Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for English

Rules for Converting Direct to Reported Speech

Tense Shifts in Reported Speech

When converting direct speech into reported speech, the tense usually shifts backward (known as backshift), provided the reporting verb (e.g., said) is in the past tense. The following table illustrates these changes:

Topic 2: Reported Speech

Grammar Exercises (Page 2)

Exercise 3

1. Rita promised that she wouldn't disappoint me / us again.
2. He wondered how long I / we had been there.
3. My mum offered to drive me to school that day.
4. Nancy recommended reading that book. / Nancy recommended that I read that book.
5. The politician demanded that the reporter get away from his door.
6. Janet claimed that a policeman had hit her.

Exercise 4

1. Sally complained that there had been too many speeches at the event the night before / the previous night.
2. The reporter wanted to know how much money the charity had raised that year.
3. Gary suggested that we post the petition online.
4. Megan warned me not to tell anyone what she had done.

Exercise 5

1. Debbie insisted that she hadn't convinced anyone to sign

Starter Unit: Vocabulary for Growing Up

This section covers essential vocabulary related to major life stages and civic responsibilities.

Key Terms and Actions

• Apply for a passport
• Criminal offense
• General election
• Give blood
• Go to war
• Have a tattoo
• Hold a license
• Join the army
• Local election
• Make a will
• Own a pet
• Soft drink
• Withdraw money

Phrasal Verbs (Starter Unit)

Leave out

To omit or exclude.

Pick on

To tease or bully.

Take on

To accept some work or responsibility.

Toy with

To consider an idea, but not seriously.

Unit 1: Vocabulary of Risk and Fear

Words and phrases related to danger, caution, and decision-making.

Core Vocabulary

Appeal

A quality that something has that makes people like or want it.

Apprehensive

Slightly worried or nervous.

Cautious

Careful to avoid problems

c/Gregal 7                 Grange Rochester,Hotel

Lord Jim

Captain Marlow, a professional sailor and amateur narrator, decides to tell the public all about the tragic story of Jim. Back in the day, Jim left his sinking ship, the Patna, along with other crew members. Although publicly disgraced, Jim found a sympathetic partner in Marlow.

After hearing Jim's whole, sad story, Marlow tried to help him over the coming years. Marlow found Jim jobs, but Jim always gave up and ran back in an effort to escape the humiliation and shame.

After Jim makes his way to the island of Patusán, he becomes a leader among local residents and even finds a girlfriend. Good times do not last, because a man named Gentleman Brown appears and wreaks havoc on the island, and Jim makes some bad judgment calls that result... Continue reading "Summaries and Characters: Joseph Conrad Novels" »

Face Masks and the Pandemic

Let's analyze some statements about face masks and their relation to the pandemic:

1. According to some, wearing a face mask can be beneficial. True (if we accept what some authors claim).
2. Distress has increased during the pandemic, acting as an alarm system. True (during the pandemic, distress has acted as an alarm system).
3. Taking off masks is recommended for everyone. False (those with certain conditions should avoid wearing masks in closed spaces).
4. If we continue wearing masks, we might appreciate the gift of living more. True (beyond the pandemic, masks might help us appreciate the gift of living).

Vocabulary: Synonyms

• Saying hello - greeting
• Anxiety, agony - distress
• Continue - remain
• Afflictions, dysfunctions - disorders

Grammar:

Syntactic Functions of Subordinate Clauses

Functional Classes

Nominal Subordinate Clauses

• More restricted than noun phrases
• No function as subject, object, complement, or prepositional complement
• Abstract
• Can be adjective complementation without preposition (e.g., I am not sure that...)
• Types:
  • That-zero that
  • Wh interrogative
  • Yes-no alternative interrogative clause
  • Exclamative
  • Relative
  • To infinitive
  • Ing
  • Bare infinitive
  • Verbless

Adverbial Subordinate Clauses

• Usually adjuncts, subjuncts, conjuncts, or disjuncts
• Adverb phrase or preposition phrase
• Types:
  • Time (finite adverbial, ing-until, to infinitive duration verb)
  • Place (where, wherever)
  • Conditional
    • Direct (if, unless)
    • Open or hypothetical
  • Concessive (though, while)
  • Contrast (while)
  • Rhetorical if (condition but obvious)

Mastering irregular verbs is crucial for fluency in English. Unlike regular verbs, which form their past simple and past participle by adding "-ed," irregular verbs follow unique patterns. This comprehensive list provides the base form, past simple, and past participle for common irregular verbs, helping you to learn and remember them effectively.

Common Irregular Verb Forms

Below is a detailed reference of frequently used irregular verbs. Pay close attention to the distinct forms for the past simple and past participle.

• Be: was/were, been
• Become: became, become
• Begin: began, begun
• Break: broke, broken
• Bring: brought, brought
• Build: built, built
• Buy: bought, bought
• Can: could, (no past participle)
• Catch: caught, caught
• Choose: chose, chosen
• Come: came,

My Best Friend Carlos

Carlos is a really good friend of mine. He is English, but he has lived in Spain since 2012. He is seventeen years old and has been my best friend since this year. Carlos is tall, well-built, and has shoulder-length hair. He has short, fair hair and big blue eyes. He likes sports; he goes to the gym two days a week, and at the weekend, he plays football and hockey. Sometimes, we play on the Wii and have a really good time.

He is very generous and shy, and he has a great sense of humor. Sometimes, he can be bossy, but I don't mind because he is very intelligent, and I know that he is usually right. He is a very good friend. Carlos is a lot of fun. He is one of my favorite people, and I hope that he will continue to be my... Continue reading "Remarkable Stories: Friendship, Sports, Icons, and Animal Welfare" »