How to use Passives in English
Compare these two English sentences:Active = "The doctor gave me a prescription" Passive = "I was given a prescription"
In the first sentence, the focus is on 'the doctor'. In the second sentence, the focus is on 'I'.
When to use the passive
To change the focus of a sentence.
In the passive sentence above, we can make the object and action ('me' and 'gave a prescription') more important than the subject ('the doctor').
If we don't know who does an action.
"My bicycle has been stolen" – I don't know who has stolen it. If we don't want to say who did something.
"The lights were left on all night." (I don't want to say that you left the lights on.) If it is obvious who does something.
"I was given a prescription" – I know that only doctors give prescriptions, so I don't need to add "by the doctor".
"He was arrested" I know that the police arrest people, so I don't need to add "by the police".
Forming a passive sentence in English
Firstly, you need to make the object into the new subject. me – I
you – You
him / her – He / She us – We
them – They
Then you make the verb passive.
Put the verb "to be" into the same tense as the verb in the active subject. For
example "gave" is the past simple tense. The past simple form of "to be" is "was" or "were".
Present simple – is /are
Present continuous – is / are being Present perfect – has / have been Simple past – was / were
Past continuous – was / were being
Then add the past participle of the verb. For example "gave" – "given".
Q: I need to know how to change has been +ing into passive voice
A: We don't change the present perfect continuous tense into the passive voice, as there would be too many auxiliary verbs and it would be confusing.
Q: Which one in the two sentences is correct: 1. The amount offered by him is very less. 2. The amount has been offered by him is very less.
A: The amount offered by him is very low.
Q: I have question about the word update. Do we say "The data updates everyday. The data is updated everyday?"
A: "The data is updated every day."
Q& A: Which is the correct sentences: 1. The document was not completed. Correct - means that someone didn't complete the document. 2. The document was not complete. Correct - not a passive sentence, but means that the document was unfinished. 3. The document didn't complete. Not correct.
Q: When can we use "get" with passive meaning instead of "be"?
A: Yes, you can in some tenses (present simple, past simple), although using "get" instead of "be" is more informal. For example: He got punished for breaking the window (informal) He was punished for breaking the window (more formal) He gets told off every day (informal) He is told off every day (more formal)
Q: Is my sentence grammatically correct? The government is believed to be considering to pass a law making it a crime to import any kind of weapon.
A: yes, it's correct. The only thing is that it should be "...considering passing a law..." Q: what is the meaning of this sentence? he is told off every day
A: It means that he is criticized for something every day.
Q: How many tenses We can use with passive ?and give us Examples, Please!. A: We can use the passive form with most tenses (excepting some continuous tenses) and with modal forms: Present Simple The machine is tested every day. Present Continuous The machine Is being tested at the moment Past Simple The machine was tested yesterday Past Continuous The machine was being tested when the electricity went off Present Perfect The machine has been tested recently Past Perfect The machine had been tested before it was activated Simple Future The machine will be tested tomorrow Future Perfect The machine will have been tested before next week's inspection With modal verbs The machine should be tested more often The machine would have been tested by trained engineers
Q: In sentence, sometimes we can see the present participle have a passive
meaning. Like this *I want the goods SENDING off by the first train. Can we change this sentence into the object+passive infinitive sentence? Like this * I want the goods sending off by the first train. = I want the goods to be sent off by the first train. * I want a button sewing. = I want a button to be sewed. Do these sentences have same meanings? Which sentence is more used?
A: You can use the verbs want and need in a passive form: I want a button sewing / I want a button to be sewed I need a button sewing / I need a button to be sewed But when you make the context more business-like, it sounds strange to use the present participle, and I'd use the more common passive form "to be sent off".
Q: '"put the verb to be in the same tense as the verb in the passive"".please explain this statement more eloborately.Could you explain ""what is to be form means""
A: You need to use the verb "to be" to make a passive: The man was bitten by the snake. The tense of the verb "to be" is the same as the tense in the active sentence: "The snake bit the man" (bit is the simple past), so the tense of the verb "to be" in the passive must also be the simple past (= bit).
Q: it is said that put the present perfect continuous tense into the passive
voice,would be confusing because there would be too many auxiliary verbs....so if i want to say the operation has been being done...what is the passive to replace it... (that has the same meaning with this)? why? please give me the reason
A: The operation has been done (now finished) the operation is being done (still in progress) Or: Surgeons have been doing the operation for three hours.
Q: hi clare , i want to ask from u about has been / have been means what are the different kind of possibilities where we use these?
A: It depends on what time it is when you're talking. If it's well into the next day, use "were left on..." (simple past). If it's still the early morning use "have been left on..." (present perfect).
Q: Is there a passive form of following sentence plz tell me. I have a pen. A: This sentence is possessive.
Q: please write about quistion form of passive how we can makw quistion?
A: You invert the verb to be and the subject: He was arrested. Was he arrested? He has been given a prize. Has he been given a prize?
Q: I have some confusion about usage of 'to be' please give some examples of usage of ' to be' in simple present active tense and simple present passive tense A: She is French. (active) The mail is sent every week. (passive)
Q: 1* The letter is sent. ( i know who sends a letter ex, my brother) 2* some bananas were eaten this morning.( i know my sisters ate them but I don’t want to say that to my mom) 3* our garden has been expanded. i have a quesition? do we always focus on the object & the action that are in the active tense to form the passive tense by using the pronouns she * he* we* ...etc as a subject in the passive tense?
A: 2 and 3 are fine. 1 sounds strange - why would you use this sentence in a passive form? I don't understand your final question. What was the object in the active form becomes the new subject in the passive form. But we don't need to use pronouns. Q: what are the differences between these two sentences? "I get confused" and "I become confused" can we replace "get" with "become" 2. Which one do native speakers mostly use. with get or become?
A: Both are correct, but "become" is more formal than "get". Native speakers would most often use "get" when speaking.
Q: "Get/Gets+third form"but i think its not passive.Many times we can see the use of it.. eg.1..she gets confused everytime.2..building gets damaged by the creation of nuisance..pls reply
A: We often use "get" to talk about developments or processes. If a change occurs in a person ("she gets confused") you could say that she becomes confused by
something else - not all on her own. The same with your example of a building which gets damaged by an external factor. If the reason for a change is external, then get / gets is a sort of passive.
Q: Our A/C with you already been debited with >>>>>> or Our a/c with you has already been debited >
Prepositions and adjectives
In English grammar, it's sometimes hard to remember which preposition is used with which adjective. The list below is a handy reference for the more common
adjectives. afraid of
"I'm afraid of heights." also scared of, frightened of angry about something
"She was angry about the new rules at work." angry with someone
"He was angry with his son for coming home late." bad at something
"The student was bad at Geography." also good at
crazy about something
"She was crazy about the Spice Girls and had all their CD's." different from or to something / someone
"The English are different from the Americans." happy to do something
"She was happy to help." also glad to and pleased to happy for someone
"I was happy for him when he passed his exam." also pleased for
happy with someone / something "The boss was happy with his work." also pleased with and satisfied with
ill with something nice to someone
"She's ill with the flu." "Be nice to him – he's had a bad day." polite to someone
"The policeman was very polite to me." ready to do something
"I'm ready to start work now." ready for something / someone
"It takes me an hour to get the children ready for school." responsible for something / someone
tired from doing something (physically tired) "I'm tired from all this hard work."
also exhausted from
tired with or of something (fed up, bored with)
"She was tired of taking the train to work every day and decided to drive instead." typical of someone
"It's typical of her to do that for you – she always offers to help."
English Grammar Tip
The secret of remembering the right preposition in English grammar is through practice. Try to use them as much as possible and you'll soon be saying them without having to think.
Q: "CHRIS IS POINTING AT SHE",will it be right? No, A: it should be "Chris is pointing at her".
Q: How should I say this, Like I said or As I said.
A: To be grammatically correct, you should say "As I said". However, you will hear a lot of people say "Like I said".
Q: Is it correct to use ( to ) in this sentence : Don't be late to your music lesson . A: Yes, it's correct. (You can also use "for".)
Q: What’s the right preposition? There's no advantage ________ getting another account with us.
A: "in"
Q: She's going to sleep at my home. How do I say it? my friend is staying ---- me. In French: ell reste -chez- moi is there any preposition to use that have the same meaning of "chez" in French?
A: She is staying with me / She is staying at my house. Q: It's very kind of you or it's very kind from you? A: It's very kind of you.
Q: Is it correct if I say: Please draw your attention "at" this point ? A: No. Say "I'd like to draw your attention to this point."
Q: I agree WITH my parent's opinion about politics. or I agree ON my parent's opinion about politics.( Because the sentence is about the OPINION of the parents not the PARENTS itself) Am I right? Thanks..(",)
A: You can say: "I agree with my parents about politics" or "We agree on politics". Q: is it ok to say I am angry/mad at him for coming home late?
A: Yes.
Q: Which one is correct? He is gentleman.. or He is gentlemanly.. Thanks. A: Either "he is a gentleman" or "he is gentlemanly" - both are fine.
Q: which one is correct? In the mean time or At the mean time and In the end of the day or At the end of the day...
A: The correct phrases are: In the meantime At the end of the day
Q: which one is correct. may i know who am i speakin with or may i know who am i speaking to.?
A: Both are fine.
Q: I will be 15 minutes late is a correct sentense; but if I say, "I will be late by 15 minutes." Is it correct or what preposition can be use after late, for or by?
A: Yes, the sentence is fine.
Q: I refer to English article "Illnesses don't have an article", but you say [a] cold and [a] headache. Above mentioned sentence, "She's ill with the flu. Why you use [the] flu, I thought you don't use [the] for illnesses. Thanks and looking forward to your answer.
A: You can use an article with some illnesses: a cold / a headache / the flu; but not with others: cancer / hepatitis / measles etc.
Q: please give me the correct preposition that goes with the word "APPROVAL" A: "for": "He gave his approval for the project". (noun) "of": "He didn't approve of the idea." (verb)
Q: I wonder why they say:- He was in the taxi at 2:30. He was in his car at 2:30. He was on the subway at 2:30. He was on the bus at 2:30. He was on the airplane at 2:30. what is the difference between car or taxi than bus or airplane or subway?. A: You can't always use logic to explain English rules! I think that in this case, it helps to think of cars and taxis as small, closed spaces that you have to get into, while buses, trains, planes etc are much bigger and you need to step on to them. Q: Is it correct to say "You are late from class?"
A: You are late for class.
Q: are the following sentences correct: 1- Im addicted on/in talking with/to u.. 2- he was anxious ahead of the interview. 3- he was relaxed during/ in/ on the interview. 4- following the interview he was completely happy 5-he said that he was always free for/to me. 6- what the most preposition are u confused about/in/on? 7- Im happy to see u again. 8- I met her in/on the chatroom yesterday. 9- I was busy in/on/ at work today morning. 10-he calls me for persistence. can u pls show the differences between whole and all.. I always get confused to use them with some nouns such as body,day,matters...etc thanks in advance...
A: 1- Im addicted to talking with/to u.. 2- he was anxious ahead of the interview. 3- he was relaxed during the interview. 4- following the interview he was completely happy 5-he said that he was always free for me. 6- what prepositions are u confused about? 7- Im happy to see u again. 8- I met her in the chatroom yesterday. 9- I was busy at work today morning. 10-he calls me for persistence.?? I don't understand this one. The whole day (= 100% of the day); all day (same meaning) This shop is open all day / This shop is open the whole day
Q: what about if I use "addicted" with the word "drugs" can I say:" He is addicted to drugs" or " addicted on" in my tenth example I meant that " he encouraged me to be persistent to learn english quickly" is it correct to use " call me for" instead of encourage " he called me for persistence if I want to learn english quickly"
A: Addicted to drugs He encouraged me not to give up / to be persistent in learning English He called for persistence in learning...
Q: I want to ask that if some one asks me that where are u so ,my answer will be i m at home or i m in home... thanks
A: I'm at home.
Q: Is it right "hopeless IN chess" or it "hopeless AT chess”, as it is "bad AT Geography"?
A: Hopeless at / bad at (chess).
Q: In the following sentence, what part of speech is the word embellish? Rule? Eli tends to embellis the truth.
A: It's a verb. Specifically, it's part of the infinitive form "to embellish".
Q: What do you say when some one says, "Goodmorning! How are you today?" Do you say "I'm Good." or "I'm well."
A: "Fine, thank you." In the US you might here "good". It sounds a bit formal to say "I'm well".
Q: which one is correct? My father gave the toy car to me or for me. To me, i like English or For me, I like English.
A: My father gave the toy car to me. My father gave me the toy car. My friend Tony doesn't like English. As for me, I think it's a useful language to learn.
Q: which one is correct: "They are American" or "They are Americans"?? A: "They are American" is better.
Q: "There are some snow on the roof of the post office". Is it correct?? Could I also say: "There are some snow on the post office?"
A: Yes, but it should be "there is some snow..."
Q: please, tell me the different between " in the end" and " at the end".
A: "In the end" = finally, consequently. "We wanted to go to Alton Towers for the day, but the weather was terrible. In the end, we decided to stay at home." "At the end" = the final thing that happened. "The film is about two people who go on a world trip. They visit many different countries and meet lots of new people. At the end of the film, they get married."
Q: "Look! There is somebody ON the train!!!" (I mean on the roof of the train). Is the preposition of the sentence correct (in this situation)??
