The indirect-speech tag has no wiki summary.
-1
votes
0answers
33 views
“Nowadays” in reported speech — convert to “these days” or “those days”? [closed]
I can't convert a sentence that contains nowadays to reported speech. Some websites say that it should be turned into "these days", while others say it should be "those days". Which is the correct ...
3
votes
2answers
46 views
Direct to Reported Speech - a scenario of ambiguity [duplicate]
The question is:
How would one convert
He said, "My name is Harry"
to reported speech?
Rules do say that the converted sentence reads
He said that his name was Harry.
The factor causing ...
-1
votes
0answers
25 views
When quoting a person's informal speech, how much liberty do you have to make changes to what they say? [migrated]
Even during a formal interview for a news article, people speak informally. They say "uhm", they cut off sentences half-way through, they interject phrases like "you know?", and they make innocent ...
0
votes
2answers
45 views
Is reported speech reasonable in this example? [closed]
What is the right word to the gap (21)? (had/have)
That is about 400 years earlier than when the Inca Indians were
thought to (21) __ discovered the silver in the ground.
I think it's had as ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Is the sequence of tenses applied properly in this example?
I found this sentence in some book:
When Mom asked Gramma why she hasn't been answering the telephone, Gramma said. . . .
My question is about the sequence of tenses: shouldn't the past perfect ...
1
vote
4answers
102 views
Do tenses in a time clause never back-shift in reported speech? [closed]
Do tenses in a time clause never back-shift in reported speech?
For example, does "I went to Italy when I finished school." become "She said she had gone to Spain when she finished school." and "I ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Isn't this against tense agreement?
When I got home yesterday, John called and said he will arrive next
week. (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia says the sentence above is possible. Does it not break the tense agreement when there’s no ...
0
votes
1answer
143 views
Tense agreement in reported speech
Jack didn't tell me that he __ my chocolate.
eats
ate
had eaten
has eaten
I have a hard time figuring out which one to choose and why.
1
vote
3answers
153 views
“has”+perfect in reported speech of the future
(1) I will jump out from behind the couch. Then I will tell him: "I have been in the room all along."
(2) I will pronounce him dead. Then I will tell him: "You have been pronounced dead."
...
2
votes
1answer
742 views
Questions in indirect speech and verb tense change
Today I had another English lesson and all students were instructed by teacher to ask each other few predefined questions and then to report them. I got the following questions:
"What kind of ...
2
votes
4answers
118 views
“Would” in a reported statement
I am teaching some students changing original quotes into reported speech. Well, one of my students asked how the following quote can be changed into reported speech:
I would like to swim.
From ...
1
vote
2answers
172 views
Parenthetical statements in direct speech
In some novels, I have often seen parenthetical statements used within direct-speech.
e.g. from War and Peace Page 1
Non, I warn you, if you don't say this means war — if you still defend all ...
6
votes
2answers
154 views
Indirect speech for “Was there a chair there at the last lesson”
Could you please to help me with translating it to indirect speach:
"Was there a chair there at the last lesson?"
This exercise is from "Get your tenses right" by Ronald Barnes, and I have doubts ...
3
votes
2answers
329 views
Indirect, quoted speech: He's all
What does it mean, when someone is alluding to quoted speech, and says to be all something? Is this just slang?
For example:
"I'm all.. I don't think I'm gonna go".
"And he's all.. I think you
...
3
votes
4answers
590 views
Conversion to reported speech with multiple events
Which of the following is the correct conversion to reported speech?
Ms. A said: “She gave up on the justice system and on the government. That's why she committed suicide.”
Ms. A said ...
2
votes
2answers
269 views
Reported/Indirect speech of “Words fail me.”
For all grammar gods,
I have a question regarding the appropriate way to use indirect speech to report someone saying, "words fail me."
Normally, I would say: "He said that words failed him."
This ...
2
votes
1answer
481 views
Reported Speech “Will” vs “Would”
I recently got confused with the following choices while talking to a friend after class:
I sent her an email that I wouldn't come to the class.
I sent her an email that I wouldn't be coming ...
1
vote
3answers
500 views
Reported speech question
What would be the indirect speech form of the following sentence?
John told Sean, "Let me help you"
(It's not a homework question, I'm preparing for my exam tomorrow. I just stumbled upon this ...
