0
Laborious Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
present or past (reported speech)
Hi teachers,
Situation:
I decide to visit one of my friends who is felling unwell and when I arrive at his residence, he says "I am glad to see you." After having a small chat with him I call my mother to let her know how my friend is.
Mom: How's your friend?
Son: Mom, He's fine and he said he (is or was)glad to see me. And he said it <had been or has been> a long time since he saw me last.
Dear teachers, my question is: which verb is correct (is or was) and why? If I said 'was', would it mean that he was glad some time earlier and isn't glad now?
How about the second sentence (<had been or has been>)?
In situations like these, which tense(present or past) is better to use, teachers?
Thank you.
Situation:
I decide to visit one of my friends who is felling unwell and when I arrive at his residence, he says "I am glad to see you." After having a small chat with him I call my mother to let her know how my friend is.
Mom: How's your friend?
Son: Mom, He's fine and he said he (is or was)glad to see me. And he said it <had been or has been> a long time since he saw me last.
Dear teachers, my question is: which verb is correct (is or was) and why? If I said 'was', would it mean that he was glad some time earlier and isn't glad now?
How about the second sentence (<had been or has been>)?
In situations like these, which tense(present or past) is better to use, teachers?
Thank you.
Top answer
Laborious He's fine and he said he was glad to see me. And he said it had been a long time since he saw me last. As shown.
- Laborious He's fine and he said he was glad to see me.
- And he said it had been a long time since he saw me last.
- As shown.
- Laborious If I said 'was', would it mean that he was glad some time earlier and isn't glad now?
- No.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
4 Answers
0
LaboriousHe's fine and he said he was glad to see me. And he said it had been a long time since he saw me last.As shown.
LaboriousIf I said 'was', would it mean that he was glad some time earlier and isn't glad now?No. It would mean that he was glad when he said he was glad. When else?
It doesn't say anything about w
00
lots of thanks to you, sir, for your kind reply.
So, when we are using reported speech, we are just letting others know how someone (the original speaker) was feeling or what someone (the original speaker) said at a point in the past (or before now)? That's is reason why you've always said, "back-shifting is optional and is always correct when we believe that something is still true"?
So, when we are using reported speech, we are just letting others know how someone (the original speaker) was feeling or what someone (the original speaker) said at a point in the past (or before now)? That's is reason why you've always said, "back-shifting is optional and is always correct when we believe that something is still true"?
00
Laboriousyou've always said, "back-shifting is optional and is always correct when we believe that something is still true"?No. I have not said that. This is what I said: Back-shifting is optional and is always correct.
I said nothing like "when we believe that something is still true" in connection with the underlined statement above. We m
00
Thank you very much sir! 
As usual, you've clarified every doubt of mine. Thanks a lot once again.
As usual, you've clarified every doubt of mine. Thanks a lot once again.
0
Related Questions