Grammar and usageStep 1: General Introduction: Direct speech and reported speech For referenceDirect and Indirect Speech also known as Quoted and Reported Speech. We use direct speech to report what exactly has been said. If we write the speech down, the words will usually appear in quotation marks. However, we often prefer to use reported speech or indirect speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words. Now lets look at a sentence:She said,I have been writing a book on the history of China.If you want to tell this sentence to someone else, what will you report? We can change it into: She said she had been writing a book on the history of China. 1. In the section, we will learn the definitions of direct speech and reported speech, how to use direct speech to report what exactly has been said, and to use reported speech or indirect speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words. For example:T: What did you do last Sunday, S1?S1: I stayed at home and watched TV.T: What did S1 say, S2?S2: S1 said he/she stayed at home and watched TV.T: What did you do last Sunday, S3?S3: I didWhat is the difference between each pair of the sentences? (The first answer uses direct speech to report what exactly has been said. The words appear in quotation marks when they are written down. The second answer uses reported speech to report the meaning of what has been said without using the exact words, and without quotation marks.2. Now lets look at the following tables, paying attention to the changes of tenses and some other forms. Rules of changes:a. Change direct speech sentence into reported sentence by changing what has been said to an object clause or an infinitive phrase.b. Change personal pronounsc. Change tensesd. Change adverbials of time and placeDirect speechReported speechDirect speechReported speechSimple presentSimple pastSimple futureFuture in the pastPresent continuousPast continuousPast perfectPast perfectSimple pastPast perfectPresent perfectPast perfectPresent perfectPast perfectcontinuouscontinuousDirect speechReported speechtodaythe day/yesterday/on Saturday, etc.tomorrowthe next day/the following day/ on Tuesday, etc.yesterdaythe day before/the previous day/ on Tuesday, etc.last yearthe year before/ the previous year, etc.a week agoa week before/ a week earlier, etc.Direct speechReported speechthisthatthesethoseheretherecomego3. Lets read the ad on page 9 and try to understand whatThrilling adventure story!means and what the readers comments on the books are. Please change the ad and the readers comments into reported speech and complete the passage.For referenceThe advertisement suggests us to read Travel to the Misty Country. Its the publishers latest publication. The book tells a thrilling adventure story written by Li Xiyang, a 17-year-old boy. It claims that we wont believe his unique way of thinking and rich imagination.One of the readers said that he had read it twice this week. He would never forget the fascinating Misty Country! Another reader said that He had bought another two copies of Travel to the Misty Country this afternoon. He would give those books to his best friends. The book was so great. He was going to read it over and over again!Answers(1) was (2) wouldnt (3) had read (4) that(5) would (6) had bought (7) that (8) would(9) those (10) her (11) was (12) was going to readStep 2: Reported speech: statements, questions and imperative sentencesHow to use reported speech to report statements, questions and imperative sentences?In this part, you will practise reporting statements, yes/no-questions, wh-questions and imperative sentences by using that, whether/if, wh-words and other verbs like advise and encourage.1. There are many reporting verbs, such as say, ask, and tell. Besides say, ask and tell, there are other reporting verbs: accept, argue, believe, claim, decide, expect, feel, imagine, learn, mention, point out, suppose, think, understand, and wonder.2. We use noun clauses introduced by if/whether to report yes/no questions, and we use noun clauses introduced by wh-words to wh-questions.3. Well, but how can we report imperative sentences? We use the structure: reporting verb + object +(not) + to-infinitive. Eg:The teacher said, You d better wear soft shoes. (The teacher advised us to wear soft shoes.)The teacher said, Think about it carefully before you answer. (The teacher asked us to think about it carefully before we answered.)Dont leave your homework at home. (The teacher reminded us not to leave our homework at home.)The teacher said, Dont worry about your exam. (The teacher told us not to worry about our exam.)4. Read Part A on page 11 and practise reporting