Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Say vs. Said
John: Adding X is not necessary.
A. Mary: When you say it is not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
B. Mary: When you say it was not necessary, you don't mean adding X made it incorrect? OR
C. Mary: When you said it is not necessary, you didn't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
D. Mary: When you said it is not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
E. Mary: When you said it was not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
F. Mary: When you said it was not necessary, you didn't mean adding X made it incorrect?
1. Which of the replies by Mary are possible?
2. How are the possible sentences different in meaning?
3. When we use 'say' above, does it mean Mary replied immediately?
4. When we use 'said' above, does it mean Mary replied after some time?
5. If the answers to 3 and 4 are 'no', what is the difference between 'say' and 'said above?
6. Which is/are most natural?
7. It is also correct to omit 'When' above and begin with 'You'?
Jim: I am good at sports.
G. Ana: He says he is good at sports.
H. Ana: He said he was good at sports.
8. In reported speech, when do we say 'say' and 'said' above?
9. How are the replies by Ana different?
A. Mary: When you say it is not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
B. Mary: When you say it was not necessary, you don't mean adding X made it incorrect? OR
C. Mary: When you said it is not necessary, you didn't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
D. Mary: When you said it is not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
E. Mary: When you said it was not necessary, you don't mean adding X makes it incorrect? OR
F. Mary: When you said it was not necessary, you didn't mean adding X made it incorrect?
1. Which of the replies by Mary are possible?
2. How are the possible sentences different in meaning?
3. When we use 'say' above, does it mean Mary replied immediately?
4. When we use 'said' above, does it mean Mary replied after some time?
5. If the answers to 3 and 4 are 'no', what is the difference between 'say' and 'said above?
6. Which is/are most natural?
7. It is also correct to omit 'When' above and begin with 'You'?
Jim: I am good at sports.
G. Ana: He says he is good at sports.
H. Ana: He said he was good at sports.
8. In reported speech, when do we say 'say' and 'said' above?
9. How are the replies by Ana different?
Top answer
Please could someone help me on this. I would be very grateful.
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AnonymousPlease could someone help me on this. I would be very grateful.It's quite a daunting question. There are so many permutations that my mind just went numb and I gave up. Hopefully someone can help, but if not you could maybe try to break up the question into simpler components and ask these separately.
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I understand it's too many. Ok, I will break up the questions into separate topics. Thank you for your response.
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