Reported Speech Question

Hi, pal.

Indirect speech needs clear adaptations. So if you want to report the second part of the sergeant sentence, you need to show the shift in your report. Also, we don't know who he was talking to. Thus, that "you" on the sencond part is not clear.

I would say: "The sergeant answered it was not far. And he added they had their bike."

What do you think of it?

Thinking SpainWhat sounds odd to me is the period and then the other sentence.

It is odd. It's tricky trying to get nuances like these into reported speech. Maybe,

The sergeant answered that it wasn't far, (especially) considering that he had his bike.

The past of 'has got' is truly 'had got', but as an American, it doesn't fi

The period is fine. You have two independent clauses, so there is no problem with a period being there- the other way you could do it is to replace the period with a semicolon, but I wouldn't.

In your last portion there, however, it should be he had his bike, not he had got his bike.

I hope this helps.

-S

Hi Jim,

Thank you for your reply. Nice to see you around again.

It should be like this then:

The serge

Hi sbolton,

Thanks for you reply.

'I have to use 'He had got' because it is British.

Best,

TS

Thinking Spain'considering that': here the conjunction 'that is optional, isn't it?

Yes, but to my ear it sounds a bit clipped without that.

Thinking SpainTo conect two sentences in reported speech is always difficult.

Just an aside. The -ing form is much more idiomatic than the infinitive as the sub

Hi Renan,

renan torres-riveroAlso, we don't know who he was talking to.

He is talking to a police officer. Though after answer we don't really need to mention the object pro(noun) because it is quite obvious that he answered to someone. At least that's how I've been taught.

Thank you for your reply and suggestions.

"The sergeant answered i

Thinking Spain"The sergeant answered it was not far. And he added they had their bike."

This is a small point, perhaps, but this doesn't capture the relationship between the two thoughts. That is, it doesn't say that the sergeant was thinking that having the bike would make the trip faster. It's the nuance of the 'besides' in the original that seems missing

Hi Jim,

Thank you for your reply and advices.

CalifJimThe -ing form is much more idiomatic than the infinitive as the subject of a sentence.

It's true! I've read it somwhere. It's lack of practice.

Thinking SpainThank you for your reply and --advices-- advice.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Thinking SpainIt's true! I've read it somwhere.

You've read it somewhere? Well, that settles it! It mustbe true!