Questions tagged [reported-speech]
For questions about the report of one speaker or writer on the words spoken, written, or thought by someone else.
397
questions
0
votes
1answer
23 views
Can I change the future tense into the past tense?
Can I change the future tense into the past tense when I change the direct speech into the indirect speech?
“I will open the door”
I said I would open the door.
I said I opened the door.
The door ...
1
vote
0answers
35 views
Can "shout" or "scream" be used to introduce reported speech?
Is it grammatically correct to say:
She shouted at him that he hooked up with his friend.
She screams at him that he is stupid.
0
votes
1answer
11 views
Does "any" change to "some" in reported speech?
This sentence appeared in a reported speech exercise assigned to me.
"Are there any oranges in the fridge?", she asked her mom.
This is the exercise's key — it changed "any" to &...
1
vote
1answer
19 views
Can we use the time expression (... ago) in past perfect tense?
I've read it somewhere that the time expression (... ago) (e.g. two days ago, two weeks ago, etc.) is only used in the simple past.
But in the exercise on unit 35, Advanced Grammar in Use I found this ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Is putting the pronoun after the reporting verb ungrammatical and obsolete?
Hewings M. in his book Advanced Grammar in Use explains that in the English used in stories and novels, the reporting verb (e.g. ask, continue) is often placed before the subject when the reporting ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
Why is 'I asked who was the winner' correct?
The title has said everything, I suppose. I read a related discussion in this site yesterday (I don't have the link because I don't remember) that the answerer says it's incorrect to write that way ...
0
votes
3answers
31 views
Why is the pronoun 'we' not changed to 'they' in this reported speech?
"Are we late?"
Anna ______ late.
A. asked we are
B. said we were
C. asked if we were
The answer should be C. To my understanding, the pronoun we should be changed to they in reported ...
1
vote
1answer
49 views
‘Thankin' God that you weren't here’
September saw a month of tears
And thankin' God that you weren't here
To see me like that
Is “God” indirect object?
Tim McGraw
By Taylor Swift
0
votes
2answers
39 views
I'm really confused about using 'SAYS' and 'SAID'
Renzo said that he'll show up the big event.
He says that he can cook with casts on his arms.
What's the difference between these two sentences?
0
votes
0answers
16 views
he said to me, "traitor" change to indirect
he said to me, "traitor" change to indirect
would the indirect be : He called me a traitor. or
He told me that I have been a traitor.
0
votes
1answer
25 views
john said, "David must go tomorrow." would the indirect form be John said that David must have gone the following day?
john said, "David must go tomorrow." would the indirect form be John declared that David must have gone the following day ?
or would it be: john said that David would have to go the ...
2
votes
1answer
47 views
What is indirect form of: he said, "If I were you, I would protest."
What is indirect form of:
He said, "If I were you, I would protest."
I think the answer is:
If he had been I, he would have protested
Can it also be:
If he had been me instead of I
or ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
who my roommate was
a. He asked me who my roommate was.
a. He asked me who was my roommate.
Are both grammatically correct?
What is the difference in their meanings if they are both correct?
I can see at least three ...
1
vote
2answers
99 views
She called me before dinner and said she _____ arrive home until eleven, so we don't need to wait for her---"wouldn't" or "won't"
Iris: What's wrong with you, honey?
Theo: Look at the clock. It is almost 10 p.m., but Anna hasn't got home yet.
Iris: She called me before dinner and said she _______arrive home until eleven, so we ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
I promised/offered her to send the money right away
Page 632 of Collins English Usage reads
When you are reporting an action that the speaker intends to perform,
you can sometimes use either a 'to'-infinitive or a 'that'-clause.
You do not use a 'to'-...
4
votes
3answers
433 views
"In whose symbolic shadow we stand today"
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
It's a line from Martin Luther King's famous speech, I wonder if it is inverted?
...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
"Didn't need/have to do" vs "needn't have done"
If it was not necessary for someone to do something on a particular
occasion, you say that they didn't need/have to do it, but in a
reporting clause you can use needn't do it, as in They knew they
...
0
votes
1answer
59 views
Is it correct to say " The teacher said that London is the capital of England "? [closed]
https://znanija.com/task/43770790
On the above address you can see that "The teacher said that London is the capital of England" is mentioned as a correct sentence. Is it grammatically true? ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Changing simple present direct speech into indirect speech
Consider the following direct speech:
He said, "she is an intelligent student".
I want to change it into indirect speech and I don't know which tense to use for the subordinate clause:
He ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Using the proper tense
He mentioned that he ........ problems at home, but he didn't explain. However, reading between the lines, I guess his relationship with his wife is not as nice as it used to be.
a. has (while he ...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
The headmaster said "why?" change it into indirect speech
I'm facing trouble changing it. Would you please help me solve the problem?
The headmaster said "why?"
Change the above sentence into indirect speech please.
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Reporting past events
Could anybody pick the correct alternative to report this event in the present?
BOSTON and LONDON, July 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchard Therapeutics today announced that the company has received ...
0
votes
1answer
48 views
Bob said he “saw” Alex the previous week - is this correct?
I remember in a subordinate clause both past perfect and simple past are fine.
But I am not sure so I came up with this question.
Two days ago, Bob told me, "he saw Alex last week."
Today, ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Is direct speech an object of a verb?
I said that I played soccer.
“That I player soccer” is an object of a verb.”
I said, “I played soccer.”
Is “‘I played soccer’” an object of a verb?
1
vote
1answer
51 views
Future real conditional (also first conditional ) in a reported speech: was or were?
