She said: 'The sun rises in the east.' Select the correct reported version.

She said the sun rises in the east.

She said the sun are risen in the east.

She said the sun has risen in the east.

She said the sun is rising in the east.

He said: 'Water boils at 100 degrees.' Select the correct reported version.

He said water boils at 100 degrees.

He said water are boiling at 100 degrees.

He said water has boiled at 100 degrees.

He said water was boiling at 100 degrees.

The teacher said: 'Light travels faster than sound.'

The teacher said light travels faster than sound.

The teacher said light are traveling faster than sound.

The teacher said light has traveled faster than sound.

The teacher said light is traveling faster than sound.

They said: 'Paris is the capital of France.'

They said Paris is the capital of France.

They said Paris are the capital of France.

They said Paris has been the capital of France.

They said Paris had been the capital of France.

My father said: 'The Earth goes around the Sun.'

My father said the Earth goes around the Sun.

My father said the Earth are going around the Sun.

My father said the Earth is going around the Sun.

My father said the Earth has gone around the Sun.

Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Cats like milk.'

She said that cats are liking milk.

She said that cats have liked milk.

She said that cats has liked milk.

Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Vegetarians do not eat meat.'

He said vegetarians don't eat meat.

He said vegetarians haven't eaten meat.

He said vegetarians aren't eating meat.

He said vegetarians hasn't eaten meat.

Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Diamonds are very hard.'

She said that diamonds are very hard.

She said that diamonds have been very hard.

She said that diamonds is very hard.

She said that diamonds had been very hard.

Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Seven days make a week.'

He said that seven days make a week.

He said that seven days have made a week.

He said that seven days are making a week.

He said that seven days has made a week.

She said: 'Birds lay eggs.' Select the correct reported version.

She said that birds has laid eggs.

She said that birds have laid eggs.

She said that birds are laying eggs.

The scientist said: 'The moon orbits the Earth.' Select the correct reported version.

The scientist said that the moon orbits the Earth.

The scientist said that the moon are orbiting the Earth.

The scientist said that the moon has orbited the Earth.

The scientist said that the moon was orbiting the Earth.

He told us: 'Gold is a metal.' Select the correct reported version.

He told us that gold is a metal.

He told us that gold has been a metal.

He told us that gold are a metal.

He told us that gold had been a metal.

She claimed: 'Humans breathe oxygen.' Select the correct reported version.

She claimed that humans breathe oxygen.

She claimed that humans has breathed oxygen.

She claimed that humans had breathed oxygen.

She claimed that humans have breathed oxygen.

The book stated: 'The sun sets in the west.' Select the correct reported version.

The book stated that the sun sets in the west.

The book stated that the sun are setting in the west.

The book stated that the sun was setting in the west.

The book stated that the sun has set in the west.

He said: 'Spiders have eight legs.' Select the correct reported version.

He said that spiders have eight legs.

He said that spiders has eight legs.

He said that spiders have had eight legs.

He said that spiders were having eight legs.

Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'We want to leave,' they tell us.

They tell us they want to leave.

They tell us they have wanted to leave.

They tell us they wanted to leave.

They tell us they had wanted to leave.

Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'I can swim,' she says.

She says she has been able to swim.

She says: 'I am happy.' Select the correct reported version.

She says that she had been happy.

She says that she has been happy.

He tells us: 'I live in Spain.' Select the correct reported version.

He tells us that he lives in Spain.

He tells us that he lived in Spain.

He tells us that he had lived in Spain.

He tells us that he has lived in Spain.

The sign says: 'The shop closes at 5.' Select the correct reported version.

The sign says that the shop closes at 5.

The sign says that the shop had closed at 5.

The sign says that the shop closed at 5.

The sign says that the shop has closed at 5.

She argues: 'I have no time.' Select the correct reported version.

She argues that she has no time.

She argues that she has had no time.

She argues that she had no time.

She argues that she was having no time.

He claims: 'I work here.' Select the correct reported version.

He claims that he has worked here.

He claims that he had worked here.

She asks: 'Where is the station?'

She asks where the station was.

She asks where was the station.

