Direct Speech -- Tense
I wonder whether the use of the past perfect/ past simple in (1) could be classified as an error. As far as I am concerned, the direct speech Her mother used to say requires the use of the progressive- is starting/ was starting or the present form has started/ starts.
(1) Her mother used to say that it looks like Mary is starting/ started/ had started.
As a non-native speaker I sometimes have a hard time choosing the correct form. I look forward to observing your ideas on this matter.
Top answer
Linguist53111 Direct Speech You say "Direct Speech" in the header, but you write it as indirect speech. Here are both the direct and the indirect forms showing the correct punctuation. Her mother used to say, "It looks like Mary [is starting / has started]".
- Linguist53111 Direct Speech You say "Direct Speech" in the header, but you write it as indirect speech.
- Here are both the direct and the indirect forms showing the correct punctuation.
- Her mother used to say, "It looks like Mary [is starting / has started]".
- Her mother used to say that it looked like Mary [was starting / had started].
- CJ
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Linguist53111 Direct Speech
You say "Direct Speech" in the header, but you write it as indirect speech. Here are both the direct and the indirect forms showing the correct punctuation.
Her mother used to say, "It looks like Mary [is starting / has started]".
Her mother used to say that it looked like Mary [was starting / had started].
0
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