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Haddie Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Reported Speech

When the reporting verb is in past tense in direct speech, is it okay to either change the tense or keep the same tense in the reported speech if the information is still true or hasn't happened yet?

1) He said "I am leaving today"
He said that he was leaving today/He said that he is leaving today.
2) He said "I will charge 20 bucks"
He said that he will charge 20 bucks/He said that he would charge 20 bucks

Are both correct?
  

Top answer

Haddie is it okay Yes, but 99% of the time people match the tenses. Either way the meaning is the same. The listener knows what you mean either way.

— CalifJim

  • Haddie is it okay Yes, but 99% of the time people match the tenses.
  • Either way the meaning is the same.
  • The listener knows what you mean either way.
  • Usually it's: said ...
  • was ...
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1 Answers
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Haddieis it okay
Yes, but 99% of the time people match the tenses. Either way the meaning is the same. The listener knows what you mean either way.

Usually it's: said ... was ... and said ... would .... It's never wrong to do it this way.

CJ
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