Questions tagged [indirect-speech]
Indirect speech is speech describing what someone has said without using a direct quote.
159
questions
0
votes
0answers
16 views
Is this reported sentence correct? [closed]
The reported question is the final clause of the following sentence:
What needs to be discussed is what do we mean by standardized English?
3
votes
1answer
284 views
Can I use “Would” instead of the infinitive?
In the example, "I expect she will not tell the truth/ I don't expect she will tell the truth," said the judge.
My teacher said that it should be reported this way, "The judge didn't ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Why use “will” instead of “would” in this case
My teacher of Grammar at university told us that when we report a speech that was said in the past, we replace "will" by "would". However, in this example, she used "will"...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
does it sound natural?
"I'm British"
I told the police I was British
I told the police I am British
In the following situation "was" sounds more natural.
Then the police arrived... I told them I was ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Started early because I had some lectures to attend later on. OR Started early because I have some lectures to attend later on
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
I started early because I had some lectures to attend later on.
OR
I started early because I have some lectures to attend later on.
0
votes
0answers
67 views
Reported speech: “would do something”, or “would have done something”
What would the following be in reported speech?
Q "If I had any money I'd buy you a drink" she said.
(a) She told me she would buy me a drink if she had any/some money
or
(b) She told me she ...
0
votes
0answers
31 views
Indirect speech - which statement is correct? [duplicate]
I read this statement in an English book and I wonder if this statement is correct:
She told me that she still remembers how scared everyone was.
I have learned that in indirect speech statements ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Past perfect/simple past in reported speech
Sentences:
We told her that we had given her the money that had been saved from her husband's business. It was a pious fraud; she would have been distressed had she known we had collected it among ...
4
votes
2answers
287 views
Can “was not ᴠᴇʀʙing” and “will not ᴠᴇʀʙ” ever be exact equivalents in reported speech? [closed]
Do English speakers understand this sentence:
I told him I wasn’t playing soccer anymore.
Exactly as they would this sentence:
I told him I will not play soccer anymore.
If so, why would they ...
0
votes
0answers
17 views
Reported speech of habit of an another one
What is the reported speech of "I didn't go to the party"?.
Here the habit of someone who does not go to the party is discussed, so when we report this do we need to change the tense or not?
0
votes
1answer
52 views
direct speech to indirect speech [closed]
Zia said to Ria, "What a crisis this man has created!"
what will it be in indirect speech?
-2
votes
1answer
34 views
Changing from indirect to direct speech [closed]
Change into Direct speech:
He said that he had started a job.
Two possibilities:
He said, "I have started a job".
He said, "I started a job".
Which of the above is correct?
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Past perfect in reported statements of complex sentence
If the sentence is reported statements, whether both parts of the sentence have to be in Past Perfect or only the first one?
For example:
"I had loved her for more than half of my life," she ...
0
votes
3answers
626 views
Would like in the passive voice
When I am solving English tests. I came across with would like in passive voice. So the question is:
Mr. Brown said he'd like...by Wednesday if that's possible
a) have finished the report
b) the ...
0
votes
0answers
61 views
How to ask if someone is doing the same thing as before without using “still” for negative connotations?
"So, X, are you still living in Y?"
"So, A, are you still working at B?"
For a conversation opener or continuer, is there an alternative way to enquire, interest, about someone ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
That-clause object complement for reported conditional sentence
What is the correct way to write this sentence?
Smith and Jones argue that, since the beginning of the century, tables had shared certain basic features with chairs.
I am confused about what ...
0
votes
2answers
2k views
Would not be able to versus will not be able to
Linda phoned and explained that she would not be able to come to the party the next day because she was still sick.
Why do we use would not instead of will not?
2
votes
0answers
64 views
Problem with backshift (past simple to past perfect)
Last week in an EFL class I told students that when reporting a speech they should "backshift" the main verb, exception made when the statement is a general truth or it is still valid.
In their ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
How to change following sentence into Reported Speech? [closed]
This is not the time or place for this. Please, help I have no idea how to do it.
2
votes
0answers
26 views
Should direct speech be used in synopses?
When you're writing a synopsis for a book, a movie, or a show, is it acceptable to use direct speech? Does it look professional? Or is it better to use indirect speech when it can convey the meaning ...
-1
votes
1answer
39 views
Future tense in reported questions
Context: Boyfriend often stays out late. Girlfriend wants to say that she doesn't worry about this.
Incorrect: "I don't usually ask him when he comes home"
Correct: "I don't usually ask him ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Specified time in the Past in the Reported Speech
I am learning Reported Speech in the Past now. In my English textbook there is a rule: "When it is provided when exactly the action happened, you can leave the Past Simple as it is". I was looking it ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
Direct and Indirect speech
What would be the indirect speech for this sentence: Mina said, "Let's go for a walk".
In my opinion it should be 'Mina suggested that they should go for a walk' but according to my book it is 'Mina ...
0
votes
2answers
337 views
Reported Speech for a sentence with two clauses with 'when' conjunction;one in past continuous while the other in simple past
What will be the reported speech for the following sentence:
She said, "I was walking down the road when I saw the accident."
Possibility 1: She said that she had been walking down the road when ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
“He told me that Trump will/would win the re-election.” Will or Would?
He told that Trump {will/would} win the re-election.
I know "will" should be used in the present tense. What is confusing me is that: his words were said in the past, but his statement is actually a ...
3
votes
3answers
416 views
Direct Speech: the subordinator “that” before the reported clause
I've been taught that in "Reported Speech", the subordinator "that" is a signature of "indirect speech". For example:
He said, "I will be late." (Direct Speech)
...
