The correct and logical backshift of today in reported speech

The correct and logical backshift of TODAY in reported speech

When we tell someone's statement that has a time expression in it using reported speech, we need to know when the time expression should remain unchanged or shift back in time.

The time expression or it is also called the adverb of time needs to be shifted back when the time between when the statement was said to you and when you report it has passed. 

And it should still stay the same when you report the statement around the same time. It is considered that the time hasn't passed.

Have a look at this example situation to see how a time expression stays the same and shifts back in time:

On Monday, James tellls you that he has a lot of work to do today. 

Notice that:

The day when James tells you that he has a lot of work to do today is Monday.

And the time expression in the above statement is today. The time 'today' refers to Monday.

☆ If you tell this to someone else around monday (It's still on the same day), you should say:

▪︎ He said that he has a lot of work to do today. 

We don't need to change the tense to the past, if the action in the statement hasn't finished as in the above example.

The time expression today doesn't shift back in time, because the statement is reported around the same day.

☆ And if you tell this a day later or on Tuesday, you have to say:

▪︎ He said that he had a lot of work to do yesterday.

The tense should shift back in time. The present simple changes to the past simple as the action has finished or happened. 

And the time expression today changes to yesterday as it's one day that has passed. It's yesterday if it is one day back in time from today. Do not use that day as the backshift.

☆ If you tell this two days later or on Wednesday, you say:

▪︎ He said that he had a lot of work to do 2 days ago.

We use 2 days ago or we can also use the day before yesterday as the backshift of today as it is 2 days that have passed. It's two days ago if It is two days back in time from today.

☆ And if we tell this 3 days later, the backshift should be 3 days ago, as it is three days that have passed. And it is three days ago if it is three days back in time from today.

▪︎ He said that he had a lot of work to do 3 days ago.

So, when do we use that day as the backshift of today?

We can use that day as the backshift of today when it is at least a week, or two weeks, or more that have passed since the statement was made. This can be more logical.

☆ If you tell this to another person a week later / two weeks later or more, you say:

▪︎ He said that he had a lot of work to do that day.

That day can refer to a specific time in the past. We can use it as the backshift of today especially when it is at least a week, or two weeks, or more that have elapsed from the point when the statement was said to you to the point when you report it.

The backshift of a time expression is not always the same as you have learned from the English textbooks.

So, when the time between when the statement was made and when it is reported has passed, we have to count how many minutes, days, weeks, months, or even years that have gone past. In this case, the time expression should shift back in time.

The sequence of logical backshift of today is as follows:

• today             

 (around the same day)


• Yesterday     

(one day back in time from today)


• Two days ago / the day before yesterday

(two days back in time from today)


• Three days ago 

 (three days back in the past)


• Four days ago (on Monday)

 (four days back in time from today)


• That day 

 (A week, or two weeks, or more back in time from today)


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