by the tense of the principal verb, as in I believe he is lying, I believed he was lying, etc.”

What is the sequence of tense if the principal clause has a verb in the past tense?

A complex sentence in which the verb in the principal clause is in the past tense should have the verb in the subordinate clause also in the past tense. This rule does not apply only when the subordinate clause is a general truth or a daily habit, in which case, the subordinate clause will have a verb in the present tense.

Give some examples of sequence of tenses.

• The teacher wanted to know if the students had completed writing the answers.

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What Does the Sequence of Tenses Mean? Tenses are verbs that describe the timing of an event, action, or condition. When a passage contains more than one verb in it, the relationship between the tenses of the verbs is known as the sequence of tenses. Different types of sequences are available. When all the verbs in a sentence show actions or states that occur at or generally about the same time, their tenses should be the same: Whenever the alarm clock rings, I run, stretch, and roll over for another five minutes of last sleep. (all present tense). She opened her arms to the audience, smiled, and bowed deeply. (all past tense). On the other hand, a sentence may describe actions that occur at different times. It will then have verbs in different tenses: Kim had been practicing on the simulator for almost three years before she made it to the actual car race. (past perfect and past). Recently, the largest bank in the area lowered its interest rate on loans; the directors want to stimulate borrowing. (past and present). Rules for Sequence of Tenses The sequence of the tenses must be kept in mind. This is a rule that states that the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause, follows the tense of the verb in the main clause according to the rules below. There are Two Major Rules: If there is a use of  Past Tense in the Principal Clause, it must be followed by a Past Tense in the Subordinate Clause. Principal Clause Subordinate Clause I knew That he wanted to say something. Shrey succeeded  Because he worked hard. I would do this If I were permitted.  The patient had escaped Before the doctor came. A Present or Future Tense in the Principal Clause might be followed by any tense required by the sense to convey in the Subordinate Clause. Principal Clause Subordinate Clause I think That the food is good. You know That she sings like a nightingale. He will know That she is beautiful. He will think That we did not invite him. Some Other Rules The Following Are the Other Rules That Also Need to Be Kept in Mind.  (Exception to Rule 1) : (Exception to Rule 1): -  A Past Tense in the Principal Clause might be followed by a Present tense in the Subordinate Clause when the Subordinate clause expresses some daily habit of a universal fact in a sentence. The teacher taught us that the sun rises from the east. The king said that all humans are mortal. He learned from his failure that pride has a fall. When the Subordinate Clause is introduced by a Conjunction of comparison, e.g. then, Rule 1 does not apply here as any tense can be followed by any tense. Principal Clause Subordinate Clause She likes you better Then she liked him. She liked you better  Then she liked him. She will like you better Then she has liked him. If the comparison is displayed by ‘as well as’ instead of ‘then’, the same rule holds intact. Any tense may be followed by any tense, according to the context intended by the speaker. If the Verb in the Principal Clause is used with the past tense, the Verb in the Subordinate Clause must be expressed by ' might'  (Past Tense). He worked hard that he might win the tournament. He was working hard that he might win the tournament. He had worked hard that he might win the tournament. He had been working hard that he might win the tournament. When phrases like as if, with that, what if, it is time are used, the sentences are always in the past tense. I wish I could eat another pizza. They stared at me as if I were crazy. Important Note Before attempting to write the answers to the question, it is recommended that you read the passage without trying to insert any words, to get a sense of the time involved. This applies to whether the time is in the present, past, or future. You'd occasionally come across a clue in the passage that would help you figure out the sentence's tense. For eg:  Rahul (play)__________________ here for a long time now. Shreya (spoke)_____________about this for a long time now. You'll notice that the word 'now' indicates that the timing is in the present tense in both statements, whereas the word 'long time' suggests that the timing is in the continuous tense. As a result, we can observe that the 'playing' and 'speaking' began earlier and is still going on now, as indicated by "now."  