Reported Speech 2º Bto.2ª Parte. Questions, Commands

 

REPORTED SPEECH: QUESTIONS AND IMPERATIVES

QUESTIONS:

En inglés hay dos maneras de formular preguntas:

A)      Yes / No questions: Son aquellas en las que se espera como respuesta Sí / No.

Para pasarlas a estilo indirecto, aplicamos los mismos cambios que en las statements, es decir, en las oraciones afirmativas y negativas:  cambios de tiempos verbales, pronombres personales, pronombres objeto, adjetivos posesivos y expresiones temporales. Estas oraciones interrogativas las convertiremos en oraciones afirmativas añadiéndole la partícula si (if / whether), que ya conocéis por las oraciones condicionales.

 EJEMPLO:

Direct Speech: The mother asked her daughter: ‘ Have you finished your homework? ‘

(La madre le preguntó a su hija: ‘¿Has terminado la tarea?)

Reported Speech: The mother asked her daughter if/ whether she had finished her homework.

(Notad que después de if / whether, va una oración afirmativa con su sujeto, verbo y complementos)

B)      -Wh questions: Son las que comienzan por pronombres interrogativos tipo Who, Where, How           much… y cuya respuesta requiere una oración afirmativa.

Para pasarlas a estilo indirecto, mantenemos el pronombre interrogativo siempre y aplicamos los cambios de tiempos verbales, pronombres personales…etc de las oraciones afirmativas.

EJEMPLO:

Direct Speech: The policeman asked the boy: ‘How old are you?’

(El policía le preguntó al muchacho: ‘¿Cuántos años tienes?’

Reported Speech: The policeman asked the boy how old he was.

(Notad que después del pronombre interrogativo, el orden es el mismo de las oraciones afirmativas: sujeto + verbo+complementos)

AMPLIACIÓN:

Verbs with a direct object:

-          Verb + object + (that) (advise, assure, convince, inform, persuade, promise, remind, tell, warn)

Example: The secretary : ‘The meeting will start in an hour’

                  The secretary reminded them that the meeting would start in an hour.

-          Verb + object + to infinitive (advise, ask, beg, convince, encourage, invite, order, persuade, recommend,  remind,tell, warn, urge)                                                

Example: Everybody: ‘You really should apply for this job’

                                        Everybody encouraged me to apply for that job.

-          Verb + object +preposition + -ing (accuse sb of, blame sb for, criticise sb for, congratulate sb on, praise sb for, suspect sb of, thank sb for)                                     

       Example: Juan’s boss: ‘It’s your fault that the car was damaged’

                                                Juan’s boss blames him for damaging the car.

Verbs without a direct object:

-          Verb + that (add, admit, agree, claim, complain. deny, explain, insist, promise, recommend, regret, suggest)

Example: Sue: ‘I wasted a lot of time’

                  Sue complained that she had wasted a lot of time

-          Verb + to infinitive (agree, claim, decide, offer, promise, refuse, threaten)

Example: The manager: ‘I will hire two new employees’

                  The manager decided to hire two new employees.

-          Verb + -ing (admit, deny, propose, recommend, regret, suggest)

Example: The cashier: ‘ I didn´t take the money’

                   The cashier denied taking the money

-          Verb + preposition+-ing (apologise for, insist on, object to)

Example: Me: ‘I ’m sorry I was rude’'

                  I apologised for being rude.

EXERCISES:

A) Rewrite the sentences with the words in capitals.

1. 'Why don't we spend the money on new schools' PROPOSE

The minister........................................................................................

2. 'I shouldn't have been rude to my neighbour' REGRET

I .......................................................................................................

3. 'Please don't forget to lock the door' URGE / ME

He ..........................................................................................................

4. 'Remember to bring something warm to wear' REMIND / ME

Rebeca ..................................................................................................

5, 'I'm afraid I ate all the chocolates!' ADMIT

Luis ......................................................................................................

B) Complete the sentences with the right form of the verbs in brackets. 

1. She reminded me ..................( fulfil ) my duties.

2. Jonathan suggested ............( hire) an interior designer.

3. She persuaded me ............. (not step down).

4. I was blamed ................... (cause) unnecessary problems.

5. He threatened ................. (tell) the boss about my lack of experience.

6. She congratulated me ..............(win) the first prize.

7. Would you advise me ............ (do) a course in accountancy?

8. The plumber apologised for .......... (be) late.

Answers:

A)

1. The minister proposed spending / that we spent the money...

2. I regret being rude / having been rude to my neighbour

3. He urged me not to forget to lock the door

4. Rebeca reminded me to bring something....

5. Luis admitted eating / that he had eaten...

B)

1. to fulfil    2. hiring    3. not to step down    4. for causing    5. to tell   6. on/ for winning

7. to do        8. for being