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7 questions found on English Indirect Speech

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7 questions found with subject English

Richard
Richard
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What is the backshifting rule in reported speech?



What is the backshifting rule in reported speech? It is difficult to me convert sentences.

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Leonah
Leonah
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Hi Richard When changing direct speech to reported speech, there are modifications to pronouns, time adverbials and verb tense (most often). Back-shifting happens when a verb tense is shifted back from a present tense to a past form in reported speech, although it doesn’t happen in all reported speech. It is also known as the sequence-of-tense rule.

“I am feeling sick.” He said he was feeling sick. “Where did you get that?” Mom asked where I had got that. “I have seen the doctor.” You said you had seen the doctor. “Can I come with you?” she asked She asked if she could come with us

We use backshift when it is logical to use backshift. Eddy said "I am hungry" Eddy said that he was hungry. (Yesterday) Eddy just said that he is hungry. (Now) (No back-shifting required – not logical because Eddy is still hungry)

When the main verb in the reported speech is in the present tense, the verb in the reported phrase does not change. “He is coming.” She says that he is coming. “They came last week.” He says they came yesterday. “I can do it.” He says he can do it.

Best Regards

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Leonah
Leonah
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Doston said he was going to the UK that day.

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Elizabeth
Elizabeth
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English Literature Teacher with a Certified BA Degree, Post Graduate Teaching Diploma and 30 years; teaching experience.

The above sentence is incorrect. it should read: "Where is your bird now?" they asked. Check the puntuation (remove the comma) and change 'said' to 'asked', as it is a question. To rewrite it in indirect speech, start with the phrase containing your reporting verb (asked) and, since the reporting verb is in the past tense, change all the other verbs to the past tense too and adapt the adverbs (time words) and pronouns: They asked where their (his/he) bird was then (at that time).

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Jan
Jan
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Difference between direct and indirect speech English grammar?



What is the difference between direct and indirect speech English grammar? WHen and how do you use t...

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Edel
Edel
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Hello! I'm giving the difference between direct and indirect speech.

For direct speech, you're talking about what happened immediately. What happened exactly as it happened. You're also talking of things that happened in the present, and pertain to present continuous things. When you're writing direct speech, you need to write it in inverted commas -- open " and close " it. It must be in quotes.

For example, John said, "it is snowing outside" so you put them in quotes.

For indirect speech, you are reporting what someone said, or what someone did. You do not use quotes, or inverted commas open and close, you report it. You are using the past simple or past continuous tense. For example, John said he had backache, John said it is snowing outside.

With indirect speech, you do not use quotes and you use the past tense. For direct speech, you're using the present tense and you're putting the speech in quotes. Thank you so much for listening!

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Mir
Mir
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Narration.



How do you change the narration of the following sentence. She asked me, "H...

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Chandreyee
Chandreyee
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In indirect speech you can write this statement as She enquired me that how the enemy went.

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علي
علي
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Reported questions



Hi every one I need help if someone asked me "where are you going on Friday night?" how can I make...

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name
English Tutor
Tutor

The first answer is correct. That shows the reported form. The second shows that it had already past and the event is the past.

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Rajesh
Rajesh
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Direct to indirect



"Stay hungry, stay foolish", adviced Steve jobs Change this into direct to indirect

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Erica
Erica
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English tutor from the US

If you stay hungry, you will stay foolish.

The key here is 'you' which takes the phrase and turns it into a direct statement. The final result is a complete sentence, with the word 'you' being a direct pronoun.

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