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EM - 2a série
Professora: Helena Camargo

BACKSHIFTING – VERB TENSES

A) Read the statements taken from the

song Summer Nights. Write the names
of the people who said them. Make the necessary adjustments when
necessary.

1. Summer loving had me a blast.

_________ said that summer loving had given _____ a blast.

2. It turned cold, that’s when it ends.

________ said that it had turned cold and that’s when it ended.

3. Did she put up a fight?

____________ asked if she had put up a fight.

4. Does he have a car?

____________ asked if he had a car.

5. Can she get me a friend?

___________ asked _________ if Sandy could get _______ a friend.

6. We will still be friends.

___________ told __________ that _______ would still be friends.
A.1) In English, when we report what people said, we need to use the
backshifting rule. This means that the verb or the modal kind of takes a step
back into time tense. Analyze the verb changes in the statements above and
fill in the chart accordingly.

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Simple present ____________________

Simple past ____________________

Can ____________________

Will ____________________

A.2) Analyze the statements from exercise A and mark the correct answer
or fill in the blank space accordingly.
1. We tell / say something to someone.
2. We tell / say someone something.
3. To report a yes-or-no-question, we use the verb asked + ____.

A.3) Use the backshifting rule and write the reported speech of the other
statements taken from the song.
1. Dany: “I wonder what she is doing now.”
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. Sandy: “I met a boy cute as could be.”
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. Sandy: “Dany took me bowling in the arcade.”
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Girls: “How much dough did he spend?”
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Boys: “Did you go very far?”
…………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Dany: “She swam by my, she got a cramp.”
……………………………………………………………………………………
7. Girls: “Was it love at first sight?”
……………………………………………………………………………………
B) Fill in the chart with the appropriate verb forms to complete the
backshifting rule.

Present simple Simple past

Is / am

Are

Don’t

Simple past

Present perfect (have)

Past perfect (had)

Was / were

Will

Can

Could / would / should /

NO CHANGE
may / might / must

Imperative To infinitive
(do this / don’t do that) (to do this / not to do that)

C) Use the backshifting rule to complete the reported speeches below.

a) “I'won’t be there because I'm having a party, said Helen.

Helen told us that she wouldn’t be there because she was having a party.

b) “I've lost the map and I don’t know the way,” said Jack.
Jack told me that he .........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

c) “When finish the book, I'm going to watch television’, said Carol
Carol said that when .........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

d) I'm doing some homework but I won't be long,” said Mike.

Mike said that he ..............................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

e) “Ilike swimming but I don’t go very often,

Mary told us that she .......................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

f) ‘I got up late and I missed the bus,’ said Richard.

Richard said that he ..........................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

g) ‘I'm going to visit friends in Fiji but I'm not sure when,” said Jill
Jill told us that she ............................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................

h) “I want to buy it, but I haven’t brought any money,’ said Tony.
Tony said that he ..............................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................