Reported Speech

Welcome to ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans, activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Reported Speech

Reported Speech

chrisling831

Reported Speech

Dear all

Recently I have been working with my students on reported speech. Rules tell me that I should change verbs which are in the form of past tense into past perfect.

Example (1)

�I saw the movie last night �, Peter said.

Peter said he had seen the movie the night before.

Example (2)

However, what is the answer for this one?

�The game was interesting � John said.

Is it "John said the game had been interesting" ? or "John said the game was interesting"?

Since there is no action in example 2, I just think the first answer is a bit weird but rules tell me that I should change "was" into "had been".

Thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers

Chris

13 Jan 2011

zagoracity

Hello dear! I think the first option in examlpe 2 is the appropriate one.Why? Simply because if we change the sentence the other way around , it would be much clearer .For example , "The game is interesting" John said, would be John said the game was interesting.Therefore,"The game was interesting" John said would be John said the game had been interesting. hope it helps.

13 Jan 2011

mohzayat

Dear ,

both are correct if you want to show that it had been done a long time ago use the past perfect .

if it has been just said use the past simple.

13 Jan 2011