Indirect/Reported Speech

來自專欄 FU英文文法隨筆

Indirect/Reported Speech 也叫 非直接引語

直接引語 是用 引號引起來 ， "I really do not like rain", said Tom.

如果你想告訴別人 Tom說了什麼 ，那就要用 非直接引語。Indirect/Reported Speech

Tom said he did not like rain.

有兩點重要的變化

1， 引號沒有了

2，單詞的時態發生了變化，這叫 backshift

下面通過4個片段來進一步說明 Indirect/Reported Speech

Pronouns and Time Markers的變化

Change of Pronouns 代詞的變化

代詞指的是 I, you, he, she, it, my, your, their 等這些詞。

自然的，直接引語 變成 非直接引語，其中的代詞要變化。

如：

Lisa: "Can I borrow your pen? I left my pen at home." 變成非直接引語

Lisa asked Tim whether she could borrow his pencil. She said she had left her pen at home.

人稱代詞進行了變化。

Change of Time Markers

time marker也會改變， 如果被引用中句子中有time marker你就得小心了 。他們需要改變。

• now -> then, at that time
• today -> that day
• yesterday ->the day before
• (a week) ago -> (a week) before
• tomorrow -> the following/next day

Anne: "I met my uncle on the street yesterday." -->

Anne told me she had met her uncle on the street the day before.

Changes in Tense, Backshift

時態的變化

時態的變化首先 依賴於 你的 轉述動詞 的 時態 ，即 say 和 tell的時態。 如果say 和 tell是 simple present 一般現在時， 或者 present perfect 現在完成時，那麼 引號中的時態不變。

• Direct speech: James: "I often go to school by bike." (Here, "go" is in simple present)
• Indirect speech: James says he often goes to school by bike. (The reporting verb "say" is in simple present)
• Indirect speech: James has told me that he goes to school by bike. (The reporting verb is in present perfect)

那這兩種 有什麼區別呢？

一般現在時 says ，表示， James 剛剛跟我說的， 可能1分鐘之前。

現在完成時 has told me 表示， James 跟我說了有一段時間了， 可能現在 James 已經不在我跟前了。離開了。

如果Reporting verb 是 simple past 一般過去時 ("he said", "he told me") 那麼

引號中的時態需要改變, is it backshifted. 也即是 要再向前 移動一個時態。 聽起來比較奇怪，看下面具體的說明。

基本就是都想後 移動一個時態。 因為既然是轉述， 肯定是已經發生的 對話了。

past perfect的動詞 不用變 （已經是最過去了）. Also, "would, could, might, should" and "ought to" 也不變。

Orders 的情況

Order 就是命令句。 就是 你 讓 別人做什麼事。 Statement 陳述句 就是 描述一個事情，或你身上發生的事情。

命令句的 變化就是 told sb to do something ，否定就是 told sb not to do

Lena: "Remember to switch off the oven before you leave, Lucas." ->

Lena told Lucas to remember to switch off the oven.

Mr Lies: "Dont forget your lunch, Sammy." ->

Mr Lies told Sammy not to forget her lunch.

Indirect Questions

最後就是 疑問句 的 直接 變 非直接 了。

所用到的 詞 是 asked/ask 。 如果用的是 simple past ，也即是一般過去時 ，即 asked， 還是同上的 時態的 backshift 問題。

Hannah: "Where is my jacket?" ->

Hannah asked where her jacket was.

如果疑問詞是 "where, who, when, why, how", and "what" 那麼保持不變。

如果疑問詞 不是上面這些， 那麼就用 if or whether.

Mrs Biscuit: "Would you like some more peas, Mike?" ->

Mrs Biscuit asked Mike whether he wanted some more peas.

LiMei ： "What is Peters hobby?" ->

LiMei asked me What is Peters hobby.

參考： Indirect Speech - Learning English Online

Time Markers and Pronouns

Statements - Learning English Online

Orders - Learning English Online

Indirect Questions