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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
reported speech?
Hi,
The following looks like reported speech to me. Why doesn't it have any quotation marks? I think the intention that refers to the future doesn't need to be inflected? with a tense change like in the case of the use of the modal 'will' but I have a strong feeling anything that are left to be done in the future or the fact holds true still doesn't need to be inflected with a tense change. Am I correct?
eg,
He told her she is a fool and should turn back, but she said it is a free country and she can go where (wherever??) she pleases.
He told her she can do whatever she wants.
He told her she can do whatever she wants because it is a free country.
The following looks like reported speech to me. Why doesn't it have any quotation marks? I think the intention that refers to the future doesn't need to be inflected? with a tense change like in the case of the use of the modal 'will' but I have a strong feeling anything that are left to be done in the future or the fact holds true still doesn't need to be inflected with a tense change. Am I correct?
eg,
He told her she is a fool and should turn back, but she said it is a free country and she can go where (wherever??) she pleases.
He told her she can do whatever she wants.
He told her she can do whatever she wants because it is a free country.
Top answer
In reported speech, no quotation marks are required. The speaker uses present tense verbs because what she is saying relates to the present, not the past, and is still true
- In reported speech, no quotation marks are required.
- The speaker uses present tense verbs because what she is saying relates to the present, not the past, and is still true
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8 Answers
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In reported speech, no quotation marks are required.
The speaker uses present tense verbs because what she is saying relates to the present, not the past, and is still true
The speaker uses present tense verbs because what she is saying relates to the present, not the past, and is still true
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Thank you. If something is left unfinished and/or some action has not been performed yet, would you say both tenses, present and past, are OK although I have a feeling some native speakers prefer the present tense in some cases (if you can follow what I am saying) eventhough they are reported speech?
1.He told her she can do whatever she wants to do.
vs.
He told her she could d
1.He told her she can do whatever she wants to do.
vs.
He told her she could d
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In reported speech you can use the simple present tense after a verb in the past tense if what follows is still true.
3. He told her she has to bring her homework tomorrow. (Fine. If he told her today, then it is correct to say that she has to bring her homework tomorrow.)
All the other sentences are correctly reported except the one below.
He told her she had to bri
3. He told her she has to bring her homework tomorrow. (Fine. If he told her today, then it is correct to say that she has to bring her homework tomorrow.)
All the other sentences are correctly reported except the one below.
He told her she had to bri
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Yoong LiatIn reported speech you can use the simple present tense after a verb in the past tense if what follows is still true.If someone uses the present they are showing they are in agreement with what they are reporting.
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Hi,
Thank you. Yoong and Huevos. Can you explain to me more what you mean by "they are in agreement"?? I think I can understand what Yoong said about "what following being true" but "in agreement"?? Please tell me more. Possibly with some examples.
Thank you. Yoong and Huevos. Can you explain to me more what you mean by "they are in agreement"?? I think I can understand what Yoong said about "what following being true" but "in agreement"?? Please tell me more. Possibly with some examples.
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He told her she was a vindictive cow. [The person reporting this is staying neutral. In this sentence the main clause is the most important.]
He told her she is a vindictive cow. [The person reporting this believes she is a vindictive cow. In this sentence the sub clause can stand alone.]
He told her she is a vindictive cow. [The person reporting this believes she is a vindictive cow. In this sentence the sub clause can stand alone.]
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Thank you, again. I think you said something like one has to be in agreement. Does that mean she has to agree with the statement that she is a vindictive cow?? Who has to agree??
You said:
He told her she is a vindictive cow. [The person reporting this believes she is a vindictive cow. In this sentence the sub clause can stand alone.]
You said:
He told her she is a vindictive cow. [The person reporting this believes she is a vindictive cow. In this sentence the sub clause can stand alone.]
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The are three parties: the person that originally said it; the person who is a vindictive cow; and the person who heard it and who is now repeating it. If the person repeating it uses past tense in the main clause and present in the sub clause it is highly likely that they are of the same opinion.
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