Modal Verbs and Questions in Reported Speech
This page focuses on the changes that occur with modal verbs and questions when converting direct speech to reported speech. These aspects are often included in mowa zależna angielski Quiz reportedspeechEnglishquiz exercises.
Modal Verbs in Reported Speech:
Some modal verbs change in reported speech, while others remain the same:
- "will" changes to "would"
- "can" changes to "could"
- "shall" changes to "should"
- "may" changes to "might"
Unchanged modal verbs:
- "would" remains "would"
- "could" remains "could"
- "should" remains "should"
- "might" remains "might"
Vocabulary: Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability.
Questions in Reported Speech:
When converting questions to reported speech, they take the form of a statement, but the sequence of tenses rule still applies. There are two types of questions to consider:
- General Questions:
Use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.
- Specific Questions:
Keep the question word who,what,where,when,why,how unchanged.
Example: Direct question: "Do you like coffee?"
Reported question: He asked if I liked coffee.
Example: Direct question: "Where do you live?"
Reported question: She asked where I lived.
Understanding these transformations for modal verbs and questions is crucial for mastering reported speech in English. It allows for accurate and natural-sounding indirect reporting of various types of statements and questions.