Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
new member of a group; new employee
profession
nomination
recruit
fellow
full quiz correct answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   Album   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
What does "You're such a clutz" mean? | meaning of "drag out"
listening exercisestell a friend
Message
Author
Expression: "She said she was seeing TV" #1 (permalink) Wed Jun 27, 2007 18:26 pm   Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"
 

Hi

(For more feedback and learning I have asked this question somewhere else also—I hope it is not morally wrong)

I am aware that according to the rules of reported speech it should be
Quote:
"She said she had been seeing TV."


But would you say that the following expression really sounds odd or wrong to your native ears.

Quote:
"She said she was seeing TV."
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2103

Expression: "She said she was seeing TV" #2 (permalink) Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:23 am   Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"
 

.
The 'seeing' is wrong; we 'watch' TV. As for your main question, what is the direct speech?

Posting elsewhere is not morally wrong; the internet is free to all. Personally, I spend much less time and effort answering questions that I find have been posted elsewhere-- that is all.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's
Mister Micawber
Language Coach


Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 13015

What do you know about the progressive forms?English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!Here is how you can learn English the fun way! Click to subscribe to free email English course
Expression: "She said she was seeing TV" #3 (permalink) Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:30 am   Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"
 

Mister Micawber wrote:
.
What is the direct speech?

.


MM, many thanks for nailing that down. Please see:

Direct speech: She said, "She is watching TV."
Indirect speech: She said she had been watching TV.

My question is why the following is incorrect?

Quote:
She said she was watching TV.


Let's suppose I ask my friend on telephone.

"What are you doing?"
"I am watching TV."

After the call I tell me mother:

Quote:
She said she was watching TV.


Do you think the sentence sounds wrong to native ears? If not, then why on earth the books state such sentences incorrect?

Many thanks, MM

Tom
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2103

Expression: "She said she was seeing TV" #4 (permalink) Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:07 am   Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"
 

.
Well, normally the direct speech is presented as a simple quote: 'She is watching TV.' This is in the present tense, and the report is then: 'She said that she was watching TV.'

However, you have presented an unusual premise: 'She said, "She is watching TV." ' I presume then that the report is 'She said that she had said, "She is watching TV".

How it permutates to 'She said she had been watching TV' is unclear to me, though I can see that that is the intended information.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's
Mister Micawber
Language Coach


Joined: 17 Jul 2005
Posts: 13015

Expression: "She said she was seeing TV" #5 (permalink) Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:01 am   Expression: "She said she was seeing TV"
 

Hi, MM

I dare say that if the premise is She said "I was watching TV", then it must be transformed into She said that she had been watching TV
On the other hand, if She said "I have been watching TV (for a while)", then She said that she had been watching TV(for a while)

Please, correct me if I'm wrong
Lost_Soul
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 15 Sep 2006
Posts: 1861
Location: South Park, Colorado, USA

Display posts from previous:   
What does "You're such a clutz" mean? | meaning of "drag out"
ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on English Forums
Does anybody has some tests like this? (elementary, pre-intermediate)'pay for the surgical operation' or 'pay the surgical operation'Is there any grammar mistake in 'Surely among the treasures of righteousness...He is studying for his German test...Article 'a' with the word pain: "I have a pain in my body"Why past tense? (the server return an error saying he was not in the Lotus...)Sentence: This xxx proposes the synthesis of sub-elements from a 3-port...To OK the deal? (using OK as a verb?)How do you use the word "less"?Can you boast your qualifications in a postive way?Expression "That last time"Difference between 'I have come' and 'I came''If I would have met' vs 'If I had met'

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail