In Verbs^x, Indirect speech^x, Constructions^x

GENRES There are two categories within the world of texts: fiction (invented) and non-fiction (non-invented). The down-categories - e.g. epic, lyric poetry and drama - are called genres. The concept "genre" descends from the Greek word "genos" that means family or kind. A...

Hello Dawnstorm,The terminology is not happy, admittedly; "middle voice" and "ergative" belong to other linguistic contexts, as has been mentioned; but I think it can be disentangled. It may be the case that "ergative" usage was once much more common in English....

Hello. Sorry to hear you're feeling uncomfortable with this type of activity. But you're not alone: I would be, too!The sentences lack context, which makes it difficult to tell when tense changes are necessary and when they are not (among other things).There is one sentence that is wrong...

If and whether, of course, always imply uncertainty. You can generally use if or whether when you are reporting yes/no questions. It doesn't matter which you choose: "Can you take care of Tommy for me? ~ I don't know yet whether / if I shall be able to look after Tommy during the Easter...

I'm merely an English learner and I don't know much about English. However, I think English speakers often use a construction "X (=a period or time span) before" to mean a sense almost similar to "X ago". This kind of construction seems to be often used in an indirect speech. (Direct speech) ...

Munchun The past tense of "wish" is the only one that I know for the politeness past tense other than that "wonder". Some times English speakers use it in a sense of the present tense. An example is "Did you wish me to dance with you? If you like it, I'll do" The question you newly raised is...

Although I'm unable to answer the question, I think it can define it more precisely. Is about with the help of which modal verbs you can tell what another person said. They have it in German and that is, I think, what the question means - whether there is such a construction in English. For...