Form and rules
How it works
1
Use say + clause but tell + person + clause: She said she was tired / She told me she was tired.
2
After a past reporting verb, present forms often move one step back: am/is → was; present simple → past simple; will → would.
3
Change pronouns to match the new speaker and listener: I may become he or she; my may become his or her.
4
Time and place words may change when the situation changes: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there.
5
Backshift is not always necessary when information is still true, but mastering the regular backshift pattern first gives A2 learners a reliable base.