indirect speech

[learner110]

hi,


how can i change the following sentence into indirect speech?

he says, "i was sick on monday."


can i say like this

he said that he was sick on monday

or i should change the tense there

like

he said that he had been sick on monday

plz correct me

thanks

god bless you

 

[philo2009]

Formal standard would require 'had been' here to specify a past anterior (relative past) situation.

For daily, informal use, however, the preterite, especially in AmE, would be considered unexceptionable by the majority of speakers.

 

[tedtmc]

not a teacher

he said that he was sick on monday - correct

he said that he had been sick on monday - wrong

 

[whitemoon]

hi,


how can i change the following sentence into indirect speech?

he says, "i was sick on monday."


can i say like this

he said that he was sick on monday

or i should change the tense there

like

he said that he had been sick on monday

plz correct me

thanks

god bless you

For me, both are right.
He said that he was sick on Monday.
He said that he had been sick on Monday.
Always I say, " He said he went there." "She told me she didn't write a letter."

 

[whitemoon]

not a teacher

he said that he was sick on monday - correct

he said that he had been sick on monday - wrong

Why did you say wrong?

 

[bhaisahab]

not a teacher

he said that he was sick on monday - correct

he said that he had been sick on monday - wrong

Not at all. Both are correct, the second one is better than the first in my opinion.

 

[whitemoon]

hi,


how can i change the following sentence into indirect speech?

he says, "i was sick on monday."


can i say like this

he said that he was sick on monday

or i should change the tense there

like

he said that he had been sick on monday

plz correct me

thanks

god bless you

Sorry. Let me change my opinion.
See carefully again please.
In the direct speech, the learner used "he says I was sick on monday".
So says is present tense. Instead of the common said, if "say" is used, in that case the verb tenses usually remain the same.
Therefore I prefer
"He says that he was sick on Monday."

 

[tedtmc]

Not at all. Both are correct, the second one is better than the first in my opinion.

He had been sick on Monday

The sentence would be correct if it is:

He had been sick since Monday.

'Had been sick' is in the past perfect continuous tense, meaning the action or the condition (being sick) was on-going until the statement was made and was not limited to Monday only.

 

[bhaisahab]

He had been sick on Monday

The sentence would be correct if it is:

He had been sick since Monday.

'Had been sick' is in the past perfect continuous tense, meaning the action or the condition (being sick) was on-going until the statement was made and was not limited to Monday only.

"Had been sick" is past perfect, not past perfect continuous.

 

[whitemoon]

He had been sick on Monday

The sentence would be correct if it is:

He had been sick since Monday.

'Had been sick' is in the past perfect continuous tense, meaning the action or the condition (being sick) was on-going until the statement was made and was not limited to Monday only.

Let's think "changing direct speech to indirect speech". That's what the learner wants.

 

[whitemoon]

"Had been sick" is past perfect, not past perfect continuous.

Indeed.
If "adjective" is used as "verb" in the sentence, "be" must be used before it.
I am sick. (simple present)
I was sick. (simple past)
I have been sick. (present perfect)
I had been sick. (past perfect)
I will be sick. (simple future)
I would be sick. (past future)
I have been being sick. (present perfect continuous)
I had been being sick. (past perfect continuous)
I want to be sick.

 

[tedtmc]

"Had been sick" is past perfect, not past perfect continuous.

OK, past perfect.
Can you use the past perfect(had been sick) when the time (Monday) is specified?

 

[bhaisahab]

OK, past perfect.
Can you use the past perfect(had been sick) when the time (Monday) is specified?

Yes you can. "He said that he had been sick on Monday" is perfectly correct as reported speech.

 

[philo2009]

not a teacher

he said that he was sick on monday - correct

he said that he had been sick on monday - wrong

I recommend that you remain a non-teacher!

 

[philo2009]

He had been sick on Monday

The sentence would be correct if it is:

He had been sick since Monday.

'Had been sick' is in the past perfect continuous tense, meaning the action or the condition (being sick) was on-going until the statement was made and was not limited to Monday only.

Not in the least! I suggest that you defer to the natives on this one, rather than applying your own imperfect understanding of tense concord rules!
As I have already stated,

He said that he had been sick on Monday.

is perfectly CORRECT!

 

[tedtmc]

I recommend that you remain a non-teacher!

philo
The mistake was acknowledged two days ago. There is no need to be sarcastic. You remarks are uncalled for.

 

[philo2009]

philo
The mistake ...uncalled for.

Apologies. I had not noticed your retraction.