A: Because "on the train" also means "sitting in the train", you could say in this situation "sitting on top of the train".
Q: "At the restaurant" or "in the restaurant". Which is correct or are both fine? A: Both are fine. "In" the restaurant suggests a person is actually sitting inside the restaurant.
Q: "I go there BY bike" or "I go there ON bike"??? A: by bike / on my bike.
Q: Which one is correct between "My father works in the hospital." or "My father works at the hospital."
A: They are both fine.
Q: "Where is John?" "He is IN (AT?) the swimming pool." Which preposition is correct, please?
A: At
Q: which one is better to say..i am suffering from fever or I am suffering with fever? A: "I'm suffering from..." is better.
Q: Which one the preposition in the below sentence. "Please pass it on to the boys" A: To is the preposition. On is the particle in the phrasal verb "pass on".
Prepositions of time
Using the right preposition in English can be a problem. Here are the most common ones used to talk about time, place and transport.
Time
in a century
"There were many inventions in the twentieth century." in a year
in a month
"He's leaving in January." in a season
"We usually go on holiday in summer." in a part of the day
"I'm leaving in the morning, not in the evening." during or in – when something happens
"Muslims fast during / in Ramadan." "It rained during / in the night." for – how long something takes "She played tennis for an hour." at Christmas or at Easter
"Christians celebrate at Christmas and at Easter." at the weekend
"I play tennis at the weekend." at night
"I go to sleep at night." at a time
"The appointment is at four o'clock in the afternoon." on a day
"The appointment is on Monday." on a date
"I'm leaving on 12 December."
Place
on or on top of
"The remote control is on the table." above (higher than)
"Look at the clock above the mantelpiece." under or underneath
"The keys are under the mat."
beneath (old fashioned word to mean under) below (lower than)
"The chart below shows the annual figures." "It was below freezing last night."
next to "A is next to B in the alphabet."
between "B is between A and C in the alphabet." opposite
"The bank is opposite the supermarket. If you walk outside the bank, you can see the supermarket in front of you, on the other side of the road."
across
"Walk across the road, to the other side." round / around
"It's round the corner – you can't see it from here."
Transport
on a train, a bus, a plane, a bicycle
get on / off a train / a bus / a plane / a bike in a car
get in / out of a car
go by car / train / plane / bus go on foot
Q: can't i say i play tennis during weekends
A: You can say "During the weekend I played tennis", but if you are talking about a regular activity, say "At the weekend I play tennis".
Q: you mention "at" the weekends. how about weekdays, what preposition to use? can I use "at" to other holidays too? except Christmas and Easter
A: Yes - especially for religious holidays.
Q: Someone told me that "ON" should not be used when referring to days of the week, such as: "I have an appointment on Monday" should be "I have an
appointment Monday." I thought the former is correct. Which one is?
A: British English speakers would probably always use "on", while you might not hear "on" from American English speakers.
Q: If I'd like to express" at the weekend evening" \ "in the weekend evening" or "on the weekend evening" which is true? "at the weekend evening is the same as on the weekend " right? And I'd like to say "on Monday morning"or "in Monday morning" which is correct? "I happened to pick up 5 grand RMB AT 3 P.M Monday 12th Dec" This clause is true or false THE TRANSPORT PREPOSITION get on/off a boat/ship? "on a boat/ship" or "in a boat/ship" I am confused... Appreciate for your help
A: "At the weekend" is British English, and "on the weekend" is American English. To talk about an evening at the weekend, say which day it is: "On Sunday evening", "On Saturday evening". Use "on" for days, so "on Monday morning". You get on or off a boat or ship, but in a small boat such as a canoe or dinghy.
Q: I will stay in office upto 8 Pm so How I would say it - I am here upto 8 pm. I will stay in office for an hour. Are these two sentences correct?
A: I will stay here until 8 pm. I will stay in the office for an hour.
Q: How is date and day written is correct english: 1) Monday, the 2nd March, 2009 2) Monday, 2nd March, 2009 3) Monday, 2nd March 2009 ( ie without comma) 4) Monday, March 2, 2009 Pl reply
A: There are many ways you can write the date. Here are some of them: March 2 2nd March March 2, 2009 2 March 2009 Monday, 2nd March
Q: Which preposition do you use in this sentence on or in? On December 2006 I arrived to the U.S.A In December 2006 I arrived to the U.S.A I do not want to say which day in December, and I know that when you say the month and the day you use on, but when you say the year only you say in. Thanks for your help
A: With months you use "in", so your second sentence is correct. Make sure you say "I arrived in the USA" (not "on").
Q: Is it proper to use "on tonight" instead of just simply "tonight"? For example," On tonight, we honor the Class of 2009." or... "We are happy to have a very
distinguished speaker here on tonight."
A: Just say "tonight" unless your sentence needs "on" for another reason: "We've got a great speaker on tonight" ( = on television)
Q: Is 'May 2nd' correct? A: Yes!
Q: 1-Im puzzled about the usage of prepositions especially with naval
transportations.. is it correct to say : " Im going to London by ship" " the boarding time is at 3:30 exactly" " the ship was carrying 330 people onboard" " I'll be getting on the ship at 3:20" 2-and can u please explain when to use some prepositions such as "onto,into,upon,upto".... and is there any difference between them when they come connected " onto,into...." and when they are separated by space " on to, in to" 3- " it rained during the night" does during here means " 100% of the night" it was raining the whole night.
A: 1. Yes, all correct. 2. You'll need to learn which verbs use these prepositions, rather than learning what the prepositions themselves mean. But "upto" as one word isn't correct. 3. During - not the same as "the whole". It rained during the night = at some point during the night.
Q: I just want to make sure if the following phrases are correct: 1- "I often chat with friends during/at/in the night." 2-"Im leaving at this weekend" or "im leaving this weekend" 3- " it is rare to have a windy day in spring" 4-"I was born on 14 October in 1989" 5- " her aunt usually plays Bowling on Thursady and on Friday" or " on Thursday and Friday" 6- " My private teacher always comes at 3:00 in the afternoon on Sunday at the weekend" and to ask about " around" "surround" and wether if I used them corrrectly in the following sentences" * " people
surrounding/around/round me love me too much" * " the thief can't escape anymore, the cops have already rounded/surrounded his house" *" most of the company staff gather around thier new director to congratulate him" thanks in advance
A: 1. ok 2. either "at the weekend" or "this weekend" 3. ok 4. delete "in" before 1989 5. .. usually goes bowling on Thursday and Friday 6 ... on Sunday afternoon (delete "at the weekend") 1. ok 2. surrounded 3. ok
Q: which is correct? 1) I always go there at 6pm on Mondays. 2) i always go there on MOndays at 6pm.
Q: Do the following sentences convey different meanings? - She spoke to him till late in the night. - She spoke to him till late at night. Thanks.
