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Tenacious Learner Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Please Need Help. Reported Speech Paragraph
Hi teachers,
This is a conversation that Julia and Cliff had. It is in reported speech because someone else is telling about the conversation to another peson. My question is, shouldn't it has connectors between sentences like, 'then, after, next, later on ... etc'. Because like this, it looks so simple. By the way, all the (that) in the sentences are optional aren't they?
Thanks in advance
This is a conversation that Julia and Cliff had. It is in reported speech because someone else is telling about the conversation to another peson. My question is, shouldn't it has connectors between sentences like, 'then, after, next, later on ... etc'. Because like this, it looks so simple. By the way, all the (that) in the sentences are optional aren't they?
Julia told Cliff (that) she couldn’t go with him to the movies that |
evening. Cliff said (that) it was a pity that she hadn’t told him |
before, because he already had the tickets. He said (that) he had |
bought them half an hour before. Julia said (that) she was very |
sorry, but (that) there was nothing she could do about it. She had |
just received a phone call from her mother. Her mother had had an |
accident at home and the ambulance had taken her to hospital. |
Julia didn’t know exactly what had happened but she |
was going to see her in hospital right away. Cliff said (that) that |
was terrible news and he hoped (that) it was nothing serious. |
Cliff said (that) he would come with Julia if she wanted him to. |
Julia said no and thanked Cliff. She said (that) she would phone him |
as soon as she knew what was happening and if not, |
she would talk to him the next day. |
Thanks in advance
Top answer
The reported dialog is correct without the "that's" in parentheses. Putting all those "that's" in, that are in parentheses, wouldn't make it grammatically incorrect, but the reported dialog sounds better without all those "that's" - if you put in all those "that's", that would just too many "that's", and the dialog would sound awkward and cluttered. The way it is is fine.
- The reported dialog is correct without the "that's" in parentheses.
- Putting all those "that's" in, that are in parentheses, wouldn't make it grammatically incorrect, but the reported dialog sounds better without all those "that's" - if you put in all those "that's", that would just too many "that's", and the dialog would sound awkward and cluttered.
- The way it is is fine.
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7 Answers
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The reported dialog is correct without the "that's" in parentheses. Putting all those "that's" in, that are in parentheses, wouldn't make it grammatically incorrect, but the reported dialog sounds better without all those "that's" - if you put in all those "that's", that would just too many "that's", and the dialog would sound awkward and cluttered. The way it is is fine.
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Cliff said (that) he would come with Julia if she wanted him to. |
Julia said no and thanke |
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Hi Clive,
Thank you for your reply.
Now that you mention it; it sounds awkward to say it with a 'that', I mean:
Julia said that no and thanked Cliff.
But it sounds fine to say:
Julia said that she didn't (want to) and thanked Cliff.
Thank you for your reply.
CliveJulia said no is not reported speech.Why it isn't reported Speech?
Now that you mention it; it sounds awkward to say it with a 'that', I mean:
Julia said that no and thanked Cliff.
But it sounds fine to say:
Julia said that she didn't (want to) and thanked Cliff.
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Hi,
It's because 'no' is a kind of interjection used only in direct speech.
(It's also an adjective. eg 'I have no money', but that is not the usage here.)
After 'said', you need a noun or a noun clause.
It's because 'no' is a kind of interjection used only in direct speech.
(It's also an adjective. eg 'I have no money', but that is not the usage here.)
After 'said', you need a noun or a noun clause.
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Hi Clive,
Thank you for your reply. I didn't know that.
So, In all these sentences 'no' is an adjective?
There is no wine in the glass.
There are no apples in the fruit bowl.
There is no bread in that bag.
There are no forks on the table.
So, 'no, any, some, a lot of, lots of, a little, a few. little, and few' are all adjectives as wel
Thank you for your reply. I didn't know that.
So, In all these sentences 'no' is an adjective?
There is no wine in the glass.
There are no apples in the fruit bowl.
There is no bread in that bag.
There are no forks on the table.
So, 'no, any, some, a lot of, lots of, a little, a few. little, and few' are all adjectives as wel
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Hi,
So, In all these sentences 'no' is an adjective?
There is no wine in the glass.
There are no apples in the fruit bowl.
There is no bread in that bag.
There are no forks on the table.
So, 'no, any, some, a lot of, lots of, a little, a few. little, and few' are all adjectives as well as quantity expressions
So, In all these sentences 'no' is an adjective?
There is no wine in the glass.
There are no apples in the fruit bowl.
There is no bread in that bag.
There are no forks on the table.
So, 'no, any, some, a lot of, lots of, a little, a few. little, and few' are all adjectives as well as quantity expressions
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Hi Clive,
Ok. Thank you for your reply.
I've also find the word 'quantifiers' for them.
Point taken.
Ok. Thank you for your reply.
I've also find the word 'quantifiers' for them.
Point taken.
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