Sunday, October 2, 2011

Reported speech: statements

Direct speech refers to what people say. Reported speech is when someone explains what someone previously said.


Direct speech -------> Reported speech
          be----------------->was/were
          go------------------>went
        have------------------->had
       made----------------->had made (had + past participle)
have planned------------->had planned
       can--------------------->could
       will--------------------->would
       may-------------------->might


"I am sick."------------->She said she was sick.
"I go to school."------------>He said he went to school.
"I have a date tomorrow."------------->He said he had a date.
"We have work on Monday."---------------->They said they had work on Monday.
"We made plans for that day."---------------->They said they had made plans for that day.
"We have planned a party."---------------->They said they had planned a party.
"I can go to the movies."---------------->She told me she could go to the movies.
"I will be out of town."----------------->He told her that he would be out of town.
"We may go to Argentina."------------------>They told us they might go to Argentina.


Questions?

Reported speech: requests

When someone requests something, the request is explained or reported using:


ask
tell
said


"Can you please give me the salt?"
He asked me to give him the salt.
"Come over here so I can tell you something."
She told you to come over there so she could tell you something.
"Put a leash on your dog."
I said to put a leash on your dog.


*The verb following ask, tell, or said is going to be in its infinitive form


Questions?

Past modals

When someone asks for a suggestion or opinion about something that already occurred in past, one uses the structure:


would have (would not have)
should have (should not have)


My best friend wants to go out with her friends at night, but her parents keep telling her it is unsafe. Therefore, one day, she decided to come home past her curfew (later than her parents allow her to return home normally). Her parents were still up waiting for her to return home and told her she was grounded as soon as she arrived. They started arguing and she said some pretty mean things to her parents like, "I wish you weren't my parents." They haven't spoken for two days. What should she have done?


Advice: She shouldn't have broken the rules. Even if she doesn't like the situation, her parents have the right to decide when she comes home. Additionally, she should have apologized when she came home instead of arguing with them. I would have explained to my parents why I should be allowed to stay out later and maybe come to a compromise. 


Questions?

Unreal Conditional Sentences

Often called the "unreal" conditional because it is used for unreal - impossible or improbable - situations. This conditional provides an imaginary result for a given situation.
Conditional 2 is formed by the use of the past simple in the if clause followed by a comma would verb (base form) in the result clause. You can also put the result clause first without using a comma between the clauses.
If they had more money, they would buy a new house.
OR
They would buy a new house if they had more money.
If I had more time, I would visit Bali.
If I had more time, I could visit Bali.
If I had more time, I might visit Bali.
If I had more time, I would visit Bali.
Simple past tense, subject + modal verb + second verb in base form.
Questions?


Saturday, October 1, 2011

Grammar Update

If you have questions about unit 15 or unit 16 grammar, please review your book, class notes, work in the workbook. I will return Sunday afternoon and will probably update the blog then to answer any lingering questions. Have a wonderful weekend!!!