English grammar rules Indirect questions = Qytaorc poke die If we want to make questions in the English language, we can do it by changing the word order (Is he your brother? Was she there? Have you been to Ireland?) or by using the auxiliary do (Do you know them? Does he live with you? Did you enjoy it?). The indirect questions are not normal questions. They have the same word order as statements and we do not use do to form a question. They usually come after introductory phrases combined with interrogative pronouns and adjectives (who, whom, what, which, whose), adverbs (when, where, how, why) or if, whether. Compare the direct and indirect questions: What did she want? - Do you know what she wanted? Where was it? - Do you remember where it was? Will they come? - | wonder if they will come. We can use many other introductory phrases to start the indirect questions, e. g. ! ask, / wonder, | want/would like to know, | can't remember, | have no idea, | am sure etc. or they can be intruduced by direct questions such as Can you tell me, Do you know, Do you remember, Have you any idea etc. Look at more examples to understand how we change the direct questions into the indirect questions: How much is it? - 'd like to know how much it is. Is this seat free? - He is asking if this seat is free. Where did she go? - Have you any idea where she went? Does he want to buy it? - Do you know whether he wants to buy it? The indirect questions are more common in English than in some other languages. They are more polite and more formal than the direct questions. Compare the following examples of the direct - indirect questions. Why did you do it? - Could you tell me why you did it? Could | use your telephone? - Do you think I could use your telephone? Are you married? - | wonder if you are married.English grammar rules Reported speech“ Strona ferme.” Reported statements If we want to report what other people said, thought or felt, we can use the direct or indirect (reported) speech. The direct speech: "I like it," he said. "Irene is late,” he thought. "! will pass the exam,” she hoped. The indirect (reported) speech: He said he liked it. He thought that Irene was late. She hoped she would pass the exam. The indirect (reported) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at the seaside. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, we change the following: a) verb tenses and verb forms, b) pronouns, ©) the adverbs of time and place. A) The changes of verb tenses in the indirect (reported) speech The present simple tense becomes the past simple tense and the present continuous becomes the past continuous. *Inever understand you,” she told me. - She told me she never understood me. “We are exercising,” he explained. - He explained that they were exercising. 2 The present perfect simple changes into the past perfect simple and the present perfect continuous changes into the past perfect continuous. “I have broken the window,” he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window. “Ihave been waiting since the morning,” he complained. - He complained that he had been waiting since the moming. The past simple tense becomes the past perfect simple and the past continuous becomes the past perfect continuous. “She went to Rome," | thought. - | thought that she had gone to Rome. “He was thinking of buying a new car,” she said. - She said he had been thinking of buying a new car. Will changes into the conditional. “I will come on Sunday," he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on Sunday. Notes I shall, we shall usually become would. "I shall appreciate it,” he said. - He said he would appreciate it. The first person conditional / should, we should usually changes into would. “We should be really glad,” she told us. - She told us they would be really glad. ‘May becomes might. “Imay write to him,” she promised. - She promised that she might write to him.Bill: "I am enjoying my holiday." - Bill says he is enjoying his holiday. ‘Sandy: "I will never go to work." - Sandy says she will never go to work. ‘Dan: “Asia is the largest continent.” - Dan said Asia is the largest continent. Emma: "People in Africa are starving.” - Emma said people in Africa are starving. Michael: “| am thirsty." - Michael said he is thirsty. 4 George: "I would try it."- George said he would try it. Mimi: "I might come.” - Mimi said she might come. ‘Steve: "I could fail." - Steve said he could fail. Linda: "He should/ought to stay in bed.” - Linda said he should/ought to stay in bed. ‘Mel: “I used to have a car.” - Mel said he used to have a car. ‘Margo: "I wish they were in Greece." - Margo said she wished they were in Greece. Matt: "I would rather fly." - Matt said he would rather fly. Betty: "They had better go.” - Betty said they had better go. Paul: “itis time | got up.” - Paul said it was time he got up. era 1a: ied my room, my dad would be happy." - Martha said that if she tidied her room, her dad would be happy. Joe: "When | was staying in Madrid | met my best friend." - He said that when he was staying in ‘Madrid he met his best friend. peel Sunday," I said. - I said she did it on Sunday. We must change the tense, however, in the following sentence, otherwise it will not be clear whether we are talking about the present or past feelings. “Ihated her,” he said. - He said he had hated her. 9. We do not usualy change the moda verbs must and needn't. But must can become