0
Vsuresh Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
reported speech
Hi
Please tell me if I got them right.
Jim Barnes and Bill Nokes have been interviewed by the police in connection with a robbery last week. Study the verb tenses in these extracts from the police reports. Underline the wrong tenses and correct them below.
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he is at home all day. He swears that he didn’t own a blue Ford. He claimed that he goes to the paint factory two weeks ago to look for work. Nokes alleges that he is a good friend of Jim Barnes. He insisted that he doesn’t telephone Barnes last Monday morning. When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he is storing it for a friend.
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop the previous Monday, he protested that he was at home all day. He swore that he hadn’t owned a blue Ford. He claimed that he had gone to the paint factory two weeks before to look for work. Nokes alleged that he was/is a good friend of Jim Barnes. He insisted that he had not telephoned Barnes the previous Monday morning. When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he was storing it for a friend.
Please tell me if I got them right.
Jim Barnes and Bill Nokes have been interviewed by the police in connection with a robbery last week. Study the verb tenses in these extracts from the police reports. Underline the wrong tenses and correct them below.
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he is at home all day. He swears that he didn’t own a blue Ford. He claimed that he goes to the paint factory two weeks ago to look for work. Nokes alleges that he is a good friend of Jim Barnes. He insisted that he doesn’t telephone Barnes last Monday morning. When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he is storing it for a friend.
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop the previous Monday, he protested that he was at home all day. He swore that he hadn’t owned a blue Ford. He claimed that he had gone to the paint factory two weeks before to look for work. Nokes alleged that he was/is a good friend of Jim Barnes. He insisted that he had not telephoned Barnes the previous Monday morning. When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he was storing it for a friend.
Top answer
That is pretty much how I would have answered the question. " Also, I would not use the "Had" form of the past, since the event is not over (completed in the past). My answer: When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he was at home all day.
- That is pretty much how I would have answered the question.
- " Also, I would not use the "Had" form of the past, since the event is not over (completed in the past).
- My answer: When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he was at home all day.
- He swore that he didn’t own a blue Ford.
- He claimed that he went/had gone to the paint factory two weeks ago to look for work.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
That is pretty much how I would have answered the question. However, there is no need to change "last Monday" to "the previous Monday." Also, I would not use the "Had" form of the past, since the event is not over (completed in the past). My answer:
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he was at home all day. He
When I mentioned to Nokes that he had been seen in a local shop last Monday, he protested that he was at home all day. He
00
Hello,
I have one question about the above text. Is it necessary to change the tense in tha last sentence? Would it be correct to say:
When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he is storing it for a friend.
Thank you in advance
Matjas
I have one question about the above text. Is it necessary to change the tense in tha last sentence? Would it be correct to say:
When I pointed out to Nokes that a large quantity of paint had been found in his house, he replied that he is storing it for a friend.
Thank you in advance
Matjas
00
I would keep it "was." The entire story is told in the past tense. The "I' is relating a past event, so the replies should be also in the past. That is how I view it.
0
Related Questions