The fundamentals of

English grammar
Sequence
of Tenses
or
Tense Shift
 Direct and Indirect Speech
Present
If in an indirect speech in the main
sentence the verb is in the present
tense, in the subordinate clause the verb
is used at the same time in which it is in
direct speech.
Past
If in an indirect speech in the main
sentence the verb is in the past tense,
in the subordinate clause the verb is
used in one of the past tenses: a time
shift occurs - the verb takes a “step
back” (one step back)

Jane says: «I’m reading the Encyclopedia now.»

Jane says that she is reading the Jane said that she was reading the
Encyclopedia now. Encyclopedia then.

Tom tells me: «My sister lost her laptop yesterday.»

Tom tells me that his sister lost her laptop Tom told me that his sister had lost her
yesterday.» laptop the day before.»

Rita thinks: «It will rain tomorrow.»

Rita thinks that it will rain tomorrow. Rita thought that it would rain the next
day.
 Tense Shift
Statements

Present Past
Simple
V/Vs Simple
V2/ed
Present Past
Continuous
is/am/are + Ving Continuous
was/were + Ving

Present Past
Perfect Perfect
have/has + V3/ed had + V3/ed

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Continuous
have/has+ been Ving Continuous
had + been Ving
 Tense Shift
Statements

Past Past
Simple
V2/ed Perfect
had + V3/ed
Past Past
Continuous
was/were + VContinuous
ing

Past Perfect Past

Perfect
had + V3/ed

Past Perfect Past Perfect

Continuous had + been VingContinuous
 Tense Shift
Statements
will would

Future Future Simple in

Simple
will + V the Past
would +V
Future Future Continuous
Continuous in the Past
will + be Ving would + be Ving
Future Future Perfect in
will Perfect
+ have V3/ed the Past
would + have V3/ed

Future Perfect Future Perfect

Continuous Continuous in the
will + have been Ving Past been Ving
would + have
 Modal Verbs
can – could
may – might
must – had to
have/has to – had to
should = should
ought to = ought to

Dan noted: «I can speak different foreign languages.»

Dan noted that he could speak different foreign languages.

Mary said: «I may buy a new phone tomorrow.»

Mary said that she might buy a new phone the next day.

Terry said: «I must consult my doctor next week.»

Terry said that he had to consult his doctor the following week.
 say
tell
add Adverbs and pronouns that change in indirect
note speech if the verb in the main part is in the past
notice tense.
remark
explain
complain
now – then
reply yesterday – the day before
remind tomorrow – the next day
think last year – the year before
next year – the following day
(a week) ago – (a week) before
this – that
In addition to “say” today – that day
and “tell”, there tonight – that night
are other verbs
that allow you to
these – those
convey indirect here – there
speech and
 The rules for the coordination of
times are not respected if:
1) the relative clause deals with well-known truths and facts

Our teacher explained to us that the Earth moves round the Sun.
Our teacher told us that water boils at 100 degrees C.

2) when there is a sequence of events

He said that he was born in Washington in 1995 and soon
his family moved to New York.

3) the speaker transmits something immediately after the utterance.

“The view is breathtaking,” he said. He said that the view is breathtaking.

4) in the subordinate part of a complex sentence having alliances when
and since
Mike said: «I haven’t met Susan Mike said that he hadn’t met Susan
since we went to the party.» since they went to the party.

He remarked: «She was crying He remarked that she was crying

when I came in.» when he came in.

5) In indirect speech, subordinate conditions of type 2 and 3 are

transmitted (desires or unreal conditions in the past).

“I wish I was a film star,” he said. He said he wished he was a film star.
 Questions
When transferring questions to indirect speech, the direct word order is observed.

General an if appears to relate the main and subordinate

questions
Ann said: «Does your sister often
attend a sports club?»
Mike said: «Did you go clubbing
yesterday?»
Lisa said: «Will you prepare for the
project tomorrow?»
parts of the sentence
Ann asked if my sister often attended a sports
club.
Mike wondered if I had gone clubbing the day
before.
Lisa wanted to know if I would prepare for the
project the next day.

Wh- the link between the main and subordinate parts of

the sentence is the interrogative word, from which
questions
Tom said: «What are you doing now?»
Kate said: «How did you spend this
weekend?»
Mary said: «What country will you
choose to travel next summer?»
the question was asked in direct speech
Tom wondered what I was doing then.
Kate asked how I had spent that weekend.
Mary wanted to know what country I
would choose to travel the following
summer.
 Commands and requests
To transmit sentences into indirect speech in the imperative mood, the subordinate
clause is not used - the complement is used (linked by a to + infinitive)

The doctor said : «Give up The doctor advised me to give up

drinking fizzy water.» drinking fizzy water.

Mother told her daughter: «Don’t Mother asked her daughter not to
speak so loudly.» speak so loudly.

A man said to the waiter: «Could A man ordered the waiter to bring
you bring me some salad?» him some salad.
ask, advise, tell,
warn, order,
remind, allow,
recommend