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Tenjing Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Indirect speech

Jack said,'he is working'. The indirect form of this sentence is,' Jack said that he ...'. Please help with this.
  

Top answer

Jack said that he was working. However, if the 'he' is not clear, a name would be better. Otherwise, without context, it could be interpreted to say that Jack wasn't working, and I don't think that's the case here.

— Philip

  • Jack said that he was working.
  • However, if the 'he' is not clear, a name would be better.
  • Otherwise, without context, it could be interpreted to say that Jack wasn't working, and I don't think that's the case here.
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4 Answers
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Jack said that he was working. However, if the 'he' is not clear, a name would be better. Otherwise, without context, it could be interpreted to say that Jack wasn't working, and I don't think that's the case here.
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Actually my question was,
Jack said,"I was working". The indirect form of this sentence is,'Jack said that he was working' or 'Jack said that he had been working'? Which one is correct?
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Jack said,'He was working'. I hope you understand that Jack is talking about someone else, not about himself.


The indirect form of this sentence is,' Jack said that he ...'
Jack said that he had been
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tenjingActually my question was,Jack said,"I was working".
Ah. Well, that's very different from your original question.

Both of your solutions to the problem of transforming this to indirect speech are acceptable. Further context might show that one or the other was preferable, but as they stand, both are fine.

CJ
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