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When do we use backshift?
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We use backshift when it is logical to use backshift. So, for example, if John said " I am hungry" two minutes ago and I am now telling his sister, I might NOT use backshift (because John is still hungry):
- John just said that he is hungry.
But if John said " I am hungry" yesterday, I would likely use backshift:
- Yesterday, John said that he was hungry.
[We hope that John has eaten since yesterday; -) ]
So we use backshift SOMETIMES but not always. And WHEN we use backshift, here's how it works with these common tenses and modals:
| backshift | ||
| present simple | → | past simple |
| present continuous | → | past continuous |
| past simple | → | past perfect |
| present perfect | ||
| past continuous | → | past perfect continuous |
| can | → | could |
| may | might | |
| will | would | |
| shall | should |
We NEVER use backshift when the original words are:
| NO backshift |
| past perfect |
| could |
| might |
| would |
| should |
Remember:
· If a situation is still true, backshift is optional.
· For a general truth there is no need for backshift.
Look at the following examples. See if you can understand when and why they use backshift:
| tenses & modals | direct | reported |
| present simple* | He said, " I like coffee." | He said (that) he likes coffee. |
| He said (that) he liked coffee. | ||
| present continuous* | She said, " Moo is living here with us." | She said Moo is living there with them. |
| She said Moo was living there with them. | ||
| past simple | John said, " We bought a house last week." | John said they had bought a house the week before. |
| present perfect | Ram said, " I haven't seen Avatar. " | Ram said he hadn't seen Avatar. |
| past continuous | Wayne said, " Were you watching TV when I called." | Wayne asked if I had been watching TV when he called. |
| past perfect** | Ati said, " I had never lived in Thailand before." | Ati told us that he had never lived in Thailand before. |
| can | She said, " Tara can't swim." | She said Tara couldn't swim. |
| She said Tara can't swim. | ||
| could** | He said, " Could you swim when you were three? " | He asked me if I could swim when I was three. |
| may | She said: " I may be late." | She said she might be late. (and she was late) |
| She said she may be late. (the time to be late has not yet arrived) | ||
| might** | She said, " I might come early." | She said she might come early. |
| will | She said, " I'll call you tomorrow." | She said she would call me the next day. |
| She said she will call me tomorrow. (tomorrow has not come) | ||
| would** | She said, " I wouldn't like to go." | She said she would not like to go. |
| shall | He said: " Shall I open the door? " | He asked if he should open the door. |
| should** | John said, " You should come here." | John said I should go there. |
| must | The kidnapper phoned me and said: " You must come here now." | The kidnapper phoned me and said I had to go there then. |
| Ati said, " I must find a job next year." | At said he must find a job next year. (next year hasn't come yet) | |
| have to | Tara said: " I have to do my homework." | Tara said she had to do her homework. |
| Tara says she has to do her homework. |
* if still true, change is optional (sometimes a matter of emphasis)
** never changes