This indicates that the phrase is in the present perfect tense, and the correct verb form is "has been playing" or "has been speaking." As a result, you should look out for cues that will help you sense the timing and write your answer in the correct tense. Quite often, there will be more than one correct answer, as long as the tension sequence is maintained. Solved Example I found that my dog…………………… sick. The robber confessed that he …………………………. (rob) the bank. He was so shocked that he ……………………….. scarcely stand. He said that I …………………………… a good student. No one could understand how the prisoner ………………………….. (escape) from the prison. Italy declared war that she ……………………….. (extend) her empire. The essay is so difficult that I ……………………… not comprehend it. His health ________ (improve) since he left the city. might extend Has improved FAQs on Sequence of Tenses 1. What is the sequence of tenses? The Sequence of Tenses is used to determine the order of events in a sentence. In English, there are three tenses: past, present and future. The sequence of tenses refers to the order in which these tenses appear. 2. Correct the following sentences: Riya will decide to drink bottled water after she tasted the tap water here. When Selena retired, she starts belly-dancing lessons. When Sharon was in college, she wins her first orchid contest. As it was a holiday, we do not receive mail yesterday. He was one of the few people who wants to keep working on the project.  Nancy said that before coming home, she went to the supermarket. After Sally chose the kitten, she takes it home in a doll’s baby buggy. Selena never feels satisfied with what she does and wanted a better life for herself. Riya will decide to drink bottled water after she tastes the tap water here. When Selena retired, she started belly-dancing lessons. When Sharon was in college, she won her first orchid contest. As it was a holiday, we did not receive mail yesterday. He is one of the few people who want to keep working on the project. Nancy said that before coming home, she had gone to the supermarket. After Sally selected the kitten, she took it home in a doll’s baby buggy. Selena never feels satisfied with what she does and wants a better life for herself. edited by Meagan Ayer  Sequence of Tenses 482. The tenses of the subjunctive in dependent clauses follow special rules for the Sequence of Tenses. With reference to these rules all tenses when used in independent clauses are divided into two classes— Primary and Secondary. PRIMARY: The Primary Tenses include all forms that express present or future time. These are the present, future, and future perfect indicative, the present and perfect subjunctive, and the Present and Future Imperative. SECONDARY: The Secondary Tenses include all forms that refer to past time. These are the imperfect, perfect, and pluperfect indicative, the imperfect and pluperfect subjunctive, and the Historical Infinitive. Note— To these may be added certain forms less commonly used in independent clauses: Primary: Present Infinitive in Exclamations. Secondary: Perfect Infinitive in Exclamations (see § 462 , § 485. a, Note ). The Perfect Definite is sometimes treated as primary (see § 485. a ). For the Historical Present, see § 485. e ; for the Imperfect Subjunctive in Apodosis, see § 485. h . 483. The following is the general rule for the Sequence of Tenses. 1 In complex sentences a primary tense in the main clause is followed by the present or perfect in the dependent clause, and a secondary tense by the imperfect or pluperfect. PRIMARY TENSES I ask, am asking what you are doing what you did, were doing, have done, have been doing what you will do I shall ask [sometimes] I have asked I shall have asked he writes to warn us he will write ( ) write to warn us he writes as if he had forgotten SECONDARY TENSES I asked, was asking what you were doing what you had done, had been doing what you would do I asked, have asked I had asked he wrote to warn us he wrote as if he had forgotten 484. In applying the rule for the Sequence of Tenses, observe— Whether the main verb is (a) primary or (b) secondary. Whether the dependent verb is to denote completed action (i.e. past with reference to the main verb) or incomplete action (i.e. present or future with reference to the main verb). a. If the leading verb is primary , the dependent verb must be in the present if it denotes incomplete action , in the perfect if it denotes completed action. b. If the leading verb is secondary , the dependent verb must be in the imperfect if it denotes incomplete action , in the pluperfect if it denotes completed action . I ask [primary] what you were doing [now past]. Rogō quid fēceris. I asked [secondary] what you were doing. [incomplete] Rogāvī quid facerēs c. Notice that the future perfect denotes action completed (at the time referred to), and hence is represented in the subjunctive by the perfect or pluperfect. He shows that if they come (shall have come), many will perish. Dēmōnstrat, sī vēnerint, multōs interitūrōs. He showed that if they should come (should have come), many would perish. Dēmōnstrāvit, sī vēnissent, multōs interitūrōs. 485. In the Sequence of Tenses the following special points are to be noted. a. The perfect indicative is ordinarily a secondary tense, but allows the primary sequence when the present time is clearly in the writer's mind. Ut satis esset praesidī prōvīsum est.  (Cat. 2.26) Provision has been made that there should be ample guard. [secondary sequence] Addūxī hominem in quō satisfacere exterīs nātiōnibus possētis. (Verr. 1.2) I have brought a man in whose person you can make satisfaction to foreign nations. [secondary sequence] Est enim rēs iam in eum locum adducta, ut quamquam multum intersit inter eōrum causās quī dīmicant, tamen inter victōriās nōn multum interfutūrum putem. (Fam. 5.21.3) For affairs have been brought to such a pass that, though there is a great difference between the causes of those who are fighting, still I do not think there will be much difference between their victories. [primary sequence] Ea adhibita doctrīna est quae vel vitiōsissimam nātūram excolere possit. (Q. Fr. 1.1.7) Such instruction has been given as can train even the faultiest nature. [primary sequence] Note— The perfect infinitive in exclamations follows the same rule. Quemquamne fuisse tam scelerātum quī hōc fingeret.  (Phil. 14.14) Was any one so abandoned as to imagine this? [secondary] Adeōn rem redīsse patrem ut extimēscam (Ter. Ph. 153) To think that things have come to such a pass that I should dread my father! [primary] b. After a primary tense the Perfect Subjunctive is regularly used to denote any past action. Thus the Perfect Subjunctive may represent: Nōn dubitō quīn omnēs tuī scrīpserint. (Fam. 5.8) I do not doubt that all your friends have written. [direct statement: scrīpsērunt ] Quā rē nōn īgnōrō quid accidat in ultimīs terrīs, cum audierimin Ītaliā querellās cīvium. (Q. Fr. 1.1.33) Therefore I know well what happens at the ends of the earth, when I have heard in Italy the complaints of citizens. [direct statement: audīvī ] Mē autem hīc laudat quod rettulerim, nōn quod patefēcerim. (Att. 12.21) Me he praises because I brought the matter [before the senate], not because I brought it to light. [direct statement: rettulit ] sī forte cecidērunt, tum intellegitur quam fuerint inopēs amīcōrum. (Lael. 53) If by chance they fall, (have fallen) then one can see how poor they were in friends. [direct question: quam inopēs erant? ] Quī status rērum fuerit cum hās litterās dedī, scīre poteris ex C. Titiō Strabōne. (Fam. 12.6) What the condition of affairs was when I wrote this letter, you can learn from Strabo. [direct question: quī status erat? ] Quam cīvitātī cārus fuerit maerōre fūneris indicātum est. (Lael. 11) How dear he was to the state has been shown by the grief at his funeral. [direct question: quam cārus erat? ] Ex epistulīs intellegī licet quam frequēns fueritPlatōnis audītor. (Or. 15) It may be understood from his letters how constant a hearer he was of Plato. [direct question: quam frequēns erat? ] Note— Thus the perfect subjunctive may represent, not only a Perfect Definite or an Historical Perfect of a direct statement or question, but an imperfect as well. This comes from the want of any special tense of the subjunctive for continued past action after a primary tense. Thus, mīror quid fēcerit may mean (1) I wonder what he has done , (2) I wonder what he did (hist. perf.), or (3) I wonder what he was doing. c. In clauses of Result, the Perfect Subjunctive is regularly (the Present rarely) used after secondary tenses. Hortēnsius ārdēbat dīcendī cupiditāte sīc ut in nūllō umquam flagrantius studium vīderim. (Brut. 302) Hortensius was so hot with desire of speaking that I have never seen a more burning ardor in any man. [ Siciliam Verrēs ] per triennium ita vexāvit ac perdidit ut ea restituī in antīquum statum nūllō modō possit. (Verr. 1.12) For three years Verres so racked and ruined Sicily that she can in no way be restored to her former state. [Here the present describes a state of things actually existing.] Videor esse cōnsecūtus ut nōn possit Dolābella in Ītaliam pervenīre. (Fam. 12.14.2) I seem to have brought it about that Dolabella cannot come into Italy. Note 1— This construction emphasizes the result; the regular sequence of tenses would subordinate it. Note 2— There is a special fondness for the perfect subjunctive to represent a perfect indicative. Thorius erat ita nōn superstitiōsus ut illa plūrima in suā et sacrificia et fāna contemneret; ita nōn timidus ad mortem ut in aciē sit ob rem pūblicam interfectus (Fin. 2.63) Thorius was so little superstitious that he despised [ contemnēbat ] the many sacrifices and shrines in his country; so little timorous about death that he was killed [ interfectus est ] in battle, in defence of the state. d. A general truth after a past tense follows the sequence of tenses. Ex hīs quae tribuisset, sibi quam mūtābilis esset reputābat. (Q. C. 3.8.20) from what she (Fortune) had bestowed on him, he reflected how inconstant she is. [direct: mūtābilis est ] Ibi quantam vim ad stimulandōs animōs īra habēret appāruit. (Liv. 33.37) Here it appeared what power anger has to goad the mind. [direct: habet ] Note— In English the original tense is more commonly kept. e. The Historical Present ( § 469 ) is sometimes felt as a primary , sometimes as a secondary tense, and accordingly it takes either the primary or the secondary sequence. Rogat ut cūret quod dīxisset. (Quinct. 