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Kenny1999 Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Reported speech problem

if someone says in direct speech , for example

he said "we were watching TV when she came"

what is the reported speech of this statement?

I think

he said (that) they were watching TV when she came

is alright.

but how about this one ?

he said (that) they had been watching TV when she had come"

I think it is a bit strange but according to the grammar rules

past continuous -> past perfect continuous, e.g. were watching => had been watching

past tense -> past perfect e.g. came=> had come

I hope to have an understandable explanation because I am not just concerning the everyday usage but I have to teach some people of my local area (non-English speaking) some grammar.

Thanks.
  

Top answer

I don't know who made up the rules for reported speech, but they are much more restrictive than the rules of grammar. If you're teaching these people how to pass important tests, better stick with the rules and keep it as simple as possible. kenny1999 he said "we were watching TV when she came" he said (that) they were watching TV when she came he said (that) they had been watching TV when she had come According to my ear, there's no problem with "they had been watching TV," but "when she had come" doesn't work here.

— Avangi

  • I don't know who made up the rules for reported speech, but they are much more restrictive than the rules of grammar.
  • If you're teaching these people how to pass important tests, better stick with the rules and keep it as simple as possible.
  • kenny1999 he said "we were watching TV when she came" he said (that) they were watching TV when she came he said (that) they had been watching TV when she had come According to my ear, there's no problem with "they had been watching TV," but "when she had come" doesn't work here.
  • " When " is the problem.
  • You could say "they had been watching TV before she had come," but not on a reported speech test.
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4 Answers
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I don't know who made up the rules for reported speech, but they are much more restrictive than the rules of grammar.

If you're teaching these people how to pass important tests, better stick with the rules and keep it as simple as possible.
kenny1999he said "we were watching TV when she came"

he said (that) they were watching TV when she came

he
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I completely agree with you Avangi!!!

I'd like to make an addition.

If u are teaching your students such kind of sentences in Reprted Speech; like:

My father said: "The earth goes round the Sun"

When turning this sentnece into an indirect speech we should not forget that "The Earth goes round the Sun" is a fact, an unchangeable fact, is an ongoing process, thu
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<p></p>

so, to conclude,
which one do you think is the most suitable??
A. he said that they had been watching TV when she had come
B. he said that they had been watching TV when she came.
C. he said that they were watching TV when she came.
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(A) is wrong.

(C) is correct.

(B) is correct, but it could indicate that you had stopped watching TV before she arrived.
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