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He said to us, “Why are you all sitting about there doing nothing?” Change into indirect speech.

He said to us, “Why are you all sitting about there doing nothing?” Change into indirect speech.

1 Answer

  1. Indirect Speech: He asked us why we were all sitting about there doing nothing.

    Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the present continuous tense, then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past continuous tense.

    Present Continuous Tense > Past Continuous Tense.

    Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the past (said) and the direct speech is in the present indefinite tense (simple present tense), then the indirect (reported) speech will change into the past indefinite tense.

    Present Indefinite Tense > Past Indefinite Tense.

    And if the sentence is interrogative, we use the reporting verbs – asked, enquired, etc.

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