Learn · Sentences Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
They told me that they had been looking for a solution for a long time.
B2Sentence
Narrator
They told me that they had been looking for a solution for a long time.
Study notes
How to use in different contexts
Reporting News
News sources reported that the team had been searching for a solution for an extended period.
Sharing Personal Experience
They confided in me that they'd been looking for a solution for ages.
Expressing Sympathy
I understand they've been searching for a solution for a long time; it must be frustrating.
Describing a Process
The problem persisted, and they spent a considerable time looking for a solution.
Rephrased versions
Formal
They informed me of their protracted search for a resolution.
Casual
They said they'd been hunting for a fix for a while.
Simpler English
They told me they looked for a long time to solve the problem.
Phrases to learn
looking for a solution
Searching for a way to solve a problem.
for a long time
Over an extended period.