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Caeser Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Clarification needed

In one of my questions of converting direct to indirect speech

According to St. Patrick all the snakes were driven out of Ireland, and they swam to England.

The answer was suggested as

St Patrick said, "All the snakes were driven out of Ireland, and they swam to England."

I have learnt that in case of a common truth the present tense from direct to indirect is retained. But in this case the common or popular truth of banishing the snakes is in past tense.Will we convert it back to present or not?
  

Top answer

This sentence seems to have changed a bit, Caesar. There was no St. Patrick in it the first time-- instead, you used Caesar , as I recall.

— Mister Micawber

  • This sentence seems to have changed a bit, Caesar.
  • There was no St.
  • Patrick in it the first time-- instead, you used Caesar , as I recall.
  • St.
  • Patrick was the guy that drove out the snakes, whereas Caesar was talking about the mythical past.
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2 Answers
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This sentence seems to have changed a bit, Caesar. There was no St. Patrick in it the first time-- instead, you used Caesar, as I recall. St. Patrick was the guy that drove out the snakes, whereas Caesar was talking about the mythical past.

I would therefore change

According to St. Patrick all the snakes were driven out of Ireland, and they swam to England.
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Dear Caeser,

Here are examples:

St Patrick said "There are no snakes in Ireland."

St Patrick said that there are no snakes in Ireland.

Kind regards,
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