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Tarirotari Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Mixed indirect speech sentences?
Hi there,
Imagine that you are watching a movie with, let's say, a friend, and your firend misses a sentence and asks you about it: "What did he say?"
If the original sentence was for example "I can see Lisa's growing up"...
What would we report?
1. "He said he can see Lisa's growing up"
2. "He said he could see Lisa's growing-up"
Similarly, if person A says sth to us, like "I like you", and a few days later we report it to person B (so when we report on it, that state of affairs is still true), how would we put it?:
1. He said he likes me (I'd use this one, but my grammar books don't mention it)
2. He says he likes me
3. He said he liked me
Please, I'd like native speakers to answer if possible. Thanks!
Imagine that you are watching a movie with, let's say, a friend, and your firend misses a sentence and asks you about it: "What did he say?"
If the original sentence was for example "I can see Lisa's growing up"...
What would we report?
1. "He said he can see Lisa's growing up"
2. "He said he could see Lisa's growing-up"
Similarly, if person A says sth to us, like "I like you", and a few days later we report it to person B (so when we report on it, that state of affairs is still true), how would we put it?:
1. He said he likes me (I'd use this one, but my grammar books don't mention it)
2. He says he likes me
3. He said he liked me
Please, I'd like native speakers to answer if possible. Thanks!
Top answer
-- In real English? Both are possible: 1. "He said he can see Lisa's growing up" 2.
- -- In real English?
- Both are possible: 1.
- "He said he can see Lisa's growing up" 2.
- -- In real English?
- These are possible: 1.
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3 Answers
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What would we report?-- In real English? Both are possible:
1. "He said he can see Lisa's growing up"
2. "He said he could see Lisa's growing-up"
Similarly, if person A says sth to us, like "I like you", and a few days later we report it to person B (so when we report on it, that state of affairs is still true), how would we put it?-- In real English? These are p
1. "He said he can see Lisa's growing up"
2. "He said he could see Lisa's growing-up"
Similarly, if person A says sth to us, like "I like you", and a few days later we report it to person B (so when we report on it, that state of affairs is still true), how would we put it?-- In real English? These are p
00
Thanks are lot,
just one further question. When you say "in real English", do you mean that although some of the sentences are not accepted by Grammar, they are all used?
just one further question. When you say "in real English", do you mean that although some of the sentences are not accepted by Grammar, they are all used?
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The grammar is OK in all of them. I just like to throw in a subtle warning that some English teachers and tests can be prescriptive.
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