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Situations where tense changes are optional or unnecessary and other special reporting patterns.
Practice: build the sentences →Reported speech does not always require every tense, pronoun, time expression, or modal to change mechanically.
The appropriate form depends on whether the original information is still true, whether the time reference has changed, and what viewpoint the reporter wants to present.
The teacher said that water boils at 100°C.
Учитель сказал, что вода кипит при 100°C.
Permanent truth remains in present.
She said that she was tired.
Она сказала, что устала.
Backshift when situation is past.
He said that he lives in London.
Он сказал, что живёт в Лондоне.
No backshift; still true.
A general or permanent truth can remain in the present tense when reported after a past reporting verb.
For example, The teacher said that water boils at 100°C.
The teacher said that water boils at 100°C.
Учитель сказал, что вода кипит при 100°C.
Permanent truth stays present.
He said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Он сказал, что Земля вращается вокруг Солнца.
Scientific fact remains present.
She said that the sun rises in the east.
Она сказала, что солнце встаёт на востоке.
General truth unchanged.
A statement can remain in its original tense when the reporter considers the information still true at the time of reporting.
For example, She said that she lives in London can be appropriate if she still lives there.
She said that she lives in London.
Она сказала, что живёт в Лондоне.
Still true; no backshift.
He said that he works from home.
Он сказал, что работает из дома.
Current situation; present retained.
She said that she is married.
Она сказала, что замужем.
Still true; no backshift.
Backshift can be optional when reported information is still current and the reporter wants to emphasize its continuing validity.
For example, He said that he works from home and He said that he worked from home can both be appropriate in different contexts.
He said that he works from home.
Он сказал, что работает из дома.
No backshift; emphasizes current validity.
He said that he worked from home.
Он сказал, что работал из дома.
Backshift; possibly no longer true.
She said that she is feeling better.
Она сказала, что чувствует себя лучше.
Present retained for current relevance.
When the reporting verb is in the present, backshift is generally unnecessary.
For example, She says that she is tired and He thinks that the plan will work.
She says that she is tired.
Она говорит, что устала.
Present reporting verb; no backshift.
He thinks that the plan will work.
Он думает, что план сработает.
Present reporting verb; no backshift.
Reporting verbs in the Present Perfect generally report information from a current viewpoint, so backshift is often unnecessary.
For example, He has said that he is ready.
He has said that he is ready.
Он сказал, что готов.
Present perfect reporting verb; no backshift needed.
She has mentioned that she will come.
Она упомянула, что придёт.
Current viewpoint; no backshift.
A past reporting verb can be followed by a present form when the reported situation remains true or relevant.
For example, She said that she is feeling better now.
She said that she is feeling better now.
Она сказала, что сейчас чувствует себя лучше.
Past reporting verb with present result.
He said that he is still working on the project.
Он сказал, что всё ещё работает над проектом.
Present retained; still relevant.
Statements about historical facts, scientific principles, or generally accepted information may remain in the present when reported.
For example, The lecturer explained that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
The lecturer explained that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Лектор объяснил, что Земля вращается вокруг Солнца.
Timeless fact remains present.
He said that the battle took place in 1066.
Он сказал, что битва произошла в 1066 году.
Historical fact unchanged.
Backshift is more natural when the reported situation belonged only to the past and is no longer true.
For example, He said that he lived in Paris can describe a past residence when he no longer lives there.
He said that he lived in Paris.
Он сказал, что жил в Париже.
Past residence; no longer true.
She said that she worked at a bank.
Она сказала, что работала в банке.
Past situation; no longer current.
Choosing a present or past form after a past reporting verb can change the implied relationship between the reported situation and the present.
Compare He said that he lives there with He said that he lived there.
He said that he lives there.
Он сказал, что живёт там.
Present: still true.
He said that he lived there.
Он сказал, что жил там.
Past: no longer true.
Must may change to had to when reporting past obligation or necessity, although must can sometimes be retained when the obligation remains current.
For example, He said that I had to leave describes past necessity, while He said that I must leave can preserve a current obligation.
He said that I had to leave.
Он сказал, что мне нужно уйти.
Past obligation: must → had to.
He said that I must leave.
Он сказал, что я должен уйти.
Current obligation retained.
Must expressing deduction does not necessarily change to had to in reported speech.
For example, She said that he must be at home preserves a deduction about the relevant situation.
She said that he must be at home.
Она сказала, что он, должно быть, дома.
Deduction: must unchanged.
He said that she must have forgotten.
Он сказал, что она, должно быть, забыла.
Deduction about past: must have unchanged.
Would, could, might, and should generally remain unchanged when the reporting verb is moved into the past.
For example, She said that she would come, He said that he could help, and They said that they might arrive late.
She said that she would come.
Она сказала, что придёт.
Would unchanged.
He said that he could help.
Он сказал, что может помочь.
Could unchanged.
They said that they might arrive late.
Они сказали, что могут опоздать.
Might unchanged.
Need not can often remain unchanged when reported, especially when the original meaning is still relevant.
For example, He said that we need not hurry.
He said that we need not hurry.
Он сказал, что нам не нужно торопиться.
Need not unchanged.
She said that I need not worry.
Она сказала, что мне не нужно беспокоиться.
Need not unchanged.
Should generally does not require backshift after a past reporting verb.
For example, She said that we should wait.
She said that we should wait.
Она сказала, что нам следует подождать.
Should unchanged.
He said that I should rest.
Он сказал, что мне следует отдохнуть.
Should unchanged.
