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Alex P Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Reported Speech : statements

Hi, I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a couple of reported speech statements.

The first one is this:

"Charlie didn't want any ice cream"

If I move it back a tense to " Jess said Charlie hadn't wanted any ice cream" then it doesn't sound right.

If I say "Jess said Charlie didn't want any ice cream", then it sounds right but doesn't move back a tense. If this is correct then could someone explain why it doesn't move back a tense?

Also,

"my son paints very well".

I would change this to "Mrs Roberts said her son painted very well"... but not sure.

I would be very grateful for some help.. thanks.
  

Top answer

I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a couple of reported speech statements. The first one is this: "Charlie didn't want any ice cream" If I move it back a tense to " Jess said Charlie hadn't wanted any ice cream" then it doesn't sound right. If I say "Jess said Charlie didn't want any ice cream", then it sounds right but doesn't move back a tense.

— Clive

  • I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a couple of reported speech statements.
  • The first one is this: "Charlie didn't want any ice cream" If I move it back a tense to " Jess said Charlie hadn't wanted any ice cream" then it doesn't sound right.
  • If I say "Jess said Charlie didn't want any ice cream", then it sounds right but doesn't move back a tense.
  • If this is correct then could someone explain why it doesn't move back a tense?
  • It's just that we usually don't move the Simple Past back.
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3 Answers
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I was hoping someone would be able to help me with a couple of reported speech statements.

The first one is this:

"Charlie didn't want any ice cream"

If I move it back a tense to " Jess said Charlie hadn't wanted any ice cream" then it doesn't sound right.

If I say "Jess said Charlie didn't want any ice cream", then it sounds right but doesn't move back a tens
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Alex PIf I say "Jess said Charlie didn't want any ice cream", then it sounds right but doesn't move back a tense. If this is correct then could someone explain why it doesn't move back a tense?
to want ice cream is a stative predicate. No action occurs.

That's probably why the reported speech version sounds just fine without the backshift to '
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Brilliant answers Clive and Jim. That makes sense. Thank you very much for your help
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