Reported Speech: Tenses - GrammarTOP.com
grammartop.com › reported-speech-tensesFeb 09, 2019 · tense usually has to go back one tense (present becomes past) – this is called backshift. Tenses 1. Present Simple and Present Continuous. The general rule is that present tenses in direct speech change to past tenses in reported speech. Consider the following example: Julia: ‘I live in London.’ ‘I’m taking a course in German this year.’