When the earthquake (had) struck [in reported speech]
(1) Reiko said to Akiko, "I was half asleep when the earthquake struck."
I want to convert (1) to indirect speech. Which of the following is correct?
(2) Reiko told Akiko (that) she had been half asleep when the earthquake struck.
(3) Reiko told Akiko (that) she had been half asleep when the earthquake had struck.
Top answer
Photon Which of the following is correct? (2) (3) is not really wrong, but it's considered an over-correction. Once you introduce the correct time frame with the past perfect, you don't usually keep repeating "had", "had", "had" for every clause after that unless the time frame actually changes, and it doesn't change in this case because you have "when", which indicates something else at the same time.
- Photon Which of the following is correct?
- (2) (3) is not really wrong, but it's considered an over-correction.
- Once you introduce the correct time frame with the past perfect, you don't usually keep repeating "had", "had", "had" for every clause after that unless the time frame actually changes, and it doesn't change in this case because you have "when", which indicates something else at the same time.
- CJ
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PhotonWhich of the following is correct?
(2)
(3) is not really wrong, but it's considered an over-correction. Once you introduce the correct time frame with the past perfect, you don't usually keep repeating "had", "had", "had" for every clause after that unless the time frame actually changes, and it doesn't change in this case because you have "whe
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