Grammar Focus:

Reported speech - English Grammar

      We use reported speech when we are saying what other people said in the past.

Example: 

Susan: "I work in an office." 

Susan said that she worked in an office.

Backshift of tenses


Peter: "I work in the garden."  Peter said that he worked in the garden.
Peter: "I worked in the garden."        Peter said that he had worked in the garden.
Peter: "I have worked in the garden."   Peter: "I had worked in the garden."
Peter: "I will work in the garden."     Peter said that he would work in the garden.
Peter: "I can work in the garden."       Peter said that he could work in the garden.
Peter: "I may work in the garden."    Peter said that he might work in the garden.
Peter: "I'm working in the garden."    Peter said that he was working in the garden.
Peter: "I was working in the garden." Peter said that he had been working in the garden.
Peter: "I have been working in the garden." Peter said that he had been working in the garden