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      time expressions in reported speech
      Submitted by janu22 on 16 January, 2009 - 23:57
      Hi colleagues ! Time expressions should be changed in reported speech-f.e. Today-that dayBut our  course gives us the following example of exercise: When I saw him yesterday, he said that he was not working today.( direct speech: “ I am not working tomorrow”)How should I explain  this grammar nuance to my students?Thanks very much for help!Best wishes
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      amazinanian's picture
      amazinanian
      Considering common sense on changing time expressions.
      Submitted on 17 January, 2009 - 19:40
      Dear colleague,

      Something which students should always bear in mind on changing Time expressions in reported speech is that they should consider common sense. They should not memorize the rules but see whether their sentences , after changing from direct to indirect, make sense or not. In your example if we follow the grammar rules we have to change not only "tomorrow "to the following day but "I am not "To "He was not". These changes may be correct grammatically as our reporting verb is in the past but it doesn't make sense and we better say:

      I saw him yesterday and he mentioned that he is not coming today which is quite logical for the hearer.

      Another example is the place expression "Here" which is said that we should change it to "There" and as we know when we are in somewhere like a class and ask a student "Come here" we should note that changing "here" to "There is logical or not", if we go out of the class and want to report the said sentence, now it is correct and logical to say "I told him to go there.

      I do not know if I could clarify the matter well or not.

      Best wishes

      Ali asghar Mazinanian

       

      janu22's picture
      janu22
      Dear colleague, Thank you
      Submitted on 19 January, 2009 - 16:14
      Dear colleague, Thank you for the answer very much Especially for words “ common sense” They have the smell of democracy And the example “here-there’ makes this explanation perfectly clear The problem is not of using these kind of transformations in spoken language but of passing tests where rules should be followed absolutely Dear Ali! Thank you for help, really ! We celebrate Epiphany in Russia today and your small note was like a present !!! Best wishes!