Paraphrasing in English
A word on the grammar of reporting
Just a word on grammar. At school I learned that, when we use a reporting verb in the past, the tense shifts to past forms in the reported sentence, like in this one.
Yesterday Pam announced that she was going to leave the university.
But at university things run differently. There are some important exceptions. For example, when the situation described in the reported clause still exists or is permanent, we use the present simple, present progressive, present perfect or present perfect progressive.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that her sister is one of the best researchers at her department.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that the Germans have developed a vaccine against Covid 19.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that the Americans are introducing private space travel.
And the exception to the exception: If we want to indicate that we are not so sure that the information we are reporting is really true or if the situation might not exist anymore, we use the past simple, past progressive, past perfect or past perfect progressive.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that her sister was the best researcher in the field.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that the Germans had developed the formula for the vaccine already in the 1980's.
Prof. Paul said in her seminar yesterday that the Americans were introducing private space travel at prices affordable for everyone.