Can I Say " He said it is"?

Question

For the near future, HK Exchange and Clearing Chief Executive Charles Li said with the mainland likely to open capital accounts wider in five years, further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK is expected.

Can I say "Charles Li said it is"? in this sentence? Thank you!

Rover_KE · Accepted Answer

No.

Mister Micawber · Answer

Please post the sentence that you want examined.  I don't know where you wish to insert 'Charles Li said it is'.

Tszming · Answer

Thanks Mister,, for example,

"Charles Li said further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK is expected."

I want to say Charles said this idea yesterday, but the idea (further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK) is now expected to happen in the future.

I am thinking if I say "Charles said further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK was expected" Will it mean "it was expected in the past", so it may not be "expected now"?

JoshStafford · Answer

Yesterday Charles Li said, "Further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK is expected..."

Yesterday Charles Li said that further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK is expected...

Yesterday Charles Li said that further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK can be expected...

Mister Micawber · Answer

I am thinking if I say "Charles said further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK was expected" Will it mean "it was expected in the past", so it may not be "expected now"?-- Regression of the dependent verb is normal in reported speech while still maintaining a present meaning. Or you can use 'is' since the further development is still in the current future.

JoshStafford · Answer

Mister MicawberI am thinking if I say "Charles said further development of yuan-denominated stocks, derivatives and commodities in HK was expected" Will it mean "it was expected in the past", so it may not be "expected now"?-- Regression of the dependent verb is normal in reported speech while still maintaining a present meaning. Or you can use 'is' since the further development is still in the current future.

I think the point is that it becomes slightly ambiguous if one uses verb regression: derivatives and commodities in HK was expected (but isn't expected now?). Such ambiguities have caused issues on the stock market. However, if stated as Mister Micawber mentions in the second part 'Or you can use "is"', the ambiguity is removed.

Can I Say " He said it is"?

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