A: Maybe there's a slight difference. In the first, she spoke until the early hours of the morning (till 2 or 3 am perhaps) whereas in the second she spoke until late in the evening (until 11 or 12).
Q: which one is correct between the two sentences? 1. The office opened 20 days back. 2. The office opened 20 days before.
A: The office opened twenty days ago. The office opened twenty days before we had our first customer.
Q: what is the mean of get in and get on?
A: We don't use get in / get on in prepositions of time, except for in this example "It's getting on for six o'clock". There are lots of different meanings for the phrasal verbs get in / get on and impossible to list here. Take a look in a dictionary to see how they can be used.
Q: I am sitting on the branch and she is watching me at half an hour. tell le this is right or wrong thanks
A: "At" is wrong. Do you mean "she has been watching me for half an hour"?
Learn English Prepositions and Verbs
This list will help you remember English verbs and prepositions. Practise using them as much as possible to feel more confident.
accuse someone of something "He accused her of stealing." agree with someone / something
"I agree with you – you are absolutely right." agree to do something
"She agreed to wait for him." agree on something
"We've agreed on all the major points." apply for
"I'm going to apply for a new job." apologise for something
"She apologised for being late." ask someone to do something
"She asked him to do the shopping for her." ask someone for something
"She asked her boss for a day off." believe in
belong to
"This pen belongs to me."
blame someone for doing something "He blamed her for driving too fast." blame something on someone "He blamed the accident on her." borrow something from someone
"He borrowed some money from the bank." care about something
"I don't care about money." care for someone
"She really cares for her grandmother." take care of something / someone "Please take care of yourself on holiday." complain to someone (about something) "He complained to her about the food." concentrate on something
"The student concentrated on her homework." congratulate someone on doing something "He congratulated her on passing her exam." consist of something
"The department consists of five people." depend on someone
"She depended on her friends for support." explain something to someone
"She explained the new system to them." listen to someone
"The students listened to their teacher." look at something
"Look at that view – it's wonderful." look for something / someone
"Will you help me look for my book?" look after someone
pay someone for something
"Can you pay me for the shopping later?" prefer someone / something to someone "I prefer coffee to tea."
protect someone from something "A scarf will protect you from the cold." provide someone with something "They provide families with housing." regard someone as
"She regarded her sister as her best friend." rely on someone / something
"Can I rely on you to get the shopping?" search for someone / something
"The police searched the building for bombs." spend money / time on
"I spent all my money on books as a student." think about someone / something
"I think about you all the time." think about / of doing something
"I'm thinking about / of buying a new car." think of something
"I've just thought of a new idea."
"What do you think of the new magazine?" translate from something into something else "Don't translate from English into French."
wait for someone
"I waited an hour for him, then went home." warn someone about
"The doctor warned her about smoking."
Q: "You are not going to blame me for your being on debt." The prepositions "for" and "on" in the above
phrase are correct or not ? I'm confused with verbs and prepositions. A: "for" is correct, but you need to say "in debt". "I hate being in debt".
Q: Is it right to use draw your attention without "to" as in 1 or it should be as in 2? "I'd like to draw your attention that according to this rule it is not convincing to go there." Or " I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that according to this rule it is not convincing to go there."
A: "I'd like to draw your attention to ...." "I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that..."
Q: Is it right to use what is due for us? She didn't give what is due to us. A: "She didn't give us what was due to us."
Q: Prefer someone / something to someone "I prefer coffee to tea" Pls explain about this example...why it is different from structure.
A: You can prefer something to something: I prefer coffee to tea. You can also prefer someone to someone: I prefer John to David.
Q: Hello, Please advice which one of the following is correct: "we are sleeping IN the couch/bed" or "we are sleeping ON the couch/bed" or "we are sleeping AT the
couch/bed.
A: We are sleeping in the bed / on the couch. Q: To invest in? or to invest on?
A: "Invest in" is correct.
Q: congratulations for the engagement? or: on the engagement? A: Congratulations on (your / the) engagement.
Q: She won Nobel prize ( for , in ) literature. Which is correct? (For or in) A: "For" is correct.
Q: I apologize to her for being rude. I want to ensure whether "to" is necessary. A: Yes, you need "to" in your sentence.
Q: why do we need"to" in the sentence: I apologize to her for being rude. i think we needn't use"to" because apologize is a verb and can be followed by an object"her". A: No, with "apologise" you can have either: for + ing (He apologised for being rude) or to + person (He apologised to her / He apologised to her for being rude)
Q: what are the prepositions which follow the verb:to be jealous.thanks for you. A: She is jealous of...
Q: What do we do with forms? Should we: fill up/fill out/fill in forms? Do we focus on/in something?
A: You can fill in or fill out a form. You focus on something.
Q: I want to know if I have to add the preposition "to" at the end of this question: "what are you listening?" thanks
A: Yes, you need "to" at the end.
Q: What is the difference between think about and think of?
A: Think about = to have an opinion about something "What do you think about the new shopping centre?" Think of = the activity of thinking "What do you think of before you go to sleep?"
Q: is this sentence correct? " i want u to listen TO something" Is it ok to omit TO? thanks a lot
A: It's correct - don't omit "to".
Q: I have a question, I had learned the usage of "spend" in a grammar book, it said that "spend money on somthing" and "spend time (in,can omit) Ving(doing
something), but this site said"spend money/time on..". I am confused.
A: You can spend time on something: I've spent a lot of time on this exercise. I've spent a lot of time doing this exercise.
Q: accuse of .please make it sentence
A: He accused her of murder. She accused him of stealing her bag. Q: Shall I say: As shown ON or IN or AT drawing?? Regards
A: As shown in the drawing.
Q: Which is correct? "Congratualtions FOR completing your course." OR
the other way, it's always "on," as in "He congrautlated her on..." but I am unsure about the use of "Congrautlations."
A: I think that "on" is more correct than "for", but I've heard people use both. Q: what is the proper preposition to use in these phrases: 1-she suffers from/of depression. 2- they laugh off his long hair. 3- I am in/on a bad mood. 4- she hates him and always pray on/against him 5- she called me last night or called me up.... 6- she got angry at/with me. 7- I love everything in/on her. 8- it is my turn to pay/pay up the telephone bill. 9-please call me in/on my other phone number. 10- his habit is to mull over before making decision. correct????? 11- what is your impression
towards/on/to/ about the new teacher? 12- good luck in/on your trip.
A: 1-she suffers from depression. 2- they laugh at / about his long hair. 3- in a bad mood. 4- she hates him and always pray on/against him ?? Don't understand what you want to say here 5- she called me last night or called me up…. Both OK 6- she got angry at/with me. Both OK 7- I love everything about her. 8- it is my turn to pay the telephone bill. 9-please call me on my other phone number. 10- his habit is to mull everything over before making decision. correct????? Yes 11- what is your impression of/ about the new teacher? 12- good luck on your trip.
