Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech: English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation

The sequence of tenses and reported speech are important grammatical concepts in English that show how tenses change in complex sentences and when reporting what someone else said. These topics are frequently tested in the ЕГЭ English exam, both in grammar tasks and in writing sections. Understanding these rules will help you communicate more accurately and demonstrate your command of English grammar.

Theory for Exam Preparation

The sequence of tenses refers to the relationship between the tenses used in different clauses of a complex sentence. Reported speech (also called indirect speech) is used to report what someone else said without quoting their exact words. Both concepts involve specific rules for tense changes that must be followed to maintain grammatical correctness.

In the ЕГЭ English exam, you may be asked to transform direct speech into reported speech, identify errors in the sequence of tenses, or choose the correct tense in complex sentences.

Sequence of Tenses

Basic Principle

The basic principle of the sequence of tenses is that when the main clause is in a past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause usually shifts to a past tense as well.

Main Clause Tense	Subordinate Clause Tense
Present/Future	Any tense appropriate to the meaning
Past	Past tense (usually shifted back in time)

Examples with Present/Future in Main Clause

When the main clause is in a present or future tense, the subordinate clause can use any tense that accurately represents the time relationship:

She thinks that he is right. (present → present)
They believe that he was at the party. (present → past)
I know that she will arrive tomorrow. (present → future)
He will say that he needs more time. (future → present)
They will announce that the project has been completed. (future → present perfect)

Examples with Past in Main Clause

When the main clause is in a past tense, the subordinate clause usually shifts to a past tense:

She thought that he was right. (past → past simple)
They believed that he had been at the party. (past → past perfect)
I knew that she would arrive the next day. (past → conditional)
He said that he needed more time. (past → past simple)
They announced that the project had been completed. (past → past perfect)

Tense Shifts in the Sequence of Tenses

When the main clause is in a past tense, the following shifts typically occur in the subordinate clause:

Original Tense	Shifted Tense	Example
Present Simple	Past Simple	She says she likes coffee. → She said she liked coffee.
Present Continuous	Past Continuous	He thinks I am studying. → He thought I was studying.
Present Perfect	Past Perfect	They believe we have finished. → They believed we had finished.
Present Perfect Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	She knows I have been waiting. → She knew I had been waiting.
Past Simple	Past Perfect	He says they arrived yesterday. → He said they had arrived the day before.
Past Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous	I think she was sleeping. → I thought she had been sleeping.
Future Simple (will)	Conditional (would)	She believes it will rain. → She believed it would rain.
Future Continuous	Conditional Continuous	He thinks I will be working. → He thought I would be working.
Future Perfect	Conditional Perfect	They expect we will have completed it. → They expected we would have completed it.

Exceptions to the Sequence of Tenses Rules

There are several important exceptions to the sequence of tenses rules:

Universal truths or facts: Tenses do not change for statements that express universal truths or scientific facts: The teacher explained that water boils at 100°C. (not "boiled") She told me that the Earth revolves around the Sun. (not "revolved")
Modal verbs: Some modal verbs do not change: He said that I must finish the work. (not "must had") She told me that I should apply for the job. (not "should had")
Conditional sentences: The tense in conditional sentences may not change if the condition is still valid: He said that if it rains, the match will be canceled. (still valid) He said that if it rained, the match would be canceled. (hypothetical)
Time clauses: In time clauses, the tense may not change if the time reference is still valid: She said she would call me when she arrives. (still in the future) She said she would call me when she arrived. (in the past)

Reported Speech

Direct vs. Reported Speech

Direct speech quotes the exact words that someone said, while reported speech conveys the content without using the speaker's exact words:

Direct speech: "I am going to the store," she said.
Reported speech: She said (that) she was going to the store.

Note!

The word "that" is often optional in reported speech and can be omitted, especially in informal contexts.

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

When converting direct speech to reported speech, tenses typically shift backward in time if the reporting verb (said, told, asked, etc.) is in the past tense:

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
"I am tired," she said.	She said (that) she was tired.
"I am studying French," he told me.	He told me (that) he was studying French.
"I have finished my homework," they said.	They said (that) they had finished their homework.
"I was at the cinema," he explained.	He explained (that) he had been at the cinema.
"I will help you," she promised.	She promised (that) she would help me.
"I can swim," he said.	He said (that) he could swim.
"I may come later," she said.	She said (that) she might come later.
"I must leave now," he insisted.	He insisted (that) he had to leave then.

Changes in Time and Place Expressions

When converting direct speech to reported speech, time and place expressions often change to reflect the different point of reference:

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
today	that day
yesterday	the day before / the previous day
tomorrow	the next day / the following day
this week	that week
last week	the week before / the previous week
next week	the following week / the week after
now	then
here	there
this	that
these	those
ago	before

Examples:

Direct: "I'll see you tomorrow," she said.
Reported: She said she would see me the next day.
Direct: "I met him here yesterday," he told me.
Reported: He told me he had met him there the day before.

Reporting Different Types of Sentences

Different types of sentences (statements, questions, commands, requests) are reported in different ways:

Statements

Use reporting verbs like "say," "tell," "claim," "explain," etc., followed by "that" and the reported statement:

Direct: "I don't like coffee," she said.
Reported: She said (that) she didn't like coffee.

