Indirect Speech

When a declarative sentence is changed from direct into indirect speech, it becomes an object clause introduced by the conjunction that which is often omitted. Personal and possessive pronouns are shifted or remain unchanged according to the sense. The most common verbs in both direct and indirect speech are say, tell and ask.

He said (that )/ told me (that) he didn’t have much time.

She asked me if/whether I wanted anything.

· If the reporting verb denotes a past action, tenses of the verb of the direct speech are changed according to the rules of the sequence of tenses.

· It is often necessary to make time and place changes in relation to tense changes.

Examples of possible changes:

· When instructions, commands, requests and invitations are changed into indirect speech, the Imperative Mood is replaced by the infinitive. Indirect commands, requests, etc. are normally expressed by tell, order, ask, beg, advise, remind, warn, etc. with a person addressed and the infinitive.

· In indirect Yes/No questions there is no inversion, the subject comes before the verb, the same as in the statement. Because of the statement word order do, does, or did are not used to form indirect questions. If and whether are interchangeable after ask, want to know, wonder, etc. but whether conveys slightly greater doubt. Whether is always preferable when there are alternatives.

Some verbs, like discuss can only be followed by whether. If or whether must always be used when reporting Yes/No questions and cannot be omitted (unlike that in reported statements).

· In indirect wh- questions the subject also comes before the verb as in the statements, and do, does, or did are not used.

Modal verbs

The verbs can, may, must, ought, shall, should, will, would, need and dare form a special class of verbs which are called modal verbs. They are used with the infinitive of another verb. They denote neither actions nor states; they show that the action or state denoted by the infinitive is considered as possible, obligatory, necessary, desirable. probable, doubtful, allowed, advisable, etc.

Modal verbs have certain peculiarities:

1. they have no infinitive, no gerund and no participles; accordingly they have no future tense, no continuous and perfect tenses.

2. they (except ought and partly need and dare) are followed by the infinitive without the particle to.

3. they have no ending - (e)s in the third person singular of the present tense.

4. In the interrogative form modal verbs are placed before the subject. In the negative form the particle not is used after the modal verb.

The length of primary education can vary from four to seven years. Can the length of primary education vary from four to seven years? The length of primary education can not vary from four to seven years.

Can

The verb can has two forms: the present tense (can) and the past tense (could).

It has the following meanings:

1. Physical or mental ability, capability. In this meaning can occurs in all kinds of sentences

He can read English. Can he read English? He cannot read English.

This meanings can also be expressed by to be able to which has all tenses. In everyday speech can is more common than be able to in the present tense.

She can do computer graphics. She is able to do computer graphics.

When we speak about a specific achievement or a single event in the past was/wereable to is used.

He was able to win the Math Prize last year.

2. Possibility depending on circumstances.

He can get the book from the library tomorrow.

This meaning is occasionally expressed by to be able to which is usually found in such cases with reference to the future or past.

He will be able to get the book from the library tomorrow.

He was able to get the book from the library yesterday.

3. Permission. Could in this mean­ing is used only in interrogative sentences to express a polite request, the word please is often used. Can or may are used in answers.

You can use my books. You can't use my pen. Could I take your book, please?

Yes, you can. No, you may not.

4. Doubt, uncertainty.

In this meaning can is used only in inter­rogative sentences

Can she be travelling by train now? Can he know German?

5. Improbability.

In these meanings the verb can is used only in inter­rogative sentences

It can’t be true.

May

The verb may has two forms: the present tense (may) and the past tense (might). It has the following meanings:

1. Supposition implying uncertainty. This meaning is also rendered in English by means of words perhaps and maybe. In this meaning the verb may is used in affirmative and negative sentences with all forms of the infinitive.

He may be at home. He may not be at home.

2. Possibility depending on circumstances. In this meaning may is used only in affirmative sentences

You may go there by train.

When might is followed by the Perfect Infinitive it shows that the action was not carried out.

І might have stayed at home.

3. Permission. In this meaning the verb may is a little more formal than can and could.

May I use your phone?

This meaning may also be rendered by to be allowed and to be permitted.

Have to as a modal verb is not a detective verb and can have all the necessary tense forms as well as non-finite forms. The interroga­tive and negative forms of the modal verb have to in the Present Indefinite and in the Past Indefinite are formed by means of the auxiliary verb to do.

He had to go there at once. Did he have to do it? He didn’t have to go there yesterday.

The verb have to serves to express obli­gation or necessity depending on circumstances.

І have to get up the next morning at seven. I had to sell most of my things. You’ll have to go hоmе now.

Be to

Beto as a modal verb is used in two ten­ses: the Present Indefinite and the Past Indefinite.

He is to come at five. Не was to come at five.

The present tense of beto can be followed only by the Indefinite Infinitive. The Perfect Infinitive can be used with the past tense of beto to show that the action was not carried out.

He was to have come at five.

The modal verb beto has the following meanings:

1. Obligation resulting from a previous agreement, plan, schedule, timetable, etc.

We were to work two hours every morning. We are to meet at the the­atre.

2. Order or instruction.

You are to go to sleep. You're not to come here any more. The medicine is to be kept in a cool dark place.

3. Possibility. In this case be to is mostly used with the Passive Infinitive.

He was not to be found.

Need

It can be used both as a modal and as a notional verb. As a modal verb need forms its interrogative and negative forms without the verb to do and is followed by the infinitive without the particle to.

The verb need expresses necessity. It is used in negative and interrogative sentences and when reference is made to the present or future is followed by the indefinite infinitive.

You needn’t go there. Need I repeat it?

In interrogative sentences need usually implies that there is no necessity of performing the action in question.

In negative sentences it is not always the verb need that is in negative form; the negation may be found elsewhere in the sentence.

I don’t think we need continue the conversation. I need hardly point it put to you.

The Perfect Infinitive used with the verb need shows that an unnecessary action has been performed.

You needn't have done this exercise in written form.

Unit 13

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