INDIRECT QUESTIONS

Indirect questions are polite, longer forms of normal questions. For example: - Where's the department store? - Direct question - Could you tell me where the department store is, please? - Indirect question - What's his name? - Direct question - Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question Form Indirect questions are formed of two parts: a polite expression, and a question which has no subject/verb inversion like a normal question . For example: - What's his name? >> - Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question Here the polite expression is "Do you know...", and the question part is "...what his name is?". Note that the subject and verb have not changed place in the question part. So if you said "Do you know what is his name?", this would be incorrect. Another example: - What's the time? >> - Do you have any idea what the time is? - Indirect question The polite expression is "Do you have any idea...?", and the question is "...what the time is?". The question is not "...what is the time?" - you don't invert the subject and verb kike a normal question. Auxiliary Verb "To do"

The auxiliary verb "to do"is used in questions when there is no other auxiliary verb. For example: - You like Chinese food. >> - Do you like Chinese food? Indirect questions do not use the auxiliary verb "to do" in the main question. For example: - When does the next train arrive? - Direct question - Do you know when the next train arrives? - Indirect question - Do you know when does the next train arrive? - Incorrect Another example: - When does the restaurant close? - Direct question - Could you tell me when the restaurant closes? - Indirect question - Could you tell me when does the restaurant close? - Incorrect There are infinite ways to make indirect questions. Not all indirect questions are questions at all, rather they are polite statements which encourage some kind of response. Some common polite expressions include: - I wonder if/whether...? - I can't remember if/whether...? - Could you tell me if/whether...?

- Would you mind telling me if/whether...? - Would it be possible for you to...? - Is there any chance you could...? - I don't suppose you could... - I'd like to know if/whether... - I can't remember... PASSIVE VOICE Use of Passive Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action. Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it. Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows: Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.). Form of Passive Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs) Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle) the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive

Tense

Subject

Verb

Object

writes Simple Present Active: Rita

a letter.

Passive :

A letter

is written

by Rita.

Simple Past

Active: Passive :

Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter

wrote was written has written has been written will write will be written can write can be written

a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita.

Present Perfect

Active: Passive :

Future I

Active: Passive :

Hilfsverben

Active: Passive :

Examples of Passive

Tense

Subject

Verb

Object

is writing Present Progressive e: Activ Rita

a letter.

Passi ve: Past Progressive e: Passi ve: Past Perfect e: Passi ve: Future II e: Passi ve: Conditional I e: Passi ve: Conditional II e: Passi ve: Activ Activ Activ Activ Activ

A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter

is being written was writing was being written had written had been written will have written will have been written would write would be written would have written would have been written

by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

Subject

Verb

Object 1

Object 2

wrote Active: Rita

a letter

to me.

Passive: Passive: .

A letter I

was written was written

to me a letter

by Rita. by Rita.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. Thats why it is usually dropped. Personal and Impersonal Passive Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive. Example: They build houses. Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive. Example: he says it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know). Example: They say that women live longer than men. It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common. Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).

Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence. REPORTED SPEECH Cuando queremos informar exactamente lo que otra persona ha dicho, utilizamos el estilo directo. Con este estilo lo que la persona ha dicho se coloca entre comillas y deber ser palabra por palabra.

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Ejemplos: I am going to London next week, she said.

"I am going to London next week," she said.("Voy a Londres la semana que viene," ella dijo.)

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Do you have a pen I could borrow, he asked.

"Do you have a pen I could borrow," he asked. ("Tienes un bolgrafo que puedas prestarme," l pregunt.)

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Alice said, I love to dance.

Alice said, "I love to dance." (Alice dijo, "Me encanta bailar.")

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Chris asked, Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?

Chris asked, "Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" (Chris pregunt, "Te gustara cenar conmigo maana por la noche?") Reported Speech (El estilo indirecto) El estilo indirecto, a diferencia del estilo directo, no utiliza las comillas y no necesita ser palabra por palabra. En general, cuando se usa el estilo directo, el tiempo verbal cambia. A continuacin tienes un explicacin de los cambios que sufren los tiempos verbales. A veces se usa "that" en las frases afirmativas y negativas para introducir lo que ha dicho la otra persona. Por otro lado, en las frases interrogativas se puede usar "if" o "whether". Direct Speech Present Simple "He's American" she said. "I'm happy to see you," Mary said. He asked, "Are you busy tonight?" Present Continuous "Dan is living in San Francisco," she said. He said, "I'm making dinner." "Why are you working so hard?" they asked. Past Simple "We went to the movies last night," he said. Greg said, "I didn't go to work yesterday." Reported Speech Past Simple She said he was American. Mary said that she was happy to see me. He asked me if I was busy tonight. Past Continuous She said Dan was living in San Francisco. He told me that he was making dinner. They asked me why I was working so hard. Past Perfect Simple He told me they had gone to the movies last night. Greg said that he hadn't gone to work yesterday.

"Did you buy a new car?" she asked. Past Continuous "I was working late last night," Vicki said. They said, "We weren't waiting long." He asked, "Were you sleeping when I called?" Present Perfect Simple Heather said, "I've already eaten." "We haven't been to China," they said. "Have you worked here before?" I asked. Present Perfect Continuous "I've been studying English for two years," he said. Steve said, "We've been dating for over a year now." "Have you been waiting long?" they asked. Past Perfect Simple "I'd been to Chicago before for work," he said. Past Perfect Continuous She said, "I'd been dancing for years before the accident."

