Reported Statements exercises — Set 2: Past & Perfect Tense Backshift (Worksheet)
Worksheet • 20 questions • 14 min
"I bought a new car." He said he a new car.
"I saw your sister at the mall." She told me she my sister at the mall.
"We went to Paris last summer." They said they to Paris the previous summer.
"I lost my wallet on the bus." He said he his wallet on the bus.
"She wrote me a long letter." He told us she him a long letter.
"I met Tom at the party." She said she Tom at the party.
"The children broke the window." She said the children the window.
"I took the train to work." He told me he the train to work.
"I have finished my homework." She said she her homework.
"We have already eaten dinner." They told us they already dinner.
"I have never been to Japan." He said he never to Japan.
"She has just left the office." He told me she just the office.
"I have known her for ten years." He said he her for ten years.
"We have lived here since 2010." They said they there since 2010.
"I have read that book twice." She said she that book twice.
"I was studying when you called." She said she when I called.
"They were playing football in the park." He said they football in the park.
"I was waiting for the bus." She told me she for the bus.
"We were having dinner at eight o'clock." They said they dinner at eight o'clock.
"I was working late last night." He said he late the night before.
Reported Statements exercises online (Worksheet)
When we report past simple, present perfect, and past continuous sentences, we backshift the verb one step further into the past. Past simple and present perfect both become past perfect (had + past participle), while past continuous becomes past perfect continuous (had been + -ing). Practise choosing the correct backshifted form in reported statements.