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Jack112 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Said

Scenario:

John: Can you organize the CDs for me please, Paul?

Paul: Sure, I can do it now. I can do my other task later, it is almost done.

(John walks away and Albert comes in.)

Paul: Hey Albert, I'll work on our task a bit later okay? John just asked me to organize the CDs.

Albert: We really don't have time for his stuff right now. Let's get our task done first.

Paul: Okay, fine.

(Albert walks out and sees John on the way out.)

Albert: John, Paul just told me that he is organizing the CDs for you but not anymore. I told him to do it later. We need to get our task done first.

(End)

1. Albert: John, Paul just told me that he is organizing the CDs for you but not anymore. I told him to do it later. We need to get our task done first. (I don't get this. Should I use immediate past tense or use reported speech 'was' ? Which one should I use and why?)

Thanks a bunch.
  

Top answer

Hello Jack I'd say 'he has just told me he is organizing the CDs' or 'he just told me he was organizing the CDs'. MrP

— MrPedantic

  • Hello Jack I'd say 'he has just told me he is organizing the CDs' or 'he just told me he was organizing the CDs'.
  • MrP
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3 Answers
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Hello Jack

I'd say 'he has just told me he is organizing the CDs' or 'he just told me he was organizing the CDs'.

MrP
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MrPedantic
Hello Jack

I'd say 'he has just told me he is organizing the CDs' or 'he just told me he was organizing the CDs'.

MrP

But is the present perfect compatible with 'anymore' ?

1. Albert: John, Paul has just told me that he is organizing the CDs for you but not anymore. (This is not incorrect
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Well, it's not very elegant. It really means:

"John, Paul has just told me that he's organizing the CDs for you. But (he's) not (organizing them for you) any more."

('Any more' is 2 words.)

MrP
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