Not only … but also

We use not only X but also Y in formal contexts:

The war caused not only destruction and death but also generations of hatred between the two
communities.

The car not only is economical but also feels good to drive.

This investigation is not only one that is continuing and worldwide but also one that we expect to
continue for quite some time.

We can sometimes leave out also:

I identified with Denzel Washington not only as an actor but as a person.

To add emphasis, we can use not only at the beginning of a clause. When we do this, we invert the
subject and the verb:

Not only was it raining all day at the wedding but also the band was late.

Not only will they paint the outside of the house but also the inside.

When there is no auxiliary verb or main verb be, we use do, does, did:

Not only did she forget my birthday, but she also didn’t even apologise for forgetting it.

INVERSION

Inversion happens when we reverse (invert) the normal word order of a structure, most commonly
the subject-verb word order. For example, a statement has the subject (s) before the verb (v), but to
make question word order, we invert the subject and the verb, with an auxiliary (aux) or modal verb
(m) before the subject (s).

Questions
When does inversion happen?

The most common type of inversion is question word order (see above). Inversion also happens in
other situations.

Negative adverbs

In formal styles, when we use an adverb with negative meaning (e.g. never, seldom, rarely, scarcely,
hardly) in front position for emphasis, we invert the subject (s) and auxiliary (aux)/modal verb:

Never

[AUX]

have

[S]

we witnessed such cruel behaviour by one child to another. (or We have never witnessed …)

Seldom does one hear a politician say ‘sorry’. (or One seldom hears …)

Expressions beginning with not

We also invert the subject and verb after not + a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial position:

Not for a moment did I think I would be offered the job, so I was amazed when I got it.

Not till I got home did I realise my wallet was missing.

Here and there

Inversion can happen after here, and after there when it is as an adverb of place. After here and
there, we can use a main verb without an auxiliary verb or modal verb:

Here comes the bus!

Here’s your coffee.

I opened the door and there stood Michael, all covered in mud.
She looked out and there was Pamela, walking along arm in arm with Goldie.

PRACTICE

REPORTED SPEECH

Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is commonly used in spoken conversations to
report what others have said. A keen grasp of correct tense usage, as well as the ability to correctly
shift pronouns and time expressions, is essential when using reported speech.

The use of reported speech is especially important at higher English levels. Students are fine-tuning
their communication skills to include expressing the ideas of others, as well as their own opinions.
Students usually need to focus not only on the grammar involved but also on production skills.
Reported speech includes some rather tricky transformations that need to be practiced repeatedly
before students feel comfortable using reported speech in everyday conversations.

Finally, make sure to point out that reported speech is generally used with the verbs 'say' and 'tell' in
the past.

"He'll help him with the homework." -> She told me he would help me with my homework.

However, if the reporting verb is conjugated in the present tense, no reported speech changes are
necessary.

"I'm going to Seattle next week." -> Peter says he's going to Seattle next week.

Lesson Outline

Aim: Developing reported speech grammar and productions skills

Activity: Introduction and written reporting activity, followed by spoken practice in the form of a
questionnaire

Level: Upper-intermediate
Outline:

Introduce/review reported speech by making simple statements and asking students to report what
you have said. Make sure to emphasize reporting in the past (i.e., "the teacher said", NOT "the
teacher says")

Provide review sheet of principle reported speech transitions (included in lesson printout pages)

Have students get into pairs and convert the reported speech paragraph into the direct speech form.

Correct worksheet as a class.

Ask students to divide up into new pairs and ask each other questions from the questionnaire.
Remind them to take notes on what their partners say.

Have students divide into new pairs and ask them to report what they have learned about the other
students to their new partner (i.e., John said he had lived in Breubach for two years).

Follow-up with class conversation focusing on problematic tense transformations.

Reported Speech

Study the following chart carefully. Notice how reported speech is one step back into the past from
direct speech.

Tense Quote Reported Speech

present simple "I play tennis on Fridays." He said he played tennis on Fridays.

present continuous "They're watching TV." She said they were watching TV.

present perfect "She's lived in Portland for ten years." He told me she had lived in Portland for ten
years.

present perfect continuous "I've been working for two hours." He told me he had been
working for two hours.

past simple "I visited my parents in New York." She told me she had visited her parents in
New York.

past continuous"They were preparing dinner at 8 o'clock." He told me they had been preparing
dinner at 8 o'clock.

past perfect "I had finished in time." He told me he had finished in time.

past perfect continuous "She had been waiting for two hours." She said she had been waiting for
two hours.

future with 'will' "I'll see them tomorrow." He said he would see them the next day.

future with 'going to' "We're going to fly to Chicago." He told me they were going to fly to
Chicago.
Reported Speech Reference

Time Expression Changes

Time expressions such as 'at the moment' are also changed when using reported speech. Here are
some of the most common changes:

at the moment / right now / now -> at that moment / at that time

"We're watching TV right now." -> She told me they were watching TV at that time.

yesterday -> the previous day / the day before

"I bought some groceries yesterday." -> He told me he had bought some groceries the previous day.

tomorrow -> the following day / the next day

"She'll be at the party tomorrow." -> She told me she would be at the party the next day.

Exercise 1: Put the following paragraph in the reported speech into the conversational form using
direct speech (quotes).

Peter introduced me to Jack who said he was pleased to meet me. I replied that it was my pleasure
and that I hoped Jack was enjoying his stay in Seattle. He said he thought Seattle was a beautiful city,
but that it rained too much. He said that he had been staying at the Bayview Hotel for three weeks
and that it hadn't stopped raining since he had arrived. Of course, he said, this wouldn't have
surprised him if it hadn't been July! Peter replied that he should have brought warmer clothes. He
then continued by saying that he was going to fly to Hawaii the following week, and he that he
couldn't wait to enjoy some sunny weather. Both Jack and I commented that Peter was a lucky
person indeed.

Exercise 2: Ask your partner the following questions making sure to take good notes. After you have
finished the questions, find a new partner and report what you have learned about your first partner
using reported speech.

What is your favorite sport and how long have you been playing/doing it?

What are your plans for your next vacation?

How long have you known your best friend? Can you give me a description of him/her?

What kind of music do you like? Have you always listened to that kind of music?

What did you use to do when you were younger that you don't do anymore?

Do you have any predictions about the future?

Can you tell me what you do on a typical Saturday afternoon?

What were you doing yesterday at this time?

Which two promises will you make concerning learning English?

SPEAKING

OPINIONS

What did you make of the new tv show?

-I was glued to it. =paying all your attention to something

-Didn't see it. It's not my idea of fun. =it's not sth you enjoy
-Nothing to get excited about. =it's nothing particularly good or interesting, nothing to write
home about

Do you think we will win?

-Yeah, it’s in the bag. = you are sure to get it or achieve it.
-I think we are in with a chance. =have the possibility of achieving sth or succeeding.
-Maybe, but it’ll take some doing. = involve a lot of effort and time.

Was he upset by the criticism?

-Far from it. = the opposite of what somebody says is true, quite the opposite, quite the
reverse
-Oh I think he felt a bit hard done by. = feel,be unfairly treated
-It’s water off a duck’s back to him. = it has no effect on him

Do you fancy a coffee?

-Sorry, what was the question? I was miles away…
-Coffee? I wouldn’t say no.