We've learned about noun clauses and direct and indirect speech. Here we can find a little more information about that, and the relationship between noun clauses and direct - Indirect speech.
Reported Speech from from Questions
Wh- Questions
Changing Wh- Questions to Reported Speech
Wh- questions differ from questions beginning with auxiliary verb forms such as: is, are, am, do, does, has, have, can, will, must.
Instead, the pronouns who, where, what, why and how are used to embed (insert) the question clause into the main clauses.
wh-clauses
Changing Wh- questions to reported speech
who
where
what
why
how / how long / how much
Quoted (Direct speech) vs. Reported Questions(Indirect Speech)
- My friend said, "How are you?"
- My friend asked how I was.
Common Mistake
ERROR
The man asked what time is it.
She asked where are we going for lunch.
(These are common errors of native speakers as well)
FIX
The man asked what time it was.
She asked where we were going for lunch.
Yes-No Questions
Changing Questions to Reported Speech
Yes-No questions differ from WH-questions.
These quoted questions begin with auxiliary verb forms such as: is, are, am, do, does, has, have, can, will, must. They can be answered with "yes" or "no"; hence, they are often called "yes-no questions".
The pronoun whether or if is used to embed (insert) the question clause into the main clause.
Quoted vs. Reported Questions
- My friend said, "Are you coming?"
- My friend asked whether I was coming.
- My friend asked, "Do we have enough money for gas?"
- My friend asked whether we had enough money for gas.
Using if vs. whether
- My friend said, "Are you coming?"
My friend asked whether I was coming.
- Reported Speech from Commands
Commands
Changing commands to reported speech
should
infinitives
- The doctor said, Get some rest."
- The doctor said to get some rest. The doctor said (that) I should get some rest. The doctor told me to get some rest..
Common Mistake
ERROR
Jack shouted, "Let's go!" (Let us go.)*
Jack shouted to let's go
FIXES
Jack shouted at us to go. (less formal; less polite)
Jack shouted for us to go.
Jack shouted that we should go. (more formal)
infinitive-clauses
Changing infinitive phrases to noun clauses
Imposing Will on Others
Subjunctive Verbs
Subjunctive verbs can also be followed by infinitives. (Subjunctive verbs are used when one person imposes his/her will upon another. After "that", the base form of the verb is used.)
Changing Infinitive Phrases to that-clauses
INFINITIVE PHRASE
Verb is followed by an infinitive
- The judge ordered John to leave.
EMBEDDED COMMAND
Verb is followed by the base form of the verb. (no -s)
- The judge ordered that John leave.
The base form of the verb is used (no singular or plural agreement).
Other Verbs
advise, ask, urge, command, desire,order,request,require,suggest.
Common Mistake
ERROR
* I advised that John leaves.
FIX
I advised John to leave.
I advised that John leave. (Use base-form of the verb.)
Reported Speech from Statements
reported speech
Changing quoted statements to reported speech
Embedded in sentences:
present
past
- She said, "It's raining here."
- She said that it was raining there.
that-what phrases
Beginning sentences with "that' or 'what' phrases
that
"That" is a pronoun used to add a noun clause (dependent clause) to a sentence (an independent clause).
what
"What" takes the place of a noun clause. It refers to an event or activity that both the speaker and the listener know.
- That he was a good speaker was obvious to me.
- What he said was obvious to me.
Common Mistake
FIX
- "Change is coming!" "What he said that change is coming."
- What he said was that change is coming. (missing verb)
ADV.06
Jesús Crispín
JESSUCITO
