No backshift vs backshift in reported speech.

[jebonfikri]

Hallo teachers I am little bit confused about these
Direct speech: " I eat banana"
Reported speech with no backshift: He says that he eats banana
Reported speech with backshift: He said that he ate banana

Is there any different situation using with no backshift or with backshift?
Thanks in advance..

 

[bhaisahab]

Hallo teachers I am little bit confused about these
Direct speech: " I eat banana"
Reported speech with no backshift: He says that he eats banana
Reported speech with backshift: He said that he eats banana

Is there any different situation using with no backshift or with backshift?
Thanks in advance..

Backshifting is optional if he still eats bananas.

 

[jebonfikri]

So, for example: He whispers to me " I eat banana" the my friend asks me at that time "what did he say?" then my reported speech should be "He says he eats banana" is it?...
then two days later my other friend also asks me the same question, so I should say " He said that he ate banana" is it?..

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, but it's either "a banana" (and more likely would be "I am eating a banana" instead of "I eat a banana" unless it's "I eat a banana every day for breakfast") or "bananas.

"Banana" isn't used in a non-countable sense when referring to eating the individual pieces of fruit.

 

[jebonfikri]

Thanks a lot, sorry for my mistakes in making examples. I was not concentrate on the meaning and the using of simple present. I just concentrated on the backshifting.

 

[Barb_D]

Many times we miss other errors because we, too, are concentrating on the main question. But since you got a good answer on that, I thought I'd let you know about the singular/plural issue.