He asks: 'What time does the train leave?'

He asks what time the train leaves.

He asks what time does the train leave.

He asks what time the train left.

He asks what time did the train leave.

He asks: 'When does the class start?'

He asks when did the class start.

He asks when does the class start.

He asks when the class started.

Choose the correct sentence: 'He told me he lives in New York.' (He still lives there).

He told me he lived in New York.

He told me he lives in New York.

Choose the correct sentence: 'She said she worked at the hospital.' (She quit last year).

She said she worked at the hospital.

She said she works at the hospital.

Reporting with No Backshift Practice Test (Basic): 45 Questions

🌱 Basic level

Basics of no backshift. 45 questions on when to keep the present tense in reported speech and present tense reporting verbs.

What this test covers

No Backshift for Permanent Facts & Universal Truths
Present Tense Reporting Verbs
Identifying When Backshift Is or Is Not Required

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Q1She said: 'The sun rises in the east.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: C. She said the sun rises in the east.

This is a permanent fact that is always true. When we report facts like this, we keep the verb in the present tense. 'Rises' is correct because the fact has not changed. 'Has risen' and 'is rising' use the wrong aspect for a permanent truth.
Q2He said: 'Water boils at 100 degrees.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. He said water boils at 100 degrees.

This is a scientific fact. For things that are always true, we keep the verb in the present tense. We use 'boils' because water still boils at that temperature today.
Q3The teacher said: 'Light travels faster than sound.'

Answer: B. The teacher said light travels faster than sound.

Science facts are permanent. When you report a permanent fact, you leave the verb in the present tense. 'Travels' is the best choice because this rule of science never changes.
Q4They said: 'Paris is the capital of France.'

Answer: B. They said Paris is the capital of France.

Paris is still the capital of France, so we keep the verb in the present. Using 'is' shows that this information is a current fact. 'Are' is incorrect because Paris is a singular subject. 'Has been' and 'had been' are perfect forms that do not fit a simple current fact.
Q5My father said: 'The Earth goes around the Sun.'

Answer: D. My father said the Earth goes around the Sun.

The Earth's movement is a permanent fact. We use 'goes' in the present tense to show that this is always true. 'Is going' is continuous (wrong for a permanent truth), 'has gone' is present perfect (implies a completed journey), and 'are going' has an agreement error — 'The Earth' is singular.
Q6Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Cats like milk.'

Answer: C. She said that cats like milk.

This is a general truth about animals. When reporting something that is generally always true, we keep the verb in the present tense ('like'). 'Has liked' has an agreement error — 'cats' is plural. 'Are liking' uses the wrong aspect for a general truth.
Q7Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Vegetarians do not eat meat.'

Answer: C. He said vegetarians don't eat meat.

This is a definition or a permanent fact about a group of people. We keep the present tense 'don't eat' because it is still true today. 'Hasn't eaten' has an agreement error — 'vegetarians' is plural. 'Aren't eating' uses the wrong aspect for a permanent fact.
Q8Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Diamonds are very hard.'

Answer: D. She said that diamonds are very hard.

The hardness of diamonds is a permanent physical property. Because this fact never changes, we use the present tense 'are.' 'Is' is incorrect because 'diamonds' is plural. 'Have been' and 'had been' are perfect forms that suggest the property may have changed.
Q9Choose the correctly reported sentence for: 'Seven days make a week.'

Answer: A. He said that seven days make a week.

This is a mathematical or calendar fact that is always true. We use 'make' to show this rule is still current and unchanging. 'Has made' has an agreement error — 'seven days' is plural. 'Are making' uses the wrong aspect for a permanent fact.
Q10She said: 'Birds lay eggs.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. She said that birds lay eggs.

Biological facts stay in the present tense when we report them. We use 'lay' because birds still do this today. 'Has laid' has an agreement error — 'birds' is plural. 'Are laying' uses the continuous for a permanent fact, which is incorrect.
Q11The scientist said: 'The moon orbits the Earth.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: A. The scientist said that the moon orbits the Earth.