0
votes
2answers
164 views
How to handle “I'd say” when turning into reported speech
How can I rewrite this sentence as reported speech?
I'd say a lot depends on the student.
I can't figure out what is going to happen with would?
0
votes
1answer
833 views
Reported Speech: He said, “I was sad”
He said, "I was sad"
In indirect speech, the past tense changes to the past perfect. What will be the past perfect form of “was sad”? Is it “had been sad”? But that is past perfect continuous, right?...
0
votes
1answer
839 views
Use of quotation marks after 'it's called X' and similar? [duplicate]
I've been looking at the Oxford Dictionary's page on inverted commas, and see that they use this example:
He called this phenomenon "the memory of water."
This seems like it would work with or ...
3
votes
1answer
132 views
Is there a grammatical form that helps you to express that you don't believe the speaker? (reported speech)
Indirect speech: Can you express that you don't believe the original speaker of a sentence (with the help of a tense or a verb form)?
2
votes
1answer
185 views
That's What She Said Quote
Okay, I'm sure most of you have seen this T-Shirt before.
But I got to thinking about it the other day. It is obviously a reference to the time-honored tradition of That's what she said in response ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
indirect speech [duplicate]
How to write this sentence in indirect speech .
Eg
He said" Some pokemons do not listen to their master".
I am confused between these two sentences.
He said that some pokemons did not listen to ...
-1
votes
1answer
719 views
Which is the correct tense: “earth was/is round”? [duplicate]
Maybe it's very simple but I'm wondering which one is correct. Google search has showed me both forms are used.
"He said the earth was round."
"He said the earth is round."
2
votes
0answers
83 views
Reporting past action in present tense - Minutes production [closed]
Ms. Smith reported staff has no objection to the request.
or
Ms. Smith reported staff had no objection to the request.
1
vote
0answers
113 views
Why do we structure dialogue/direct speech the way that we do?
I hate how we format dialogue. I believe convention has gotten too heavy and we need to think a little more about logic. That being said, my question, to be more specific, is asking about labels for ...
0
votes
1answer
87 views
Reported speech, a test task
Good day, Friends. Could you help with a test question?
The question is a ‘fill the gap’ type:
We had expected that they _______ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
b) would ...
0
votes
1answer
613 views
Reported speech - “last January”
How would you change the time expression in the following sentence into a reported-speech form?
"We have not been to London since last January?"
What about "the last January?" Or, is there no change?
1
vote
0answers
101 views
Is it grammatically incorrect to not change past continuous to past perfect cont. in reported speech?
"When Bill called me I was discussing the outcome of the project
with Jessie," said Daniel.
Daniel said he was discussing the outcome of the project with Jessie
when Bill called him.
Is this correct?
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Reported Speech - sentence with two verbs
"Did it hurt when you touched the wire?", the doctor asked.
Let's say that we want to put the above sentence in reported speech.
Would it be
The doctor asked if it had hurt when I touched the ...
0
votes
2answers
866 views
May I know which one is correct?
between saying
"I told him that if he doesn't hear from me after three days, please call the police."
and
"I told him that if he didn't hear from me after three days, please called the police."
...
1
vote
0answers
118 views
Is this an example of indirect speech?
I wrote:
School starts in August next year? I thought it started in September.
I proposed that this is one good example of how grammar can confuse people because a preterite (started) is used to ...
0
votes
2answers
57 views
Indirect Speech/whether-if
We say:
I don't know whether he is right.
Is it acceptable to say:
I don't know he's right or wrong.
1
vote
0answers
116 views
Why do some people speak like they are speaking as the person they are speaking to?
I know that question sounds confusing, but let me explain.
Alice was walking down the street when she met John. Instead of saying, "John, please listen to me.", Alice speaks as if she is John, "Will ...
0
votes
2answers
350 views
Reported speech modal verbs could and might
I know that usually we don't change modal verbs in reported speech but i want to know if it is OK to change could for might as it doesn't change the meaning. I failed my English exam on this one ...
1
vote
1answer
188 views
Why isn't it “had handed” in “the girl alleged that her mother handed her over”? [closed]
In the following reported speech:
The girl alleged that her mother handed her over to a pimp and was taking Rs 40,000 from him every month.
— Times of India Newspaper, 1st May 2018
Why is it ...
0
votes
1answer
4k views
Reported speech with “never”, which one is correct? [closed]
Direct speech: “I never lose my books”.
Which one is correct in Indirect speech:
“He said he never lost his books.”
or
“He said he never loses his books.” ?
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Is “what is the mind” is a clause like “A is B”?
I have seen some people use the sentence “what is the mind is being debated widely” instead of “what the mind is is being debated widely”.
Their reason is that “what is the mind” is a clause like “A ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Which tense we have to use for the reported speech? [closed]
There is an exercise in Raymond Murphy's book on reported speech. In Exercise 48.1, all the answers have been given in past form. However, at Unit 48.A, there is written that
It is not always ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Modal verbs in reporting
'Advanced Grammar In Use' (AGU) by Martin Hewings, UNIT 37 C, says:
The verbs could, would, should, might, needn't, ought to, used to, and could have, should have, etc. don't change in the report:
'I ...
1
vote
0answers
8k views
Someone says vs Someone said in reported speech
Is " someone says something" ( in the present) acceptable, and if yes , when?
Let's say I just got off the phone with someone, and they said they wouldn't make it on time. I've got someone in front ...