She asked me if I had bought a new car. Past Perfect Continuous Vicki told me she'd been working last night. They said that they hadn't been waiting long. He asked if I'd been sleeping when he called. Past Perfect Simple Heather told me that she'd already eaten. They said they hadn't been to China. I asked her whether she'd worked there before. Past Perfect Continuous He said he'd been studying English for two years. Steve told me that they'd been dating for over a year. They asked whether I'd been waiting long. Past Perfect Simple (*NO CHANGE) He said that he'd been to Chicago before for work. Past Perfect Continuous (*NO CHANGE) She said she'd been dancing for years before the accident.

Nota: Cuando hablamos de algo que no ha cambiado (todava es verdad) o que es en el futuro, no tenemos que cambiar el tiempo verbal.

Ejemplos: "I'm 30 years old," she said. She said she is 30 years old. Dave said, "Kelly is sick." Dave said Kelly is sick. "We are going to Tokyo next week," they said. They said they are going to Tokyo next week. "I'll cut my hair tomorrow," Nina said. Nina said she is cutting her hair tomorrow.

Modal Verbs (Los verbos modales) El tiempo verbal cambia en el estilo indirecto tambin con algunos de los verbos modales: Direct Speech Will "I'll go to the movies tomorrow," John said. "Will you help me move?" she asked. Can Debra said, "Allen can work tomorrow." "Can you open the window, please?", he asked. Must "You must wear your seatbelt," mom said. She said, "You must work tomorrow." Shall "Shall we go to the beach today?" Tom asked. "What shall we do tonight?" she asked. May Jane said, "I may not be in class tomorrow." "May I use the bathroom, please?" the boy asked. Indirect Speech Would John said he would go to the movies tomorrow. She asked me if I would help her move. Could Debra said Allen could work tomorrow. He asked me if I could open the window. Had to My mom said we had to wear my seatbelt. She said I had to work tomorrow. Should Tom asked if we should go to the beach today. She asked me what we should do tonight. Might/Could Jane said she might not be in class tomorrow. The boy asked if he could use the bathroom.

Nota: Con "would", "could", "should", "might" y "ought to", el tiempo no cambia. Say vs. Tell

En espaol podemos traducir "say"o "tell" como "decir", pero en ingls se usan estos verbos de maneras distintas. Hay unas reglas que indican el uso de uno sobre el otro en ingls, aunque en general usamos "say" para "decir algo" y "tell" para "decir algo a alguien." Say Se usa "say" en el estilo directo y el indirecto. Si queremos usar "say" con un objeto personal, necesitamos usar el preposicion "to".

Tell

Ejemplos: Estilo directo "I'm hungry," he said. ("Tengo hambre," l dijo.) "I need your help," Glen said to Mike. ("Necesito tu ayuda," Glen dijo a Mike.) She said, "Do you like to dance?" (Ella dijo, "Te gusta bailar?") Estilo indirecto He said he was hungry. (l dijo que tena hambre.) Glen said to Mike that he needed his help. (Glen dijo a Mike que necesitaba su ayuda.) She asked me if I liked to dance. (Me pregunt si me gustaba bailar.)

Tambin se puede usar "tell" con el estilo directo y el indirecto, aunque el uso con el estilo directo no es tan comn. Cuando usamos "tell" necesitamos usar un objeto indirecto que va detrs del verbo.

Ejemplos: Estilo directo He told me, "I'm hungry." (Me dijo, "Tengo hambre.") Glen told Mike, "I need your help." (Glen dijo a Mike, "Necesito to ayuda.") Estilo indirecto He told me that he was hungry. (Me dijo que tuvo hambre.) Glen told Mike that he needed his help. (Glen dijo a Mike que necesitaba su ayuda.)

Otros usos de "tell": 1. Se usa "tell" con ordenes o instrucciones. Ejemplos: I told him, "Stop complaining." (Le dije, "Deja de quejarte.") She told us to hurry. (Nos dijo de darnos prisa.) Usamos "tell" cuando damos o pedimos informacin.

o o o
2. >

o o o
3.

o o o
4.

o o o
5. >

Ejemplos: "Can you tell me your name please." ("Dime tu nombre, por favor.") You told him the address of the office? (Le dijiste la direccin de la oficina?) Se usa "tell" con cuentos o bromas. En esto caso, se puede traducir "tell" como "contar" en espaol. Ejemplos: He told us a great story. (Nos cont un cuento maravilloso.) "Tell me a joke," she said. ("Cuntame un chiste," ella dijo.) Con la verdad y las mentiras, se usa "tell." Ejemplos: "Tell me the truth," she said. ("Dime la verdad," ella dijo.) Keith never tells lies. (Keith nunca miente.) Usamos "tell" con el tiempo o la fecha.

o o o

Ejemplos: "Could you tell me the time, please?" she asked. ("Podras decirme la hora, por favor?" me pregunt.) Bob told me the date. (Bob me dijo la fecha.)