Grammar › Reported Speech › Reported Speech without Backshift
Reported Speech without Backshift
You can keep the original tense (no backshift) in these cases:
- Present reporting verb — She says (that) she's busy.
- Still true or a general truth — He said water boils at 100°C.
- Unreal-past modals stay — would, could, should, might, must don't change.
After a past reporting verb, backshift is still the safe default; not backshifting is an option when the statement remains true.
When you don’t need to backshift
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Present reporting verb | She says she is tired. |
| Still true now | He said he lives in Rome. (he still does) |
| General truth | The guide said the museum opens at nine. |
| Unreal-past modals | She said she would help; we must wait. |
When to keep the original tense
1. Present reporting verb — says, tells, thinks
- He says he wants to leave early.
2. Still true or a general truth
- She told me she works for the BBC. (still her job)
- The teacher said that oil floats on water.
3. Modals that don’t change
- He said he could swim. They said we should hurry. She said it might rain.
⚠️ Backshift is still the safe default after a past reporting verb: She said she was tired is always correct. Skipping it is optional when the statement is still true.
Common mistakes
1. Forcing a backshift on ‘says’. She says she was tired (present reporting verb) → She says she is tired.
2. Backshifting a modal that shouldn’t change. He said he would helped → He said he would help.
3. Treating an optional case as compulsory. Both are fine: She said she is/was a doctor. Pro tip: present reporting verb, still-true facts and modals like would/could/should → no backshift needed.
✏️ Practice: Reported Speech without Backshift
1. She says she ___ tired. (present reporting verb)
2. The teacher told us that water ___ at 100°C. (general truth)
3. He said he ___ help us move on Saturday. (modal)
4. She told me she ___ in Rome. (still true now)
5. They said we ___ leave before dark. (modal)
6. My friend says the shop ___ at nine. (present reporting verb)
7. She said she ___ swim when she was young. (modal, unchanged)
8. Correct this: 'She says she was hungry.'
9. Correct this: 'He said he would helped us.'
10. When is backshift NOT required?
Frequently asked questions
When can I skip the backshift?
When the reporting verb is present (He says he's tired), when the fact is still true or general (She said she works here — she still does), or right after something is said.
Do general truths backshift?
They don't have to: The teacher said that light travels faster than sound. Keeping the present highlights that it's always true.
Which modals never change?
Would, could, should, might, must, ought to and used to stay the same: He said he would help; She said we must leave.
Is backshifting wrong when the fact is still true?
No — both are correct: She said she is/was Italian. Backshift is never wrong after a past reporting verb; not backshifting is just an option.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Reported Speech without Backshift”:
- Can keep the original tense with a present reporting verb (CEFR B2).
- Can leave still-true facts and general truths un-backshifted.
- Can recognise that would/could/should/might/must don't change.
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