had to or would 100 we want to express an obligation. He said he must wash up/he had to wash up. “Ineedn't be at school today.” - He said he needn't be/didn't have to be at schoo! that day. "We must do it in June.” - He said they would have to do it in June. {If the modal verb must does not express obligation, we do not change it. “We must relax for a while.” (suggestion) - He said they must relax for a while. “You must be tired after such a trip." (certainty) - He said we must be tired after such a trip. B) The pronouns in the indirect (reported) speech We have to change the pronouns in the indirect (reported) speech to keep the same meaning of a sentence, "We are the best students,” he said. - He said they were the best students. “They called us,” he said. - He said they had called them. “like your jeans,” she said. - She said she liked my jeans. “Ican lend you my car," he said. - He said he could lend me his car.‘Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the reported speech is confusing. "He killed them,” Kevin said. - Kevin said that the man had killed them. If we change the direct speech into the indirect speech mechanically (Kevin said he had killed them), it can have a different meaning - Kevin himself killed them. This and these are usually substituted in the reported speech. “They will finish it this year,” he said. - He said they would finish it that year. "1 brought you this book,” she said. - She said she had brought me the book. "We want these flowers,” they said. - They said they wanted the flowers. C) Time and place Let's suppose that we talked to our friend Mary on Friday. And she said: “Greg came yesterday." It means that Greg came on Thursday. If we report Mary's sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following Mary: "Greg came yesterday." - Mary said that Greg had come the day before. If we say: Mary said Greg had come yesterday, itis not correct, because it means that he came on Saturday. The time expressions change as follows. today - that day, tomorrow - the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time, yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday - two days before, next week/month - the following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago - a year beforelthe previous year Bill: "She will leave tomorrow.” - Bill said she would leave the next day. ‘Sam: "She arrived last week." - Sam said she had arrived the previous week. Julie: "He moved a year ago." - Julie said he had moved a year before. Note Ifthe speech is made and reported at the same time, the time expressions can remain the same. “Iwill go on holiday tomorrow,” he told me today. - He told me today he would go on holiday tomorrow. "We painted the hall last weekend,” she told me this week. - She told me this week they had painted the hall last weekend. On the other hand, if the speech is reported later than it is made, the time expressions are different in the indirect speech. Last week Jim said: "I'm playing next week." If we report his sentence a week later, we will say: Jim said he was playing this week. Here usually becomes there in the indirect speech. But sometimes we make different adjustments. At school: "I'l be here at 10 o'clock,” he said. - He said he would be there at 10 o'clock. In Baker Street: "We'll meet here.” - He said they would meet in Baker Street. Reported questions Questions become statements in the reported speech. The reporting verb say changes into ask, want to know, wonder "Where have you been?” he said. - He asked me where I had been. "What time did it start?” he said. - He wanted to know what time it had started. "Why won't he do it?" she said. - She wondered why he wouldn't do it In yes/no questions we use if or whether in the reported questions. /fis more common and whether is more formal. "Will you come?" she asked me. - She asked me iffwhether I would come. "Did he marry Sue?" she said. - She wondered if/whether he had married Sue.Reported commands, requests and advice The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object + infinitive. ‘The reporting verbs are advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc. Unlike the direct speech the person addressed must be mentioned in the indirect speech. "Get up!” he said. - He told me to get up. "Please, revise for the test,” he said. - He urged me to revise for the test. "Put on your coat,” said. - | advised him to put on his coat. Negative commands, requests and advice are reported by verb + object + not + infinitive. "Don't hesitate,” he said. - He persuaded me not to hesitate. "Don't smoke,” the doctor warned my father. - The doctor warned my father not to smoke. Tell can introduce statements, commands, requests or advice. The form is different, however. Reported statements with tell "Im leaving,” he told me. - He told me that he was leaving. Reported commands, requests or advice with tell "Leave the room," he told John. - He told John to leave the room. "Don't give up,” the teacher told her students. - The teacher told the students not to give up. Similarly ask is used in reported questions, commands, requests or advice in different forms. Reported questions with ask "Will you make coffee?" he said. - He asked me if | would make coffee. Reported commands, requests or advice with ask "Make coffee, please,” he said. - He asked me to make coffee. "Don't park in my place,” Greg told me. - Greg asked me not to park in his place.