Q: can you please clarify how to use " laugh off"? and does it has the same meaning and usage of "mock" - in my forth example I meant she hates him too much and always wishes bad things for him such as to fall sick, fail in exams, ....etc I used it as opposite of " pray for" but I dont know what preposition can come with it ON or against.. and finally Is the following expression correct: " she is going to reply him on/to all the messages he sent her"
A: 1. If you laugh something off, you make it sound unimportant to you. "Mock" means you try to show that another person's ideas or beliefs are stupid. 2. She wishes him ill 3. reply to
Q: I just want to know what is grammatically correct: It will help our life gets better; or It will help our life to get better?
A: Either "it will help our life to get better" or "it will help our life get better".
Q: Can you tell me list of verbs which will not followed by preposition, like request, discussed..etc. eg1. i discussed the matter with him. eg2. i requested his help. A: There'd probably be too many to list! It's better to try and learn the prepositions which go with the verbs, rather than learning a list of verbs that don't need
prepositions.
Q: (on when, or just when?) to use "result to" and "result in"? Thanks a lot!
A: I can't think of any situations where I'd use "result to". Use "result in": "The pay freeze has resulted in a lot more employee dissatisfaction."
Q: I congratulated her for the brilliant success in the examination. is this correct? A: I congratulated her on her brilliant success....
Q: can u explain me when to use: -at and with - in, into and to -agreed to, agreed on and agreed with
A: You agree with a person: "You're right. I agree with you." You agree on something: "So we've agreed on two points..."
Q: "I have been IN the Sonoran Desert" or "I have been TO the Sonoran Desert"? A: Both are correct, depending on what you want to say. If you want to say you have had this experience, use "to". If you have just returned and want to say where you have been, say "in".
Q: Do all words go after preposition is add ing if it's something?
Q: what is true and what is false in the following sentences? and why? : 1- who is behind you? 2- who is back you? 3- what can you see in the picture? 4- what can you see on the picture?
A: Sentences 1 and 3 are correct.
Q: "Behind the corner" or "around the corner"?? A: Round / around the corner.
Q: "He smiled like crazy." Is this correct or should I say only: "He laughed like crazy"?
A: It's fine to say that.
Direct and Indirect Questions in English
Direct questions – yes / no questions in English. 1. He likes swimming.
2. He can swim long distances. 3. He is a good swimmer.
To make sentence 1 into a question, you need to add does. The does goes before he.
Does is only used if the subject is he, she or it – in all other cases, use do. The verb like goes after the subject, but it doesn't have an 's' on the end.
Remember: after auxiliary verbs (like do, does, have, can, etc.) the verb is in the infinitive, without 'to'.
"Does he like swimming?" Not "Does he likes swimming?" or "Do he like swimming?"
If the sentence is in the past tense (he liked swimming), we use the past form of 'do' or 'does', which is did. The verb 'like' is still in the infinitive without 'to'.
For example, "Did he like swimming?" Not "Did he liked swimming?"
To make sentence 2 into a question, you don't need to use 'does' because you already have an auxiliary verb – can. So you put the can before he.
"Can he swim long distances?" Not "Can swim he long distances?" or "Does he can swim long distances?"
To make sentence 3 into a question, use is as the auxiliary.
"Is he a good swimmer?" Not "Does he is a good swimmer?" or "Does he be a good swimmer?"
What is your name?
Why do you want this job? How much do you earn? How soon can you start?
When did you see the advertisement? Where do you live?
Which newspaper did you see the advertisement in? Who gave you my name?
After the "wh word" (what, why, how, when, etc) comes the auxiliary (do, does, did or can), then the subject (you) , then the rest of the question.
Note: if 'who', 'which' or 'what' are the subject of the question, you don’t need an auxiliary.
For example, "What happened?" Not "What did happen?" The thing that happened is what – the subject of the question.
"Who saw you?" Someone saw you – who was it?
Compare with "Who did you see?" You saw someone – who was it?)
"Which company made a profit?" A company made a profit – which company was it? Compare with "Which company did you work for?" You worked for a company – which one was it?
Indirect questions in English
If you want to ask a question that is quite sensitive, try using one of the indirect phrases below:
Can you tell me… Could you tell me…
I'd be interested to hear… I'd like to know…
Would you mind telling me…
These questions are followed by either about, a "wh word" or if. Then you add the subject, then the sentence.
You don't need an 'auxiliary', such as 'do', 'does', 'did', or 'can'.
"Can you tell me what you like most about your present job?" Not "Can you tell me what do you like?"
"I'd be interested to hear about your experiences."
Q: Tell me in which situation what type of question should be asked? For example: 1) Did you see the movie? 2) Have you seen the movie? 3) You saw the movie? Are they all right questions, if yes, which one is right for which situation.
A: Question 1 and 2 ask much the same thing. Question 1 refers to a past event, whereas question 2 asks whether you have had the experience of seeing the movie. Question 3 is not really a question, but if you had rising intonation (on the movie?) it sounds like a question. We would use this if we were surprised: I saw Departed. You saw the movie?
Q: Which one is correct? "Do you know who is this?" or "Do you know who this is?". A: "Do you know who this is?" is correct.
Q: When we ask a negative question, where do we place "not"? for example: 1) haven't you seen the movie? 2) Have you not seen the movie?
A: The first one is more common, as we tend to abbreviate the auxiliary form "haven't".
Q: I just want to know that when we ask a negative question, where do we place "not"? for example: why you did not come last night? why did you not come last night?
A: The first one is correct. (After the auxiliary.)
Q: for indirect questions shall I place the verb to be at the end? what is the rule. A: The verb goes at the end: What is your name? (Direct question) Can you tell me what your name is? (Indirect question) The word order of indirect questions looks like a positive statement, with noun + verb.
Q: When do we use "do" in questions vs. when do we use "be" in questions? Is there a hard and fast rule?
A: Use "be" in questions where the verb is the verb "to be": She is French. Is she French?
Use "do" in questions when there is a "lexical" verb, such as live, work, eat etc She eats vegetables and fruit. Does she eat meat?
Q: how to make this sentence indirect: A child asked in wonder,"who created the heavens and all the beautiful things around us?"
A: A child asked who had created the heavens and all the beautiful things around us.
*: We use "be" when the verb is "to be", so "Are you free?" and not "Do you be free". We use the "do" for most verbs: "Do you like pizza?" or "Do you know him?"
Q: what is the structure for this question. Do you know where the cat is?
A: A direct question is "Where is the cat?" But in indirect questions, we have an introductory phrase like "Do you know" or "I'd like to know". Then you have the question word (where / what / why etc), plus noun and verb. An important thing to remember is that in indirect questions, the word order of the question looks more like a statement (noun - verb). In direct questions (Where is the cat?) you have an inversion, with question word - verb - noun.
