Noun Clauses/Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Tense Harmony or Sequencing

(except for a few exceptions*, the following changes are made when reporting quoted speech)

Quoted speech	Later reporting
present tense verb	simple past
present continuous	past continuous
present perfect simple past past perfect	past perfect
simple future (will)	would
future (be going to)	was/were going to
modals: can may (possibility) may (permission) will might must have to should ought to shall shall	could might could would might had to had to should ought to would (future) should (ask for advice)
imperative	infinitive
yes/no question	if + noun clause

Note:

If the reporting verb (the main verb of the sentences, e.g., said, is in the past, the verb in the noun clause will usually be in a past form.

If the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or future, the noun clause verb is not changed.

She says, "I wash my hair every day."

She says she washes her hair every day.

She has said, "I wash my hair every day."

She has said that she washes her hair every day.

She will say, "I wash my hair every day."

She will say that she washes her hair every day.

*Exceptions:

If the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth, the present tense is (can be) retained. She said that the moon causes the tides.

If the speaker reports something immediately or soon after it was said, the noun clause verb often remains as spoken.
A: What did the conductor say?
B: He said that the next stop is Northgate.

If will is the modal in the reported utterance and expresses future time, and if the situation described in the quote still holds true at the time of the indirect report, the will may not be changed to would even though the reporting verb is in the past tense:
Mr. Arden said that a volcanic eruption will occur next year.

Reported Speech

Changes in time and place words

now

today

tomorrow

yesterday

next month

next year

last month

last year

in two days weeks)

five days ago

five weeks ago

here

then, at that time

that day

the following day, the next day, a day later

the previous day, the day before

the following month, the next month, a month later

the following year, the next, year, a year later

the month before, the previous month, the preceding month

the year before, the previous year, the preceding year

two days from then, two weeks from then

five days before, five days earlier

five weeks before, five weeks earlier

there

She says, "I wash my hair every day."	She says she washes her hair every day.
She has said, "I wash my hair every day."	She has said that she washes her hair every day.
She will say, "I wash my hair every day."	She will say that she washes her hair every day.