Questions:
Q1:
When using a first real conditional in a reported speech, it has to be backshifted. But I don't know whether to use: was or were?
Q2:
Are the tenses of the italic words (met and went) ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Reported speech confusion
Direct speech
“I worked in a bank for 3 years,” said Michael.
Reported speech
Michael said that he had worked in a bank for three years.
Is had worked necessary there, or would just worked have ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
he said he had not received it vs he said he did not receive it [duplicate]
He said he had not received it vs he said he did not receive it .
Does the second sentence means that the saying and the non receiving happened quite at the same time whereas "had not received&...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Am I obliged to backshift here in this situation
Is it possible not to backshift if the situation is still the same?
He told me he has not received it if at the time of reporting he has still not received it or is it better to backshift? I think ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
If it doesn't rain, I will come
At 1 PM:
Friend: John, will you come to the party with us? (the party is at night)
John: If it doesn't rain, I will come. (looking at the weather forecast for the day, which predicts rain at night)
At ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
In these cases what is the best solution
I was given a wrong number
Is this reported speech possible
"he said he was given a wrong number" (with no backshift) if it is reported 10 minutes after it was said . Would it be better to ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Converting "'You have been here for two years and we are going to stay another six months' he said" to reported speech
How can I convert this to the form of "He said that..."?
"You have been here for two years and we are going to stay another six months" he said.
My answer:
He said that I had ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
Reported speech: yesterday vs the day before
Is it always necessary to change the time word in Reported Speech? For example, if we have some additional information after time word we do need to change the time word? If we always need to do that, ...
0
votes
2answers
47 views
Converting "Do you have any relatives who used to live there?" to reported speech, is "have" or "had" correct?
Context:
Person A found a old paper written in Arabic script in their basement. They took a picture of it and post it on a language forum.
Person B says:
Do you have any relatives who used to live in ...
1
vote
0answers
43 views
What will be the Indirect form of the sentence - Ron said, "Jean will look after the dogs while we are away." -
The answer given in textbook is - Ron said that Jean would look after the dogs while they were away.
But this doesnt seems right. "were" sounds wrong
0
votes
0answers
81 views
Change of direct speech: He said to me, "I had to do the work."
What is the indirect speech of the following sentence:
He said to me, "I had to do the work."
-1
votes
1answer
36 views
Punctuating reporting speech [closed]
How do I punctuate a sentence like this:
May he stay in school and become a doctor wished his parents while we
his friends wished may he return home soon and join the army along with us.
This is ...
0
votes
2answers
76 views
free relatives and indirect questions
How do you distinguish a free relative from an indirect question? Both begin with wh-words. How are they different in meaning?
Are the following sentences examples of free relatives or indirect ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Jacob said to Jane, "I was absolutely furious." What will be the answer in indirect speech?
Jacob said to Jane, “I was absolutely furious.”
What will be the answer in indirect speech?
Rule says ‘was’ (simple past) will be converted to past perfect.
According to this rule the answer will be
...
1
vote
0answers
35 views
Reported speech with two parts
When we turn direct reported speech into indirect reported speech, the rules are different depending on whether the speech is an imperative or a statement.
Direct: He told her "Turn right at the ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Using of 'past perfect' in indirect narration
We know that in indirect narration, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, for the reported verb simple past is changed to past perfect.
For example,
Direct narration: I said to you, "Did ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Indirect speech and direct speech
Should I use direct speech if the speech is non-sense? For example, someone says ‘qpwoeiru,’ then is saying ‘someone says qpwoeiru’ wrong but is saying “someone says ‘qpwoeiru’” right?
0
votes
0answers
16 views
How can I transform to reported speech this: "As soon as it shall have been perfected, we would be pleased to receive it."?
G. L. Gillespie, “Letter to R. M. Nevin”, Washington, DC, January 24,
1905.
From: War Department, Board of Ordnance & Fortification.
To: Hon. R. M. Nevin, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C....
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Is that reported speech or something else?
I saw this headline in a newspaper: "Biden says he's anxious to see what Republicans do in impeachment trial".
Could you say is that some sort of "headlinese" or it just a correct ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
How to change this to indirect speech?
She said to him, "Would you like a pizza today?"
How to change this to indirect speech?
Is it She asked him if he would have liked a pizza that day.?
2
votes
1answer
76 views
How to transform '"Who's next please?" She wanted to know' into indirect speech
I added a that, changed and switched the verb.
So my answer was She wanted to know who the next was. But the correct one is She wanted to know who was next. Why the verb stayed at the exactly same ...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
Reported speach and "until"
I have the following sentence:
I'll be reading you a story until it is time to go to bed.
I need to build a reported speech example from the sentence. So, I have something like:
She said that she ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
reporting verb + verb in -ing form
I have a question regarding reporting verbs such as "deny", which are followed by another verb in -ing form.
Direct speech: "I didn't steal the car", said Harry.
The action is in ...
1
vote
0answers
24 views
Indirect speech for past tense
What would be the indirect speech for the sentence given below.
The teacher said,"she was sick yesterday".
Which one is correct.
The teacher said that she was sick the previous day.
The ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Specific question with direct/indirect speech
Hi I’m a student from Germany and I have a problem with this grammatical speech.
I understand the direct and indirect speech. But let me give you an example for my question.
For example,
Luis says: I ...
0
votes
2answers
136 views
What <has><had> he done? vs What did he do?
I want to ask. In below conversation, which one I should use?
A : Why do you hate him ? ( What has he done / what did he do ) to you ?" >>
B : Sorry what did you say?
A : I asked you what (...
