Out-of-date reporting

The introductory verb is in the past simple and the tenses change as follows:

Direct speech	Reported speech
Present Simple "My bus arrives at 5 o'clock."	Past Simple She said (that) her bus arrived at 5 o'clock.
Present Continuous "I am playing tennis this afternoon."	Past Continuous She said (that) she was playing tennis that afternoon.
Present Perfect "1 have made spaghetti."	Past Perfect She said (that) she had made spaghetti.
Past Simple/ Past Perfect "I paid six pounds for the CD."	Simple or Past Perfect She said (that) she paid/had paid six pounds for the CD.
Past Continuous/Past Perfect Continuous "1 was walking to the bus station."	Past Continuous or Past Perfect Continuous She said that she was walking/had been walking to the station.
will "1 will return the books tomorrow."	would She said that she would return the books the next day.

Now → then, immediately

Today → that day

Yesterday → the day before, the previous day

Tomorrow → the next/following day

this week → that week

last week → the week before, the previous week

next week → the week after, the following week

ago → before

here → there

come → go

bring → take

• The verb tenses remain the same in reported speech when the introductory verb is in the present, future or present perfect.

Mum has said, "Dinner is ready." Mum has said (that) dinner is ready

• The verb tenses can either change or remain the same in reported speech when reporting a general truth or law of nature.

The teacher said, 'The Thames is a river." The teacher said (that) the Thames is/was a river.