reported speech

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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amamsa
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reported speech

Post by amamsa »

I have a question about reported speech.
In a textbook I have it is said we dont do backsihft when the reporting verb is in a present tense
example: He SAYS we ARE spending more and more time on the internet.

However there is no explanation for when we actually use this and when we do not backshift the reporting verb so it would look like this:
He SAID we WERE spending more and more time on the internet.

I think there are instances (like reporting then immediately after it was said) where we could say:
He SAID we ARE spending more and more time on the internet.

But thats not the same as the first example right?
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Alan
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Re: reported speech

Post by Alan »

Failing to apply tense concord rules is never an obligation, but simply an exception widely tolerated except where it might result in ambiguity.

My advice to you as a learner is always to follow tense concord rules: it will never be incorrect to do so!

The job of interpreting the time reference falls to the collocutor!
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