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ESL forum > Ask for help > Indirect speech question    

Indirect speech question



anlu79
Germany

Indirect speech question
 
Hi my dear colleagues :)

a quick question about indirect speech. If we take the sentence

Claire said �The film had already started when they came � -

what �s the correct indirect speech? Is it
a) The film had already started when they had come   or
b) The film had already started when they came   ???


Many thanks!

10 Jan 2010      





niacouto
Portugal

b) is correct. One action is previous to the other. 

10 Jan 2010     



Judith@rwen
Argentina

The correct one to me is B. Because you have past perfect and past simple after it, which makes more sense. 

10 Jan 2010     



Carla Horne
United States

Hi,

If it is really important that Claire said it because someone else said something different, then say," Claire said that the film had already started when they came."

If that isn �t important, then say, "The film had already started when they arrived/came."

Have a good day,

Carla

10 Jan 2010     



serene
Greece

 
 
b) is correct. Past tenses in time clauses do not normally change.

10 Jan 2010     



svevar
Italy

b is correct

10 Jan 2010     



anlu79
Germany

Thanks! :)

11 Jan 2010