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This is the phrase I have:
Direct speech: The world laughed when I told what I had seen.
Indirect Speech: He said that the world had laughed when he (had) told what he had seen.
The question regarding the reported speech is, do I have to use "told" or "had told"?
Robert Werner
Posted 2016-11-24T08:25:28.380
Reputation: 698
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I'd write it this way:
"He said the world laughed when he told what he had seen."
The 'past perfect' does not need to be applied to every verb.
Jam Kay
Posted 2016-11-24T08:25:28.380
Reputation: 85
If the direct speech is: "The world laughs when I tell what I saw." then what the indirect speech equivalent would be? Is it also the same: "He said the world laughed when he told what he had seen." – Robert Werner – 2016-11-27T21:34:11.810
The past perfect is often not used when the temporal relations are clear anyway. – Colin Fine – 2020-05-31T14:39:04.350