...is it was...

[Odessa Dawn]

"The official line is it was an accident but it's really not very clear at the moment what happened," a western diplomat said.

Source: Mauritania President Shot By Own Army

Because "is it was" make no sense right here, shouldn't "The official line is it was…" go in this way; the official line says (that) it was…?

[HanibalII]

"The official line is it was an accident but it's really not very clear at the moment what happened," a western diplomat said.

Source: Mauritania President Shot By Own Army

Because "is it was" make no sense right here, shouldn't "The official line is it was…" go in this way; the official line says (that) it was…?

But it does make sense.

Honestly, I'd put a coma after 'is'. But no, the sentence is not grammatically incorrect.

[Raymott]

"The official line is it was an accident but it's really not very clear at the moment what happened," a western diplomat said.

Source: Mauritania President Shot By Own Army

Because "is it was" make no sense right here, shouldn't "The official line is it was…" go in this way; the official line says (that) it was…?

It will make more sense if you change it to "The official line is that it was an accident". You can then take the 'that' out again.

[emsr2d2]

We omit "that" in this kind of construction quite frequently.

The most annoying thing about her dog is it barks all the time.
The main reason I don't want any dinner is I'm not hungry. ("That" has been omitted twice in this sentence.)
The most interesting thing about my sister is she used to be my brother.

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Hello,


As the other posters have commented, the full sentence is:

The official line is that it was an accident.

"It was an accident" is a noun clause introduced by "that." It is the complement of "official line." In other words,
"The official line = It was an accident."

For example: His excuse was (that) his car had a flat tire.

*****

It may be of interest to you to note that one can even say (rather formally):

That it was an accident is the official line.

(In that case, "that" is mandatory.)


James

[billmcd]

"The official line is it was an accident but it's really not very clear at the moment what happened," a western diplomat said.

Source: Mauritania President Shot By Own Army

Because "is it was" make no sense right here, shouldn't "The official line is it was…" go in this way; the official line says (that) it was…?

I concur with all previous responses, but I think a comma after "is" would help a reader, or if it was an actual qoute by the "official line", quotation marks would also be helpful to the reader.