Yes/No Questions

Use reporting verbs like "ask," "inquire," "wonder," etc., followed by "if" or "whether" and the reported question (in statement form):

Direct: "Do you speak French?" he asked.
Reported: He asked if/whether I spoke French.

Wh-Questions

Use reporting verbs followed by the question word (what, where, when, why, how, etc.) and the reported question (in statement form):

Direct: "Where do you live?" she asked.
Reported: She asked where I lived.

Commands and Requests

Use reporting verbs like "tell," "order," "ask," "request," etc., followed by the object and an infinitive:

Direct: "Close the window," he said to me.
Reported: He told me to close the window.
Direct: "Please help me," she said to him.
Reported: She asked him to help her.

Negative Commands

Use "not" before the infinitive:

Direct: "Don't be late," she said to me.
Reported: She told me not to be late.

Suggestions

Use reporting verbs like "suggest," "propose," "recommend," etc., followed by a gerund or "that" + subject + (should) + base verb:

Direct: "Let's go to the cinema," he said.
Reported: He suggested going to the cinema.
Direct: "You should apply for this job," she said to me.
Reported: She suggested that I (should) apply for that job.

Common Reporting Verbs

Using a variety of reporting verbs can make your reported speech more precise and interesting:

Reporting Verb	Usage	Example
say	General reporting	He said (that) he was tired.
tell	Reporting to someone	She told me (that) she would be late.
ask	Questions and requests	He asked where I lived. She asked me to help her.
explain	Giving reasons or details	He explained that the train had been delayed.
suggest	Making suggestions	She suggested going to a restaurant.
advise	Giving advice	He advised me to study harder.
warn	Cautioning	She warned us not to touch the wire.
promise	Making promises	He promised to call me the next day.
admit	Confessing	She admitted (that) she had made a mistake.
deny	Refusing to accept	He denied stealing the money.
claim	Asserting something	She claimed (that) she had seen a UFO.
agree	Expressing agreement	They agreed to meet at six o'clock.
refuse	Expressing refusal	He refused to answer the question.

No Backshift in Reported Speech

In some cases, we don't need to change the tense in reported speech:

When reporting something immediately or soon after it was said: She has just said she is feeling unwell. (not "was feeling")
When reporting something that is still true or relevant: He told me that Paris is the capital of France. (still true)
When the reporting verb is in a present, future, or present perfect tense: She says she will help us tomorrow. (not "would") He has explained that he needs more time. (not "needed")

Common Errors in Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech

Be aware of these common mistakes:

Incorrect Tense Shifts

Incorrect: She said she is coming to the party.
Correct: She said she was coming to the party.
Incorrect: He told me that he will help me yesterday.
Correct: He told me that he would help me yesterday.

Forgetting to Change Pronouns

Incorrect: She said, "I am tired" → She said that I am tired.
Correct: She said, "I am tired" → She said that she was tired.

Forgetting to Change Time and Place Expressions

Incorrect: He said, "I'll see you tomorrow" → He said he would see me tomorrow.
Correct: He said, "I'll see you tomorrow" → He said he would see me the next day.

Using the Wrong Reporting Structure

Incorrect: She asked me where did I live.
Correct: She asked me where I lived.
Incorrect: He told me that to close the door.
Correct: He told me to close the door.

Practice Examples

Convert the following direct speech to reported speech.

"I am studying for my exams," Tom said.
"Where did you go last weekend?" she asked me.
"Please don't tell anyone about this," he begged her.
"I will call you tomorrow," she promised.
"Can you help me with this task?" he asked his colleague.

Reported speech:

1. Tom said (that) he was studying for his exams.

2. She asked me where I had gone the previous weekend / the weekend before.

3. He begged her not to tell anyone about that.

4. She promised (that) she would call me the next day / the following day.

5. He asked his colleague if he/she could help him with that task.

Choose the correct verb form to complete each sentence according to the sequence of tenses rules.

She said that she ________ (has visited / had visited / visited) London twice.
I knew that he ________ (is / was / were) right about the situation.
They told us they ________ (will come / would come / came) to the party the following day.
The teacher explained that water ________ (boils / boiled / had boiled) at 100°C.
He didn't know if I ________ (can / could / will be able to) help him with the project.

Answers:

1. She said that she had visited London twice. (past perfect for an action before the reporting verb)

2. I knew that he was right about the situation. (past simple following past reporting verb)

3. They told us they would come to the party the following day. (conditional for future in the past)

4. The teacher explained that water boils at 100°C. (present simple for universal truth)

5. He didn't know if I could help him with the project. (modal verb shift from "can" to "could")

Key Points to Remember

When the main clause is in a past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause usually shifts to a past tense as well
Universal truths, scientific facts, and some conditional sentences do not follow the normal sequence of tenses rules
In reported speech, tenses typically shift backward in time if the reporting verb is in the past tense
Time and place expressions change in reported speech to reflect the different point of reference
Different types of sentences (statements, questions, commands) are reported using different structures
Using a variety of reporting verbs makes your reported speech more precise and interesting
No backshift is needed when reporting something that is still true or when the reporting verb is in a present tense

Exam Tip!

In the ЕГЭ English exam, pay special attention to the tense of the reporting verb, as this determines whether you need to shift tenses in reported speech. Also, remember to change pronouns and time/place expressions appropriately. Using a variety of reporting verbs (not just "say" and "tell") can help you achieve a higher score by demonstrating a rich vocabulary.