Since the moon still orbits the Earth, this is a permanent fact. We keep the present tense verb 'orbits.' 'Are orbiting' has an agreement error — 'the moon' is singular. 'Has orbited' implies a completed action rather than an ongoing fact.
Q12He told us: 'Gold is a metal.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. He told us that gold is a metal.

Scientific facts like the properties of gold do not change. We use 'is' because gold is still a metal today. 'Are' is incorrect because 'gold' is a singular uncountable noun. 'Has been' and 'had been' imply the property may have changed.
Q13She claimed: 'Humans breathe oxygen.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. She claimed that humans breathe oxygen.

This is a biological fact that is still true. We keep the present tense 'breathe' because humans still need oxygen to live. 'Has breathed' has an agreement error — 'humans' is plural. 'Had breathed' uses the past perfect, which is incorrect for an ongoing fact.
Q14The book stated: 'The sun sets in the west.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: B. The book stated that the sun sets in the west.

The sun always sets in the west. For permanent truths, we keep the verb in the present tense. 'Sets' is correct. 'Are setting' has an agreement error — 'the sun' is singular. 'Was setting' implies it was only happening at one moment in the past.
Q15He said: 'Spiders have eight legs.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: C. He said that spiders have eight legs.

This is a physical fact about spiders that hasn't changed. We use 'have' to show that spiders still have eight legs today. 'Has' has an agreement error — 'spiders' is plural. 'Were having' uses the continuous for a permanent state, which is wrong.
Q16My brother says: 'I am tired.' (Reported: My brother says he ___ tired.)

Answer: A. is

When the reporting verb is in the present (like 'says'), we do not change the tense of the message. We keep the present tense 'is' because the first part of the sentence is also in the present.
Q17She says: 'I love chocolate.' (Reported: She says she ___ chocolate.)

Answer: D. loves

The word 'says' is in the present. This means we don't need to change 'love' into the past. We just change the form to 'loves' to match the person ('she').
Q18The note says: 'The meeting starts at 9.' (Reported: The note says the meeting ___ at 9.)

Answer: A. starts

Because the reporting verb is 'says' (present tense), we keep the information in its original tense. We use 'starts' to match the present tense of 'says'.
Q19He tells me: 'I live in Rome.' (Reported: He tells me he ___ in Rome.)

Answer: C. lives

The reporting verb 'tells' is in the present. This tells us we should keep the rest of the sentence in the present tense too. We use 'lives' to show he still lives there now.
Q20She explains: 'I don't like coffee.' (Reported: She explains that she ___ like coffee.)

Answer: C. doesn't

When we use a present tense reporting verb like 'explains,' we don't change the following verbs to the past. We keep 'doesn't' to match the present tense 'explains'.
Q21Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'I am busy,' she says.

Answer: B. She says she is busy.

The word 'says' is in the present tense. In this situation, we do not change 'am' to 'was.' We keep it as 'is' to match the person ('she').
Q22Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'We want to leave,' they tell us.

Answer: C. They tell us they want to leave.

When the first verb ('tell') is in the present, the second verb ('want') stays in the present too. We don't change it to 'wanted'.
Q23Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'The bus is late,' he says.

Answer: C. He says the bus is late.

Because the reporting verb is 'says' (present), we keep 'is' in the present. No change to the past is needed.
Q24Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'I can swim,' she says.

Answer: B. She says she can swim.

With a present reporting verb like 'says,' we don't change 'can' to 'could.' We keep 'can' because the report is happening now.
Q25Choose the correctly reported sentence: 'It is raining,' he says.

Answer: D. He says it is raining.

The word 'says' is present tense. Therefore, we keep 'is raining' in the present tense too. We only use 'was' if the first word were 'said'.
Q26She says: 'I am happy.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. She says that she is happy.

When we use 'says' (present), we keep the rest of the sentence in the present. We change 'I am' to 'she is' but we do not move the time to the past.
Q27He tells us: 'I live in Spain.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: B. He tells us that he lives in Spain.

The reporting verb 'tells' is present tense. This means we don't change 'live' to the past 'lived.' We keep 'lives' to match 'he'.
Q28The sign says: 'The shop closes at 5.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: D. The sign says that the shop closes at 5.

