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They said, “We cannot live without water.” Change into Indirect Speech

They said, “We cannot live without water.” Change into Indirect Speech

    3 Answers

    2. Zainab Shaikh

      Indirect Speech: They said that we cannot live without water.

      Explanation: When the reported clause of a direct speech is a universal truth or any historical event or habitual action, then the tense of the indirect speech doesn’t change, no matter in whatever tense the reporting verb is.

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    3. ADARSH RAJ SINGH

      Indirect Speech: They said that we cannot live without water.

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    4. Karthika -
      Best Answer
      This answer was edited.

      Analysis of the question: 

      1. Universal truth
      2. The reporting verb is in past tense
      3. The reported clause is in present tense

       

      Rule applied:

      • When the reporting verb is in past tense and the reported clause is in present tense it changes to past.

      Answer:

      They said that they could not live without water.

      Explanation:

      • “That” is added to show that it has taken place in the past.
      • “We” changes to they as the person who is reporting what someone said is usually different from the person who made the original statement.
      • cannot changes to could not as simple present changes to simple past.

       

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