He wanted to know where I was born.

[sb70012]

10. Direct = "Where were you born?" he asked me.
Indirect = He wanted to know where I was born.

Source: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_p...ted-speech.php

As you know we change the tense while converting a direct speech into an indirect speech.
I think the blue part should have been "had been". Because the first sentence or the direct sentence has used
simple past. So for indirect speech we should go one step further back which is past perfect (had been).

Aren't I right?

 

[MikeNewYork]

10. Direct = "Where were you born?" he asked me.
Indirect = He wanted to know where I was born.

Source: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_p...ted-speech.php

As you know we change the tense while converting a direct speech into an indirect speech.
I think the blue part should have been "had been". Because the first sentence or the direct sentence has used
simple past. So for indirect speech we should go one step further back which is past perfect (had been).

Aren't I right?

I know that the rules for indirect speech usually require backshifting. However, there are two things about this example that make backshifting less important. First, it is obvious that your birth preceded the conversation. Second, the place of your birth is never going to change.

 

[sb70012]

Is it incorrect if I write "had been born"?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Is it incorrect if I write "had been born"?

No, that would be correct. I would probably use the other, though.

 

[Barb_D]

You will see more backshifting from present to past than from past to past perfect, in general.

 

[MikeNewYork]

You will see more backshifting from present to past than from past to past perfect, in general.

I agree. I think that in AmE we tend to use the past perfect (and even the present perfect) less often than they use it in BrE.