Because the sign 'says' (present) this right now, we keep 'closes' in the present. This shows the shop still has this schedule.
Q29She argues: 'I have no time.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: C. She argues that she has no time.

The reporting verb 'argues' is in the present tense. We keep the message in the present tense too. So, 'have' becomes 'has' to match 'she', but it doesn't change to the past 'had'.
Q30He claims: 'I work here.' Select the correct reported version.

Answer: C. He claims that he works here.

When the reporting verb is 'claims' (present), we keep the other verb in the present tense. We use 'works' to show he still works there now.
Q31She said: 'I live in London.' (If she still lives there, which is correct?)

Answer: D. Both are correct.

If the information is still true at the moment you are speaking, you have a choice! You can change the verb to the past ('lived') or keep it in the present ('lives'). Both are perfectly fine in English.
Q32He said: 'I worked at the bank.' (If he finished that job, which is correct?)

Answer: C. He said he worked at the bank.

Because the job is finished and in the past, we must use the past tense 'worked.' We cannot use 'works' because he is not there anymore.
Q33She asks: 'Where is the station?'

Answer: B. She asks where the station is.

There are two rules here: 1) Because 'asks' is in the present, we keep 'is' in the present. 2) In reported questions, we use normal sentence order (Subject + Verb). So 'the station is' is correct, not 'is the station'.
Q34He asks: 'What time does the train leave?'

Answer: B. He asks what time the train leaves.

The reporting verb 'asks' is present tense, so we keep 'leaves' in the present. Also, we remove the helping word 'does' and use normal sentence order: 'the train leaves'.
Q35She asks: 'Why are you sad?'

Answer: C. She asks why you are sad.

With a present reporting verb like 'asks,' we don't change the tense to 'were.' We keep 'are.' We also switch to normal sentence order: 'you are' instead of 'are you'.
Q36He asks: 'How much does it cost?'

Answer: B. He asks how much it costs.

Because 'asks' is present tense, we keep the answer in the present tense. We remove 'does' and use the regular statement order 'it costs'.
Q37She asks: 'Where do you live?'

Answer: C. She asks where I live.

The word 'asks' is present tense, so we don't need 'lived' or 'did live.' We use normal sentence order 'I live' and remove the question word 'do'.
Q38He asks: 'Who is that man?'

Answer: B. He asks who that man is.

With the present tense 'asks,' we keep 'is' in the present. We also change the order to be like a regular sentence: 'that man is' (Subject + Verb).
Q39She asks: 'Why is he angry?'

Answer: D. She asks why he is angry.

The present tense 'asks' means we keep 'is' as it is. We also use the sentence order 'he is' instead of the question order 'is he'.
Q40He asks: 'When does the class start?'

Answer: C. He asks when the class starts.

Since 'asks' is present, we keep 'starts' in the present. We remove the helping word 'does' and use the normal order: 'the class starts'.
Q41She asks: 'What is your name?'

Answer: D. She asks what my name is.

The reporting verb 'asks' is present tense. We keep 'is' in the present and use normal sentence order: 'my name is'.
Q42He asks: 'Where are my keys?'

Answer: A. He asks where his keys are.

Because 'asks' is present tense, we keep 'are' in the present. We also change the order to 'his keys are' to make it a statement inside the sentence.
Q43Choose the correct sentence: 'He told me he lives in New York.' (He still lives there).

Answer: D. Both are correct.

When something is still true (he still lives in New York), you can use either the present tense ('lives') or the past tense ('lived'). Both are correct!
Q44Choose the correct sentence: 'She said she worked at the hospital.' (She quit last year).

Answer: C. She said she worked at the hospital.

Because she quit her job, the information is no longer true today. We must use the past tense 'worked.' Using 'works' would be wrong because she doesn't work there anymore.
Q45Which is correct? 'He said he is tired' (He is still tired now).

Answer: D. Both are correct.

If he is still tired at this moment, you can say 'he is tired' or 'he was tired.' Both the other options are common and correct when the situation hasn't changed.

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Reporting with No Backshift Practice Test — Basic

What this test covers

All 45 questions with answers