Direct and indirect speech

Question

as per english grammer , HE TOLD THAT HE WAS WORKING ON THE SUBJECT ", shall be the indirect version of He told, " I am working on the subject ".

But a news reader in television or radio never says like that instead they will say , " HE TOLD THAT HE IS WORKING ON THE SBJECT.

Miriam · Accepted Answer

Hi, Guest.
If the newsreaders in your country like those in my own, then they are not reliable!

There is a mistake in both sentences.
The verb "to tell" needs an indirect object. The sentences should have read:
"He told someone that he was/is working on the subject.

If you (or the news reader) are not going to say who was told, then you might want to use "say" instead of "told", since "say" doesn't require an indirect object:
"He said that he was/is working on the subject."

The person interviewed supposedly said (not "told"): "I am working on the subject."

Both "is" and "was" would be correct in their right contexts.

Let's suppose the person interviewed said that only five minutes ago. And let's also suppose that he is a lawyer preparing the defence of a client whose trial will start next week.
In this case, it is perhaps ok to say "He said he is working...". He was working on that case when he was interviewed, and he may still be working on it.
In some other cases, however, "is" won't make any sense, or it will report something that is not true. If the lawyer was interviewed last year, and the defendant was to be tried around that time, then the news reader cannot say, today, "He said he is working..."
But then, it would not be news either! ~L~

"He said he was working on..." is more common, or it is what is expected and what students of English are taught. Using "was" is, of course, correct. What we won't be able to imply ~~perhaps~~ from that sentence, is whether the lawyer is still working on it or he isn't.

Not the best of examples, but I hope they help.

Miriam

Direct and indirect speech

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