What are the rules for changing time clauses and conditionals in reported speech?

When changing time clauses and conditionals in reported speech, there are certain rules that need to be followed. These rules ensure that the reported speech accurately reflects the original statement while maintaining the appropriate tense and conditional structure. Here are the rules for changing time clauses and conditionals in reported speech:

1. Time Clauses:
- If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the time clause remains unchanged.
Example: She said, "I will meet you tomorrow." (Direct speech)
She said that she would meet me tomorrow. (Reported speech)

- If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the time clause is shifted back one tense.
Example: She says, "I am leaving tonight." (Direct speech)
She says that she is leaving tonight. (Reported speech)

- If the time clause refers to a future event, the present tense in the direct speech is changed to the past tense in the reported speech.
Example: He said, "I will call you next week." (Direct speech)
He said that he would call me the following week. (Reported speech)

2. Conditionals:
- If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the conditional clause remains unchanged.
Example: He said, "If I had money, I would buy a car." (Direct speech)
He said that if he had money, he would buy a car. (Reported speech)

- If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the conditional clause undergoes a tense shift.
Example: She says, "If it rains, I will stay at home." (Direct speech)
She says that if it rains, she will stay at home. (Reported speech)

- If the conditional clause refers to an unreal or hypothetical situation, the past tense in the direct speech is changed to the past perfect tense in the reported speech.
Example: They said, "If we had studied, we would have passed the exam." (Direct speech)
They said that if they had studied, they would have passed the exam. (Reported speech)

It is important to note that when changing time clauses and conditionals in reported speech, the pronouns, adverbs of time, and place may also need to be adjusted accordingly. Additionally, reported speech may require changes in modal verbs, such as "can" to "could" or "will" to "would," to maintain the appropriate tense and conditional structure.