Q: What's the time? Do/know? Do you know what time it is? Why do we put "it" in the indirect form? Why not: Do you what the time is? Hmm
A: You can say "Do you know what the time is?" as well as "Do you know what time is it?" The direct question is either "What time is it?" (indirect "Do you know what time it is?") and "What's the time?" (indirect "Do you know what the time is?") Hope that helps.
Q: what would be the indirect question. he asked what is your name? A: He asked me what my name was.
A: she / they would accept a cash settlement.
Q: How do I change this question to an Indirect question. "How many stars are on the flag of Singapore?"
A: He / she asked how many stars there were on the flag of Singapore.
Q: what is correct? The little girl wants to know what is at the end of the rainbow. or The little girl wants to know what at the end of the rainbow is.
A: The first one is correct.
Q: how to change the sentence, " The sun's heat in the morning is a good source of vitamin D." in question using What does? would it be possible?
A: What does the sun's heat provide in the morning?
Q: when we use the word of "if" for example "do you know if he lives around there" how can we make it direct question thanks..
A: Does he live around here?
Q: what is an information question? Is the following question an information question or a yes or no question? Have you got any idea who invented the first washing machine?
A: I think it's a yes/no question, as the answer to "Have you got any idea...." is either yes or no.
Q: If I say "What's wrong?"... Is there an indirect question??? A: She asked me what was wrong.
Q: I am wondering why the direct question: -Could you help me? can be written indirectly: -Do you know if you could help me? but there is no "if" when we say: -Do you think you could help me?
A: The first one sounds strange, as we'd use it when we weren't sure if the other person knew the answer: Do you know if the Number 20 bus stops here? You don't need "if" in the second question, as it's a direct request (not asking for information). The answer is either yes or no!
Q: can if be used instead of that like he asked me that I know about him. or he asked me if i know about him.
A: No, because it's a question you need to use "if" and not "that". Q: what is your problem? convert above question in indirect question A: He asked me what my problem was.
Q: Is it correct "can you tell me who Don quixote wrote" and do you know where located the golden bridge?"
A: Can you tell me who wrote DQ? Do you know where the golden bridge is located? Q: could you tell me the indirect sentence of : who was the last person you talked to?
A: Can you tell me who the last person you talked to was?
Q: Which one is correct? Guess who I am looking at? or Guess who am I looking at? Thanks
A: The first one is correct.
Q: Is this correct? 1)"Did you finished eating?" 2)"I just finished eating."
A: 2 is fine. You might also hear "I've just finished eating". 1 should be "Have you finished eating?" or "Did you finish eating?"
Q: I want to know that in the following sentences which one is correct? how much do you serious for your work? How much you are serious for your work?
Question Tags
Question tags are used in English to encourage someone to carry on talking. We use these question tags when we want to ask a question, or if we want someone to agree with us.
She doesn't like swimming, does she? (No, she doesn't.)
He can't cook, can he? (No he can't.)
He's interesting, isn't he? (Yes, he is.)
We've been here before, haven't we?
How to make question tags
To make a question tag in English, use the auxiliary verb (if there is one) in the sentence.
She doesn't like… (doesn't is the auxiliary) He can't cook… (can't is the auxiliary) He's interesting… (is is the auxiliary) We've been here… (have is the auxiliary)
Negative and positive tags
If the auxiliary is negative, the tag is positive.
NEGATIVE
She doesn't like… …does she?
POSITIVE
If the auxiliary is positive, the tag is negative.
POSITIVE
He's interesting… …isn't he?
NEGATIVE
No auxiliary?
He likes tennis, doesn't he?
You saw her last week, didn't you? We don't know that for a fact, do we?
Pronunciation
If your voice goes up on the tag, you make a question. If your voice drops on the tag, then you aren't making a question, but you are asking someone to agree with you.
Q: I am confused when to use does and do. What’s the difference?
A: We use "does" for third person singular, but "do" for I, you, we and they. You don't know him, do you? He likes music, doesn't he?
Q: What about sentences like this: -Let's play tennis,...? -I'm not late today,...?
A: Let's play tennis, shall we? I'm not late today, am I?
Q: How can we make question tags of the sentences like this: I have a car. She has a flat. And, how can we agree with these question(tag)s? I have a car, don't I? She has a flat, doesn't she? (Yes, you do / Yes, she does.)
A: I have a car haven't I ? she has a flat hasn't she ? No! I have a car, don't I? She has a flat, doesn't she?
I am a teacher.arent I?
Q: Please, somebody can help me out? what's the question tag in this sentence: That wouldn't do, ....?
A:.. would it?
Q: How to make question tags of sentences like this: every boy brings their own bags,....? I needn't have gone,...?
A: Everybody brings their own bags, don't they? I needn't have gone, need I?
Q: Let us go dancing to night,...? Shall you? or Won't we? I thought ," Won't we" is correct. But someone advise to "Shall you". Please give the explanation. Thks & rgds
A: Let's go dancing tonight, shall we?"
Q: I ain't going to the party,...? What should I write here ? A:... am I?
Q: This won't solve the question , .... ? There is no need to debate this issue, ... ? what can i write here Her room always looks Clean , doesn't she ???? Am 1 right? A: This won't solve the question , will it? There is no need to debate this issue, is there? Her room always looks Clean , doesn't it? You need to find the auxiliary in the sentence to make the tag question.
Q: Make a question, Lal bahadur shastri was 2nd prime minister of India. question should be such that , "2nd" should be its answer...
A: I often get questions like this! Any question you make with something like 2nd, 5th, 100th etc in the question sounds very strange in English. It would perhaps be better to ask "LBS was the first, second, or third prime minister of India?"
Or, "Was LBS the first, second, or third....?"
Q: thanks for your reply But what if the one who is asking the question doesnt know abt LBS prime ministry ranking.... I need to translate my regional language to
got translation like this ,but it seems to be sumwhat incorrect, what u think? of what rank was LBS , in Indian prime ministry ?
A: In the chronological history of India's prime ministers, where does LBS fit in? Q: Let us go dancing tonight , ...? I think it will be ( Will you or won't you ?) I think so as it is a kind of order or request . Am I right ?
A: Let's go dancing tonight, shall we? For suggestions, use "shall" in the question tag.
Q: hi! about this sentence:" too violent for you,was it?"why "was" is not in the nagative form? thanks
A: You can have question tags where both the tag and the sentence are affirmative or negative. We often use this pattern to show interest (as in your example). When you leave out part of the sentence (such as a pronoun "it" and verb "was") it is called ellipsis, also as in your example: Too violent for you, was it? (omitting "it was")
Q: first,i didnt underestand a main point in your reply you said,we often use this pattern to show interest.you know I did not feel it in that sentence.could you analyze that sentence a bit so that i get what you meant by interest?please...please!thats a very nice point!
