2015年荐UNIT 11.doc

UNIT 11 Indirect Speech present time When we report things happening now, or general facts, or give messages, or report something we are reading, we use a present tense reporting verb, and do not backshift tenses into the past. Note that for written texts we report what the text says. Im going to wait for you. He says hes going to wait for us. Fifty people were injured. It says here that fifty people were injured past time with tense changes When reporting what people said, we use a past tense reporting verb and we backshift the tenses following into the past. Were thinking it over. She said they were thinking it over. I had an accident. He told me hed had an accident. We II let you know. They said they would let me know. Note that both past simple and present perfect become past perfect.Ive had an idea. She said shed had an idea. Past tenses are changed to past perfect tenses after past reporting verbs, but only if this is necessary in order to make the time relations clear. Compare: I saw Penny a couple of days ago. Dinosaurs were around for 250 million years In his letter, he said hed seen Penny a couple of days before. This guy on TV said dinosaurs were around for 250 million years. facts and states When we use a past tense reporting verb, a continuing state is not back-shifted, though if we use back-shift this is not wrong. Reindeer can swim really well. He told us that reindeer can swim really well. He told us that reindeer could swim really well. If we do use back-shift, it may be necessary to use a time phrase to make the time reference clear. She said she was unhappy in her job at that time. ( = unhappy in the past) She said she was unhappy in her job at the moment ( = unhappy now) modals and conditionals ? Can, will I shall (future) and may change to could, would and might.Ill be back on Friday. He said he would be back on Friday. I may be late. She said she might be late. Shall in requests etc changes to should. See also wh-quest