0
Tenacious Learner Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Are my assumptions correct?
Hi teachers,
The context:
She looked at him carefully. ‘You’re dirty, and hungry, and tired … and afraid. Am I right?’
Alex smiled slowly. ‘Yes,’ he said.
The text talks about how things are, about reality, therefore a possible question is:
Was Alex unafraid? No, he was wasn't. He was afraid.
If I didn't know for a fact that he was afraid but the expression on his face suggested fear, the question should be:
Did he look unafraid? No, he didn't. He looked afraid.
Am I right with my assumptions?
Thanks in advance.
The context:
She looked at him carefully. ‘You’re dirty, and hungry, and tired … and afraid. Am I right?’
Alex smiled slowly. ‘Yes,’ he said.
The text talks about how things are, about reality, therefore a possible question is:
Was Alex unafraid? No, he was wasn't. He was afraid.
If I didn't know for a fact that he was afraid but the expression on his face suggested fear, the question should be:
Did he look unafraid? No, he didn't. He looked afraid.
Am I right with my assumptions?
Thanks in advance.
Top answer
For practical purposes, yes. Strictly speaking, there remains the possibility that Alex isn't telling the truth, as far as we know from this excerpt. ".
- For practical purposes, yes.
- Strictly speaking, there remains the possibility that Alex isn't telling the truth, as far as we know from this excerpt.
- ".
- However, I think it is probably reasonable to ignore this objection.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
5 Answers
0
For practical purposes, yes. Strictly speaking, there remains the possibility that Alex isn't telling the truth, as far as we know from this excerpt. So a pedantic person might argue that the question should be "Did Alex say that he was unafraid?". However, I think it is probably reasonable to ignore this objection.
00
Hello GPY,
Thanks once more for your very detailed explanation.
TL
Thanks once more for your very detailed explanation.
TL
00
Hello GPY,
Would this question and answer be correct?
Was Alex unafraid? Explain your answer using reported speech.
No, he wasn't. She said that he was afraid.
TL
Would this question and answer be correct?
Was Alex unafraid? Explain your answer using reported speech.
No, he wasn't. She said that he was afraid.
TL
00
Tenacious LearnerHello GPY,Would this question and answer be correct?Was Alex unafraid? Explain your answer using reported speech.No, he wasn't. He said that he was afraid.TLI personally feel that this combination of fact ("he wasn't") and hearsay ("he said that ...") does slightly draw attention to the issue that I
00
Related Questions