Could normally remains could when its meaning is already expressed in a non-backshifted modal form.
For example, He said that he could swim when he was five.
He said that he could swim when he was five.
Он сказал, что умел плавать в пять лет.
Could unchanged.
She said that she could help us.
Она сказала, что может помочь нам.
Could unchanged.
Might normally remains might when reporting a possibility expressed with might in the original speech.
For example, She said that it might rain.
She said that it might rain.
Она сказала, что может пойти дождь.
Might unchanged.
He said that he might be late.
Он сказал, что может опоздать.
Might unchanged.
Reported conditional sentences may undergo backshift, but the resulting structure depends on the original conditional type and whether the condition remains relevant.
For example, He said that if it rained, they would stay home.
He said that if it rained, they would stay home.
Он сказал, что если пойдёт дождь, они останутся дома.
First conditional backshifted.
She said that if she had more time, she would travel.
Она сказала, что если бы у неё было больше времени, она бы путешествовала.
Second conditional backshifted.
Rules and procedures can remain in the present when they continue to apply at the time of reporting.
For example, The instructor explained that students must wear helmets in the laboratory.
The instructor explained that students must wear helmets in the laboratory.
Инструктор объяснил, что студенты должны носить каски в лаборатории.
Rule remains present.
He said that visitors must sign in at reception.
Он сказал, что посетители должны регистрироваться на ресепшене.
Procedure unchanged.
Time expressions should change only when their reference changes in the new reporting context.
For example, today can become that day when reporting later, but can remain today when the report is made on the same day.
She said that she would finish it that day.
Она сказала, что закончит это в тот день.
Today → that day when reporting later.
She said that she will finish it today.
Она сказала, что закончит это сегодня.
Today remains today if same day.
Place expressions such as here and there change according to the physical or discourse viewpoint of the reporter.
For example, She said that she was happy here is possible when the reporter is still in the same location.
She said that she was happy there.
Она сказала, что ей там хорошо.
Here → there when reporter is elsewhere.
She said that she was happy here.
Она сказала, что ей здесь хорошо.
Here remains here if same location.
Scientific and academic reports may retain present-tense statements when the information is presented as currently valid.
For example, The researcher explained that the process produces more efficient results.
The researcher explained that the process produces more efficient results.
Исследователь объяснил, что процесс даёт более эффективные результаты.
Present retained in academic context.
The study showed that the drug is effective.
Исследование показало, что препарат эффективен.
Current validity; present retained.
The historical present may be retained when reporting events dramatically or narratively.
For example, He said that he walks into the room and everyone suddenly becomes silent can reproduce a vivid narrative style.
He said that he walks into the room and everyone suddenly becomes silent.
Он сказал, что входит в комнату, и все вдруг замолкают.
Historical present retained for vividness.
She said that the hero enters the castle and faces the dragon.
Она сказала, что герой входит в замок и сталкивается с драконом.
Narrative present retained.
A speaker can preserve original wording inside a direct quotation instead of converting the material into indirect speech.
For example, She said, "I am leaving now." This preserves the original viewpoint and therefore does not require reported-speech changes inside the quotation.
She said, "I am leaving now."
Она сказала: «Я ухожу сейчас».
Direct quotation preserves original wording.
He said, "I will call you tomorrow."
Он сказал: «Я позвоню тебе завтра».
Direct quote; no backshift inside quotation.
Complex reports may contain several layers of reported speech, and each layer can establish its own reference point.
For example, He said that she had told him that she was leaving illustrates multiple reporting levels with different grammatical relationships.
He said that she had told him that she was leaving.
Он сказал, что она сказала ему, что уезжает.
Multiple reporting levels.
She said that he had said that he would come.
Она сказала, что он сказал, что придёт.
Layered reported speech.
A reported event that was simultaneous with the reporting situation may be expressed with a form appropriate to the new reference point rather than mechanically shifted.
Context determines whether a present or past form best represents the intended timing.
He said that he is busy right now.
Он сказал, что занят прямо сейчас.
Present retained for simultaneous event.
She said that the train is delayed.
Она сказала, что поезд задерживается.
Current fact; present retained.
Recent information can sometimes be reported without full backshift when it remains immediately relevant to the current conversation.
For example, She said that the train is delayed can foreground the fact that the delay is still current.
She said that the train is delayed.
Она сказала, что поезд задерживается.
Recent info; present retained.
He said that the road is closed.
Он сказал, что дорога закрыта.
Recent info; still relevant.
The choice between full backshift and retained present forms can vary with register, context, and the speaker's intended emphasis.
Formal writing often favors explicit temporal consistency, while conversation may retain present forms when information remains current.
She said that she was unwell.
Она сказала, что нездорова.
Formal: full backshift.
She said she is unwell.
Она сказала, что нездорова.
Informal: present retained.
Treat backshift, pronoun changes, and time or place changes as context-dependent grammatical choices rather than automatic substitutions.
Common mistakes include backshifting permanent truths, failing to preserve a current fact, changing time references unnecessarily, and treating every modal as requiring a further change.
The teacher said that water boils at 100°C.
Учитель сказал, что вода кипит при 100°C.
Correct: permanent truth unchanged.
The teacher said that water boiled at 100°C.
Учитель сказал, что вода кипела при 100°C.
Incorrect: permanent truth backshifted.
She said that she is still working there.
Она сказала, что всё ещё работает там.
Correct: current fact retained.
She said that she might could come.
Она сказала, что, возможно, сможет прийти.
Incorrect: double modal; use might come or could come.