18) He asks him to attend to the thing he had spoken of. [Both primary and secondary sequence.] Note— After the historical present, the subjunctive with cum temporal must follow the secondary sequence. Quō cum vēnisset cōgnōscit. (B. C. 1.34) When he had come there he learns. Cum esset pūgnātum hōrīs quīnque, nostrīque gravius premerentur impetum in cohortīs faciunt. (id. 1.46) When they had fought for five hours, and our men were pretty hard pressed, they make an attack on the cohorts. f. The historical infinitive regularly takes the secondary sequence. Interim cotīdiē Caesar Haeduōs frūmentum, quod essent pollicitī flāgitāre. (B. G. 1.16) Meanwhile Cæsar demanded of the Hœdui every day the grain which they had promised. g. The imperfect and pluperfect in conditions contrary to fact ( § 517 ) and in the Deliberative Subjunctive ( § 444 ) are not affected by the sequence of tenses. quia tāle sit, ut vel sī īgnōrārent id hominēs vel sī obmutuissent  (Fin. 2.49) because it is such that even if men WERE ignorant of it, or HAD BEEN silent about it Quaerō ā tē cūr C. Cornēlium nōn dēfenderem?  (Vat. 5) I ask you why I was not to defend Caius Cornelius? [direct: cūr nōn dēfenderem? ] h. The imperfect subjunctive in present conditions contrary to fact ( § 517 ) is regularly followed by the secondary sequence. Sī aliī cōnsulēs essent, ad tē potissimum, Paule, mitterem, ut eōs mihi quam amīcissimōs redderēs. (Fam. 15.13.3) If there were other consuls, I should send to you, Paulus, in preference to all, that you might make them as friendly to me as possible. Sī sōlōs eōs dīcerēs miserōs quibus moriendum esset, nēminem exciperēs. (Tusc. 1.9) If you were to call only those  who must die  wretched, you would except no one. i. The present is sometimes followed by a secondary sequence, seemingly because the writer is thinking of past time. Sed sī rēs cōget, est quiddam tertium, quod neque Seliciō nec mihi displicē bat: ut neque iacēre rem paterēmur , etc. (Fam. 1.5 A.3) But if the case shall demand, there is a third [course] which neither Selicius nor myself disapproved, that we should not allow, etc. [Here Cicero is led by the time of displicēbat ] Sed tamen ut scīrēs, haec tibi scrībō. (Fam. 13.47) But yet that you may know, I write thus. [As if he had used the epistolary imperfect scrībēbam ( § 479 )] Cûius praeceptī tanta vīs est ut ea nōn hominī cuipiam sed Delphicō deō tribuerētur. (Legg. 1.58) Such is the force of this precept, that it was ascribed not to any man, but to the Delphic god. [The precept was an old one.] j. When a clause depends upon one already dependent, its sequence may be secondary if the verb of that clause expresses past time, even if the main verb is in a primary tense. Sed tamen quā rē acciderit ut ex meīs superiōribus litterīs id suspicārēre nesciō. (Fam. 2.16) But yet how it happened that you suspected this from my previous letter, I don't know. Prōfēcisse vidēmur ut ā Graecīs nē verbōrum quidem cōpiā vincerēmur. (N. D. 1.8) We seem to have advanced so far that even in abundance of words we ARE not surpassed by the Greeks. Note— So regularly after a perfect infinitive which depends on a primary tense ( § 585. a ). Suggested Citation 193 IMAGES Learn English: Reported Speech Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech in English English Grammar: Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech: Statements ESL Teachers: REPORTED SPEECH Tense Changes When Using Reported Speech in English VIDEO Reported speech (past tenses) English Grammar Reported speech (future tenses) Английская грамматика от Максимыча. Урок 4. Согласование времен Голицынский упр.397 Future Tenses in Reported Speech: Shaping Tomorrow's Conversation COMMENTS Reported speech and sequence of tenses Reported speech and sequence of tenses. Grammatically speaking, reported or indirect speech means one person is communicating another's ideas, but not the exact words — in short, paraphrasing. The concept is important in journalism because, well, journalists report a lot of speech. Often we do it in direct quotes: Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses Reported speech tenses will change from that of the direct speech in most cases. This is known as backshifting in reported speech, with the basic rule that a tense is shifted back to its past tense form. This is because we are usually talking about something in the past. You can also watch a video of this lesson: Reported Speech Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream. Reported Speech and the Sequence of Tenses We need to transform pronouns, verb tenses (using something called the sequence of tenses), and place and time words. Say/Ask Verb in the Present or Future. When the say/ask verb is in the present or future, the reported speech does not change. Note: For statements, we insert "that" after the say verb in the reported speech. The Sequence of Tenses in Reported Speech A Deep-Seated Rule. The rule about the sequence of tenses in English grammar is one of those rules of syntax that is so deeply embedded that rarely is it even taught—it's just something that every native speaker knows. The rule is this: in a supbordinate clause (such as with reported speech), the tense of the verb of the subordinate clause ... O11 Reported Speech Indirect Speech: Tom said that the meat smelled bad. Notice that the spoken words are in quotation marks: "This meat smells bad." The verb "smells" is in the present tense. It changes to "smelled" — the past tense. The chart below shows the sequence of tenses and how verbs change when using indirect speech: Tense changes in reported speech In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command. Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired. Phrase in Direct Speech. Equivalent in Reported Speech. The Sequence of Tenses An English teacher demonstrates how to change direct speech to indirect speech using the sequence of tenses. This is also useful when creating conditional se... Reported Speech Exercises Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site: (Click here to read the explanations about reported speech) Reported Statements: Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Past Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in ... Sequence of Tenses in Reported Speech Sentences with reported speech are complex sentences with object subordinate clauses, and the rules of the sequence of tenses govern them in the same way as in other sentences of this type. (Object clauses are described in Sequence of Tenses in the section Grammar.) Косвенная речь значит, что чьи-то слова ... Sequence of tenses The sequence of tenses (known in Latin as consecutio temporum, and also known as agreement of tenses, succession of tenses and tense harmony) is a set of grammatical rules of a particular language, governing the agreement between the tenses of verbs in related clauses or sentences.. A typical context in which rules of sequence of tenses apply is that of indirect speech. Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech: Statements Observe and remember indirect speech and sequence of tenses: reported statements. Key examples: I live in London. → He said (that) he lived in London.; I am not feeling well. → Sam told me he wasn't feeling well.; It happened three days ago. → He told me it had happened three days before.; I'll telephone this evening. → Sam said he would telephone that evening. Backshift: the Sequence-of-Tense Rule in English Richard Nordquist. Updated on December 06, 2018. In English grammar, backshift is the changing of a present tense to a past tense following a past form of a reporting verb. Also known as the sequence-of-tense rule . Backshift (or backshifting) may also occur when a verb in a subordinate clause is affected by the past tense in the main clause. reported speech It's quite simple actually once you use the rules for reported speech. Since you are using the simple past context, every tense must shift to its respective past form. So, the simple past tense should become the past perfect tense and the present perfect tense should become the past perfect tense. Your answer should be: Sequence of Tenses Rules Regarding Sequence of Tenses with Examples. Rule 1: Past Follows Past. Rule 2: Any Tense after Present or Future Tense. Rule 3: Present Follows Future. Rule 4: Use of Past Tense in Subordinate Clauses. Rule 5: Use of Modal Verbs When the Conjunction 'That' Is Used. Reported Speech. Sequence of Tenses Chart by Prunes. Reported Speech, Verb Tense Worksheets | Views: 18,765 | Level: Pre-Intermediate | 4 out of 5, rated by 11 teachers |. Found a mistake? Reported Speech.The chart shows the changes or tenses in the past form of reported speech. Reported Speech.The chart shows the changes or tenses in the past form of reported speech. Sequence of Tenses 13/08/2021. Country code: UA. Country: Ukraine. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Sequence of Tenses - Reported Speech (2069382) From worksheet author: Sequence of Tenses - Reported Speech. Other contents: Sequence of Tenses - Reported speech. Reported Speech. Sequence of tenses. Reported Speech Tense Changes Assistant Esta página no es traducida al español porque no es para principiantes. In many intermediate and above courses such as COU, First Certificate and Selectividad (in Spain) it is necessary to be able to know how to transform sentences from direct to reported speech. On of the most important things that you ... Sequence of Tenses The term "sequence of tenses" refers to the choice of the verb tense in the subordinate clause depending on the tense of the verb in the main clause. The rule of the sequence of tenses means that the tense in the subordinate clause is determined by the tense in the main clause and should agree with it both logically and grammatically. Sequence of Tenses The sequence of the tenses must be kept in mind. This is a rule that states that the tense of the verb in the subordinate clause, follows the tense of the verb in the main clause according to the rules below. There are Two Major Rules: Rule 1. If there is a use of Past Tense in the Principal Clause, it must be followed by a Past Tense in the ... Sequence of Tenses In the Sequence of Tenses the following special points are to be noted. a. The perfect indicative is ordinarily a secondary tense, but allows the primary sequence when the present time is clearly in the writer's mind. Ut satis esset praesidī prōvīsum est. (Cat. 2.26) Provision has been made that there should be ample guard. [secondary sequence] assignment essay homework paper phd report speech thesis