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HOPES, INTENTIONS, PROMISES

When we report an intention, hope or promise, we use an appropriate reporting verb followed by a that-clause or a to-infinitive:

"I'll pay you the money tomorrow."
He promised to pay me the money the next day.
He promised that he would pay me the money the next day.

Other verbs used in this pattern include:
hope, propose, threaten, guarantee, swear.

Examples:

a. "I'll be back by lunchtime."
He promised to be back by lunchtime.
He promised that he would be back by lunchtime.

b. "We should arrive in London before nightfall."
They hoped to arrive in London before nightfall.
They hoped they would arrive in London before nightfall.

c. "Give me the keys to the safe or I'll shoot you!"
He threatened to shoot me if I didn't give him the keys to the safe.
He threatened that he would shoot me if I didn't give him the keys to the safe.

ORDERS, REQUESTS, SUGGESTIONS

1. When we want to report anorder or request,we can use a verb like'tell'with a to-clause.

Examples: He told me to go away.
The pattern is verb + indirect object + to-clause.
(The indirect object is the person spoken to.)

Other verbs used to report orders and requests in this way are: command,order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach, forbid.

Examples:

a. The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!".
The doctor told me to stop smoking.

b. "Get out of the car!" said the policeman.
The policeman ordered him to get out of the car.
c. "Could you please be quiet," she said.
She asked me to be quiet.
d. The man with the gun said to us, "Don't move!"
The man with the gun warned us not to move.

 

2.Requests for objects are reported using the pattern
ask + for + object: Examples:

a. "Can I have an apple?» she asked. She asked for an apple.
b. "Can I have the newspaper, please?"
He asked for the newspaper.
c. "May I have a glass of water?" he said.
He asked for a glass of water.
d. «Sugar, please."
She asked for the sugar.
e. "Could I have three kilos of onions?"
He asked for three kilos of onions.

 

3. Suggestionsare usually reported with a that-clause. 'That' and 'should' are optional in these clauses:

She said: "Why don't you get a mechanic to look at the car?" She suggested that I should get a mechanic to look at the car. OR She suggested I get a mechanic to look at the car.

Other reporting verbs used in this way are: insist, recommend, demand, request, propose. Examples:
a. "It would be a good idea to see the dentist", said my mother. My mother suggested I see the dentist.
b. The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush". The dentist recommended that I should use a different toothbrush.
c. My manager said, "I think we should examine the budget carefully at this meeting." My manager proposed that we examine the budget carefully at the meeting.
d. "Why don't you sleep overnight at my house?" she said. She suggested that I sleep overnight at her house.



Notes:

Suggest can also be followed by a gerund: I suggested postponing the visit to the dentist.

TENSE CHANGES

 

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech:

She said, "I am tired." She said that she was tired.

The changes are shown below:

Simple present Simple past
"I always drink coffee", she said   She said that she always drank coffee.
Present continuous Past continuous
"I am reading a book", he explained.   He explained that he was reading a book
Simple past Past perfect
"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said.   He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday
Present perfect Past perfect
"I have been to Spain", he told me.   He told me that he had been to Spain
Past perfect Past perfect
"I had just turned out the light," he explained.   He explained that he had just turned out the light.
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
They complained, "We have been waiting for hours".   They complained that they had been waiting for hours.
Past continuous Past perfect continuous
"We were living in Paris", they told me.   They told me that they had been living in Paris.
Future Present conditional
"I will be in Geneva on Monday", he said   He said that he would be in Geneva on Monday.
Future continuous Conditional continuous
She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday".   She said that she would be using the car next Friday.

1. You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true, e.g.

He says he has missed the train but he'll catch the next one.
We explained that it is very difficult to find our house.
2. These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:
might, could, would, should, ought to, e.g.

We explained that it could be difficult to find our house.
She said that she might bring a friend to the party


EXERSICES

 

8.1 Make the necessary changes in the following sentences:

1. Mary "I love chocolate." Jill: "Mary said (that) she chocolate."
a. loved
b. loves
c. loving
Mary: "I went skiing." Jill: "Mary said (that) she skiing."
a. went
b. had gone
c. have gone

2. Mary: "I will eat steak for dinner." Jill: "Mary said (that) she eat steak for dinner."
a. willing
b. will
c. would

3. Mary: "I have been to Sydney." Jill: "Mary said (that) she to Sydney."
a. had been
b. has been
c. was being

4. Mary: "I have had three cars." Jill: "Mary said (that) she three cars.
a. has
b. has had
c. had had

5. Mary: "I'm going to go to Long Beach."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she going to go to Long Beach."
a. is
b. was
c. went

6. Mary: "I don't like spinach." Jill: "Mary said (that) she like spinach."
a. doesn't
b. don't
c. didn’t

7. Mary: "I have never been to London."
Jill: "Mary said (that) she never been to London."
a. had
b. has
c. have

8. Mary: "I was swimming." Jill: "Mary said (that) she swimming.
a. has been
b. had been
c. have been

9. Mary: "I had a cat." Jill: Mary said (that) she had a cat."
a. have
b. has
c. had

10. Mary: "I can't swim." Jill: "Mary said (that) she swim."
a. can't
b. couldn't
c. can not

11. Mary: "I won't buy a new car." Jill: "Mary said (that) she by a new car."
a. won't
b. will
c. wouldn’t

12. Mary: "I have to do my laundry." Jill: "Mary said (that) she to do her laundry."
a. had
b. has
c. have

8.2. The following sentences are direct speech:

Don't wait for me if I'm late.

Will you marry me?

Hurry up!

Can you open your bag, please?

Mind your own business

Please slow down!

Could you repeat what you said, please?

Don't worry, sue.

Do you think you could give me a hand, Tom?


Date: 2016-01-03; view: 1612


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