Mary said (that) she is fat.

[Tan Elaine]

Mary said, "I am fat."

When reporting what Mary said is it necessary to use 'that' or is it optional? Should 'that' be included when one is sitting for an English exam?

Mary said (that) she is fat.

Thanks.

 

[Afit]

Mary said (that) she is fat.

In reported speech, the word that is often used after said, but that is optional.

Quoted Speech, Reported Speech, and Quotation Marks for writing English on My English Teacher and MyEnglishTeacher.net

 

[ysc1230]

I wonder if "Mary said (that) she is fat." is correct.

Should we rewrite as "Mary said she was fat."?

Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

As Mary is still fat, you can use either is or was.

Rover

 

[Afit]

I wonder if "Mary said (that) she is fat." is correct.

Should we rewrite as "Mary said she was fat."?

Thanks.

If the truth of the reported statement, that "she is fat", still applies at the moment of reporting, resort to backshifting is optional.

Mary said she is fat. :tick:
Mary said she was fat. :tick:

Some dyed-in-the-wool prescriptivists will disagree with me.

 

[bagzi94]

As Mary is still fat, you can use either is or was.

Rover

What about Present Perfect: Mary said that she has been fat.

 

[Afit]

What about Present Perfect: Mary said that she has been fat.

Fine.

She said that yesterday, and she started becoming fat last year.

 

[bhaisahab]

Fine.

She said that yesterday, and she started becoming fat last year.

Only if she says that she has been fat since last year.

 

[ysc1230]

Thank all teachers.


In my mind, as reported speech is used to reporting someone conversation, then I need not consider whether the statement is still true.

Therefore, I think I should report the statement to others by using past tense.

1. Mary said "I am fat". ->> Mary said she was fat.

 

[Afit]

Only if she says that she has been fat since last year.

I thought is was obvious from my sentence. ;-)

 

[Raymott]

Thank all teachers.


In my mind, as reported speech is used to reporting someone conversation, then I need not consider whether the statement is still true.

Therefore, I think I should report the statement to others by using past tense.

1. Mary said "I am fat". ->> Mary said she was fat.

I agree. Backshifting will always (fingers crossed!) be right, so it's less confusing simply to always do it.
To me, "Mary said she is fat." is an unlikely sentence in real life.