A: So, you're Fatima, are you? (I've finally met you!) Too violent for you, was it? (Tell me more about this violent film)
Q: which sentence is the correct one among these two "how many clothes does she has?" or 'how many clothes does she have" please reply cause this has confused me a lot
A: The second is correct.
Q: How can make question tags like sentance Let me help you?
A: If it's a request or order, you can use "will" in the tag: Let me help you, will you? Q: In question tag, how I express myself correctly if I do not agree the speaker ? I.E. they danced in wabble, didn't they? No, I don't think so. Very good, question tag used to open a dialog or ask someone to agree the opinion. It is raining, isn't it? Yes, it is. She is not fat, is she ? No, she is not. I doubt your statment, she is overweight at all. Looking foward to applying. Great thanks!
A: What you've said is fine, except the last, where you could say "I don't really agree - she's quite overweight in my opinion."
Q: May I ask a question. Man is mortal...? What should I write A: .. isn't he?
Q: You don't like curry, right? Can I know how to answer the question above? No I don't or..?
A: "No, I don't" or "Actually, yes, I do!"
Q: is this correct? Ana looks beautiful, doesn't she? or, it should be -ana looks beautiful, isn't she? since looks is a linking verb...
A: Ana looks beautiful, doesn't she?
Q: Let us go out...? What would be the question tag,please? A: ... shall we?
Q: I have difficulty with the following sentence: It was very kind of Peter to cook spaghetti the other night, isn't it? Should I reply with: "Yes, it was". Or: "Yes, it is". Or even, " Yes indeed." Which one is correct?
A: It should be: It was very kind... wasn't it. You reply: Yes, it was. / Yes indeed. Q: How can we write question tag for these sentences: People think that only the rich are happy,...? I don't think this idea would help you,...? Nothing had
to be said,...? My hair needed to be cut,...? The news that the armed forces were nearly alarmed the citizens,...?
A: People think that only the rich are happy, don't they. I don't think this idea would help you, would it. Nothing had to be said, did it. My hair needed to be cut, didn't it. The news that the armed forces were nearly alarmed the citizens, didn't it.
Q: Could we have more explanation from you about when do we know the tag is referred to the main sentence and when does it [tag] refer to the subordinate clause as the two sentence above? Many thanks! Have a nice weekend! Cheer!
A: This is a very good question. The only way I can explain it is that it's more a
question of sense, than whether it's a main or subordinate clause. In the first, you're not asking for confirmation whether the rich are happy or not, but whether people think that. You're questioning the assumption (people think) rather than an idea (rich are happy.) But in the second, you're not questioning your own opinion (I don't think) but whether the specific advise you're giving is helpful or not (this idea would help you). We often use question tags not as real questions, but to get the other person to agree or disagree with us.
Q: "There is a strong wind today, ISN´T THERE? Is this correct, please? A: Yes.
Q: how to make a question tags in this sentence he will help me tomorrow,...? A: He will help me tomorrow, won't he?
Reported Speech
Sometimes you need to tell people about your conversations and change direct speech into indirect speech. When you do this, you need to make sure that the tenses are correct.
For example, Karen says to Peter: "My job is very interesting." Peter then wants to report this conversation to Sarah a week later. He says: "Karen said that her job was interesting."
When you report a conversation, the tense changes:
"My job is very interesting" becomes: She said that her job was very interesting.
Tense changes
"I'm going swimming" – She said she was going swimming. "I haven't seen the film" – She said she hadn't seen the film.
"I have been working all morning" – She said she had been working all morning. "I was working all week" – She said she had been working all week.
"He went on holiday to Greece" – She said he had gone on holiday to Greece. Sentences that are already in the "had done" form remain the same:
Reporting modal verbs
Modal verbs also go back one tense. Will becomes would.
For example: "I will see him later" – She said she would see him later. Can becomes could.
For example: "I can swim" – She said she could swim. May becomes might.
For example: "It may become colder over night" – He said it might become colder over night.
Direct speech using would, could, might and should all stay the same in reported speech.
"You should speak more" – He said I should speak more.
Reporting questions
When you report questions, the word order changes to look like a normal statement. For example: "Can you help me?" – She asked me if I could help her.
"What's the time?" – He asked her what the time was.
Other changes
Time expressions also change in reported speech. today – that day
tomorrow – the day after / the next day
yesterday – the day before / the previous day now – then
next week – the week after
last week – the week before / the previous week Other expressions that change:
here – there this – that
Q: I do not know how to change "Come in!" into indirect speech. A: He asked her to come in. He invited her in.
Q: "What did you see in the distance?" she asked me. How it is indirect speech ? A: She asked me what I could see in the distance. She asked me what I saw in the distance.
Q: Mother: " i'm going to the mall to buy you new shoes." ( a minute later ...) My sister: where's mom. what should i answer to my sister? Should i say, " she said she was going to the mall to buy me new shoes." ?
A: Yes, this is correct.
Q: were you working last week? indirect: she asked me if I had been working the previous week is it correct? do I have to put "if"?
A: Yes, to both questions.
Q: how do you translate to the reported speech:"sorry,i couldn't help you"?..Thanks A: He said that he was sorry he couldn't help.
Q: can you change this phrase into reported speech: When will you come? This man will come tomorrow. I have worked her for a long time. Thank you
A: He asked me when I would come. He said that the man would come the next day. He said that he had worked for her for a long time.
Q: Most times when people report the direct words of another speaker, instead of using "He said" for instance, most times I have heard people saying "He says". Is this right? Please I would like you to clarify this point because am really not comfortable.
A: In informal English, or when you are telling a story, you can use "he says" instead of "he said": So I say .... and then he says.... You might also hear "go" instead of "say".
In informal English, or when people tell stories, they use "says" rather than "said". Q: How can I change the following question into reported speech? "Don't try to make any excuse to shirk your duties." My boss told to him. Is it "My boss told to him not to try to make any excuse to shirk your duties"? But it seems to be very strange. Does anyone help me to get the most appropriate answer?
A: My boss told him not to try to make any excuse to shirk his duties.
Q: How do we change "What did he steal Mum?"he asked to reported speech. Is it ...He asked his mother what he had stolen or He asked his mother what did he steal ?
A: He asked his mother what he had stolen.
Q: hello my teacher had given us an exercise I wanted to know the truth if the statement ( she told me (you are very kind ) can accept both(she told me that I was very kind ) and (she told me that Iam very kind ) or not so please help me
A: Yes, your teacher is right! All three are fine: She told me you are very kind She told me that I was very kind She told me that I am very kind Firstly, after "told someone" you can either have "that" or not have "that". Secondly, if the person is still kind, you can keep the verb in the present tense. Alternatively, you can put the verb back one tense and make it (in this example) the past simple.
