Reported Statements

When you report what someone said, you usually use said and move the verb one step back into the past. This is called backshift, and it is the normal choice when the situation is over.

• present → past: “I'm tired.” → she said she was tired
• present continuous → past continuous: are leaving → were leaving
• present perfect → past perfect: have lost → had lost (the past simple lost is also accepted)
• will → would, can → could, won't → wouldn't, can't → couldn't

Pronouns and time words change too: I → he/she, tomorrow → the next day, today → that day, here → there. If something is still true now, the present can stay, but after a finished time such as last night or when he was five, backshift is the natural choice.