Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech:
She said, "I am tired." = She said that she was tired.
Present Simple > Past Simple
"I always drink coffee", she said. > She said that she always drank coffee.
Past Simple > Past Perfect Simple
"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said. > He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday.
Present Progressive > Past Progressive
"I am reading a book", he explained. > He explained that he was reading a book.
Present Perfect Simple > Past Perfect Simple
"I have been to Spain", he told me. > He told me that he had been to Spain.
Past Perfect Simple - Past Perfect Simple
"I had just turned out the light," he explained. > He explained that he had just turned out the light.
Present Perfect Progressive > Past Perfect Progressive
They complained, "We have been waiting for hours". > They complained that they had been waiting for hours.
Past Progressive > Past Perfect Progressive
"We were living in Paris", they told me. > They told me that they had been living in Paris.
Future Simple > Present Conditional (Conditional Type I)
"I will be in Geneva on Monday", he said. > He said that he would be in Geneva on Monday.
Future Progressive > Conditional Progressive
She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday". > She said that she would be using the car next Friday.
You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true, e.g.
These modal verbs do not change in reported speech: might, could, would, should, ought to:
Reported Statements:
Reported Questions:
Reported Orders and Requests:
Mixed Exercises: