The changes of verb tenses in the indirect (reported) speech

Present - past

The present simple tense becomes the past simple tense and the present continuous becomes the past continuous.

"I never understand you," she told me. - She told me she never understood me.

 "We are exercising," he explained. - He explained that they were exercising.

Present perfect -> past perfect

The present perfect simple changes into the past perfect simple and the present perfect continuous changes into the past perfect continuous.

"I have broken the window," he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window.

"I have been waiting since the morning," he complained. - He complained that he had been waiting since the morning.

Past -> past perfect

The past simple tense becomes the past perfect simple and the past continuous becomes the past perfect continuous.

"She went to Rome," I thought. - I thought that she had gone to Rome.

"He was thinking of buying a new car," she said. - She said he had been thinking of buying a new car.

Will -> conditional

Will changes into the conditional.

"I will come on Sunday," he said to me. - He said to me that he would come on Sunday.

Notes

I shall, we shall usually become would.

"I shall appreciate it," he said. - He said he would appreciate it.

The first person conditional I should, we should usually changes into would.

"We should be really glad," she told us. - She told us they would be really glad.

May becomes might.

"I may write to him," she promised. - She promised that she might write to him.