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"Indirect Speech: Say, Tell and Tense Changes" - Coggle Diagram
"Indirect Speech: Say, Tell and Tense Changes"
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There are no tense changes in indirect speech if: the reporting verb is in a present tense; this is often the case with simultaneous reporting or when the original words were spoken a short time ago and are still relevant:
Joanna: I have just arrived in Hanoi.Joanna says she has just arrived in Hanoi. (reporting a recent telephone conversation; the reporting verb say is in present simple)
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George said he is meeting Karen tomorrow. (reported on the same day, tomorrow still refers to tomorrow)
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George said he was meeting Karen the following day. (reported days later, the meeting has already happened)
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Once, people believed that the earth was flat. (the reported words are no longer true; people do not believe that the earth is flat)
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Tenses change in indirect speech if:the reported words are no longer true or are out-of-date; this is often the case when we report something after the reference point of the original statement and the reporting verb is in a past tense
the reported words are no longer true or are out-of-date; this is often the case when we report something after the reference point of the original statement and the reporting verb is in a past tense:
When I met Philip in 1980, he said he had never been to Brunei, but he was thinking about going there. (reported years later; the reported words are out of date)
we want to report objectively; when we do not know whether the reported words are true, and we do not want to suggest that they are:
Tim: Sorry, I can't go to work this week. I'm ill.
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When I met Philip in 1980, he said he had never been to Brunei.
When I arrived at work, I remembered that I hadn't locked the door to my apartment.
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When I met Philip in 1980, he said he was thinking about going to Brunei.
When I entered the room, I saw that she was studying.
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With 'tell' we NEED the object (e.g. 'me', 'you', 'her').
With 'say' we CAN'T use the object (e.g. 'me', 'them', 'us').
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