Complex sentences in reported speech without back-shift

[Barto017]

Hello. Could anyone explain to me why, according to the key provided by my teacher, sentences below should be rendered in reported speech with no back-shift of certain verbs:

1. "When I first came here," Susan said, "I had a hard time with the language, but now that I've been here for five years, I find I can get on very well"

Susan explained that she had had a hard time with the language when she first went there, but since she had been there for fiver years she found that she could get on very well.

I can't figure out why past simple is maintained there. I would change it into: " when she first had gone there". Why am I wrong?

2. "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard they'd split up," she said to me. "Could you phone Jane to see if it's really true?"

She told me that she couldn't believe her ears when she heard that they had split up, and asked me if I could phone Jane to see if it was really true.

Why not: "when she had heard"?

3. "Shall I pass on the news," I asked him, "or would you prefer I didn't until you've had a chance to see them?"

I asked him if I should pass on the news or if he would prefer I didn't until he had had a chance to see them.

Again, why does "didn't" remain unchanged?


Does it have something to do with words "when" and "until"?

I will be glad for your help.

All examples come from "CPE Use of English. Examination Practice" by Virginia Evans, Express Publishing 1998, p. 84, 85.

[probus]

Test response only

[jutfrank]

Can't you ask your teacher this? If we answer, we might well give you contradictory advice.

One point, though: You should know that backshifting in reported speech is not really about there being a 'correct' way. I'd say that it's generally advisable to minimise it as much as possible. You don't have to backshift everything. As a general rule, if backshifting does not serve to clarify the sequence of events in any useful way, don't bother.

Sentence 3 is very different from the first two sentences, by the way. What do you want to change it to—hadn't? Does that really sound right to you?

[Tarheel]

Two things. One, "When she first went there" is perfectly fine. Two, why are you using the word "translate"?