In Verbs^x, Indirect speech^x, Grammar^x

As your grammar book says, these verbs can be used in simple present. "Bill told me you were (or "are", because it's still presumably true before the move) moving to Sydney" is also possible in the fist example.By the way "contradict" is correct. :)

Hi,You wrote: I learn from a grammar book that a small set of verbs of communication such as "tell", "say" and "hear" can be used in simple present tense even though the act of telling, saying or hearing happened in the past. for example, "Bill tells me you are...

Hi there: I learn from a grammar book that a small set of verbs of communication such as "tell", "say" and "hear" can be used in simple present tense even though the act of telling, saying or hearing happened in the past. for example, "Bill tells me you are...

According to Radford (Transformational Grammar):Direct speech: "Will I get a degree?" John wondered.Indirect speech: John wondered whether he would get a degree.Semi-indirect speech: John wondered would he get a degree.(Semi-indirect speech is so called because it shares features of...

Yes, you are absolutely right! It is indeed indirect speech (I realized it later after reading more) and then we don't use auxiliary "do" in indirect questions.But I found this to be a tricky one. Yes, I have Swan's book but he doesn't mention that we can use auxiliary do...

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....

(sorry to repeat the post from another thread; I feel it's quite an important matter) Indeed, MrPedantic. Wrt #2: From the best authority, back-shifting (from present to past) in the subordinate isn't mandatory: ------ Finally, I give some examples in which the tense...

From the best authority, back-shifting (from present to past) in the subordinate isn't mandatory: ------ Finally, I give some examples in which the tense has not been adjusted to that of the chief - I asked the guard what time the train usually starts. Otto Jespersen, Modern English...

If we use passive voice, we don't have to change it in reported speech. Am I right? JTT: That's right. Sounds your books are telling merely that some native speakers don't do always the tense backshift in direct-to-indirect speech conversion. But I don't take it as that those books are saying...

CGEL: Conversion to indirect reported speech not a matter of grammatical rule There is a second respect in which we must beware of being misled by the traditonal account associating backshift with indirect reported speech. Converting into indirect reprted speech, however, is not a matter of...