Q: I think that (here) in direct speech would change to (there) in reported speech but when the reporting verb is in the present simple is it remained unchanged ? as in the statement he prohibits them"don't play here" is it false that here changed to there thank you
A: He prohibited them from playing there. (Normally we change here to there in reported speech.)
Q: Where does James live? I have no idea where does james live. Do you want to go out tonight? I’m not sure if I want to go out tonight. Have I passed the exam? I’m sorry. I can’t tell you if you have passed you’re exam. How many languages are there in the word? I haven’t got a clue how many languages where there in the world. Who’s that woman over there? I can’t remember who was that woman. Did Ben buy some more sugar? I don’t know if Ben has bought more sugar. ‘Don’t forget to take all your belongings with you, said the driver to the passengers as they left the coach. As the passengers left the coach, the driver reminded them not to forget their belongings. If I were you, I wouldn’t visit that area late at night, said the travel agent to the young couple. ‘The travel agent advised young couple not to visit the area late at night. Would you like to stay at my house?’ said Peter to James. Peter asked James if he would like to stay in his house. ‘I won’t eat my vegetables!’ said Timmy. Timmy refused to eat his vegetables. ‘I’ll give you a lift into town,’ said Ray to Mary. Ray offered Mary to give her a lift into town. ‘Put that diamond necklace down?’ the police officer said to the burglar. The police officer ordered to a burglar to put the diamond necklace down. I’m going to work in Spain next year. Rachel said she was going to work in Spain next year. I work for a small publishing company. Rachel said that she was working in a small publishing company. I’m their marketing manager. Rachel said that she was their marketing manager. The company has opened an office in Barcelona. Rachel said that the company had opened an office in Barcelona. It’s been very successful. Rachel said that it had been very successful. I’ve been chosen to run a new office in Madrid. Rachel said that she has been chosen to run a new office in Madrid. I’m studying Spanish in the evenings. Rachel said that she was studying Spanish in the evenings. I don’t have much time to enjoy myself. Rachel said that she didn’t have much time to enjoy herself. I haven’t had lunch with a friend for ages. Rachel said that she hadn’t had lunch with a friend ages. is it correct?
A: All are correct except the ones below (which I have corrected for you - see the words in bold.) Where does James live? I have no idea where James lives. Have I passed the exam? I’m sorry. I can’t tell you if you have passed your exam. How many languages are there in the word? I haven’t got a clue how many languages there are in the world. Who’s that woman over there? I can’t remember who that woman is. Did Ben buy some more sugar? I don’t know if Ben bought more sugar. If I were you, I wouldn’t visit that area late at night, said the travel agent to the young couple. ‘The travel agent advised the young couple not to visit the area late at night. ‘I’ll give you a lift into town,’ said Ray to Mary. Ray offered to give Mary a lift into town. ‘Put that diamond necklace down?’ the police officer said to the burglar. The police officer ordered the burglar to put the diamond necklace down. I’m going to work in Spain next year. Rachel said she was going to work in Spain the
following year. I work for a small publishing company. Rachel said that she worked in a small publishing company. I’ve been chosen to run a new office in Madrid.
Rachel said that she had been chosen to run a new office in Madrid. I haven’t had lunch with a friend for ages. Rachel said that she hadn’t had lunch with a friend for ages.
Q: I could not able to make out when should we use "IF" in between the reporting speech. Please give few examples along with how to use and when to use.
A: He asked me if I had seen the film. ("Have you seen the film?") He asked me if I knew the answer. ("Do you know the answer?")
Q: help me with my doubts? 1 I know from the rule that the verbs
could,must,should,etc. used in the direct speech don't have to change in the
and 'have to' in the reported speech and that I have to use the past tenses of these verbs. but are they always interchangeable or there is a rule for the choice? so how should I write this sentence? Brian said to his friend '' I couldn't get my car to start'' Should I write -Brian said to his friend that he couldn't get his car to start- or -Brian said to his friend that he had not been able to get his car to start- ? 2 in the
sentence I've been studying a lot recently is it correct to replace recently with 'at that time' in the reported speech?
A: Yes, I agree with your teacher. But if you use "could" in direct speech as a request, you don't use "able to" in the reported speech: "Could I speak to Sarah please?" = She asked me if she could speak to Sarah. In your sentence, I think you can use both "couldn't" and "wasn't able to". You can't go one tense back from "couldn't" so it stays the same.
Q: can you help me to turn this sentences into reported speech...? 1.Fetch the lady's shawl,please. 2.Let's go and have supper at the lovely restaurant over there. 3.I didn't expect to be given such information. Can I get the answers till tomorrow before 1 o'clock pm cuz i need them urgent, please.... Thank you.
A: 1. He told him / her to fetch the lady's shawl. 2. He suggested supper at the restaurant over there. 3. She said that she didn't expect to be given...
Q: Nasty girls say to Christy, "Have you seen our new car today." Five minutes later Christy tells Samantha: "The nasty girls asked whether I had seen their new car today". A day later Christy tells Jane: "The nasty girls asked whether I had seen their new car yesterday." A week later Christy tells Monica: "The nasty girls asked
whether I had seen their new car a week ago." My question is: if we use backshift, should the time expression MUST be changed too or it has to follow WHEN we reported it. I'm so confused about time expression. Please help, thanks.
A: Time expressions also change in reported speech: yesterday - the day before last week - a week ago But I think you need to decide if the time expression refers to when the girls asked, or when you saw their car. If the first, you can say: The girls asked me today/ yesterday / a week ago whether I had seen their new car.
Q: "when does the performance start" is it correct: he asked me when did the performance start?
A: He asked me when the performance started.
Q: how to report a statement like the following:1-"With the global market
meltdown, many employees are being laid off "(this is a current situation) 2-The moon plays a vital role in the stability of the earth"(scientific truth) thx in advance. A: The newspaper reported that many people were being laid off in the global market meltdown. The newspaper reports that many people are being laid off.... (note that the reporting verb "reports" is in the present tense) He said that the moon plays / played... Of the two I prefer the first, as this is a scientific truth which is
always true.
Q: please help me to know the rules in reporting statement especially in reporting the general truths,facts and simple conversation/statements thanks
A: If the thing you are reporting is still true (i.e. general truths and facts) then you don't need to go back one tense: He said that the earth is round. He said he's going to London tomorrow.
Q: Are these sentences correct? I thought you have to change the verb back to past tense? if they are correct then when do we use present tense and when do we use past tense? From a blog that was created the same day as the football practice: After practice, coach Johnson said he's (he was) seeing good things from Robert. Specifically, Johnson said he sees (saw) Wilson correcting teammates after they make (made) errors.
