Shifting the verb back when reporting

What you are practising

"I need more time," he said.
He said that he needed more time.

What to do

Each item first gives the speaker's original words, then the same information passed on later. Fill the gap by moving the verb one step back in time.

Questions

1. "I work in a bank," he said. He said that he ___ in a bank.
2. "We are waiting outside," they said. They said that they ___ waiting outside.
3. "I lost my keys," she said. She told me that she ___ her keys.
4. "I will call you later," he said. He said that he ___ me later.
5. "My brother lives in Canada," she said. She said that her brother ___ in Canada.

Show the answers

1. worked
2. were
3. had lost
4. would call
5. lived

Items 1 and 5 move a present form back to a past form. In item 2 only the auxiliary sits in the gap, and it moves from present to past. In item 3 a past form steps a stage further back, to the past perfect. In item 4 the future auxiliary is replaced by its past equivalent.

Watch the video lesson

Shifting the verb back when reporting

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