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Antwn Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

indirect speec

Direct speech : "It's a fact that I am the best", he said.
Indirect speech : He said it is/was a fact that he is/was the best.

I know that the tense doesn't change when the reported sentence deals with a general fact,but does that apply to this case?

thanks
  

Top answer

If he still thinks that he is the best, we can say: He has/had declared that it's a fact that he is the best. otherwise: He boasted that it was a fact that he was the best. He said that it was a fact that he was the best.

— Hiya11

  • If he still thinks that he is the best, we can say: He has/had declared that it's a fact that he is the best.
  • otherwise: He boasted that it was a fact that he was the best.
  • He said that it was a fact that he was the best.
  • He declared that it was a fact that he was the best.
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2 Answers
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If he still thinks that he is the best, we can say:
He has/had declared that it's a fact that he is the best.

otherwise:
He boasted that it was a fact that he was the best.
He said that it was a fact that he was the best.
He declared that it was a fact that he was the best.
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There is nothing universal in one person being right or wrong. You need to backshift the tenses: was, was.

CB
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