Daily Conversation 16

This is because

Seetha	There are no many buses on the road. I think this is because yesterday was a holiday.
Geetha	I think you are right. We will have to wait for ages
Seetha	There are a lot people in the town. I think this is because the previous days were holidays
Geetha	You are absolutely right. The shops had been closed those days

This is because - The reason is this



Grammar tips .....

Reported Speech

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A) Reported speech: Commands and Requests

My wife “Clean the house”

My wife told me to clean the house.

      Teacher “Do your homework”

Teacher told me to do my homework.

      She “Please dance with me”

She asked me to dance with her.

      My sister “ Please bring me a cup of tea ”

My sister asked me to bring her a cup of tea.

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	B) Reported speech: simple statements (If the sentence starts in the past, there is often back shift of tenses in reported speech We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: direct speech: “I like ice cream” reported speech: She says she likes ice cream) Back shift of tenses Simple present- simple past               Simple past-past perfect Present perfect –past perfect            Past perfect –past perfect Will – would                                           Am/is/are – was/were Has been – had been                            Had been –had been 1)      Peter “ I work in the garden” Peter said that he worked in the garden 2)      Peter “I worked in the garden” Peter said that he had worked in the garden 3)      Peter “ I will work in the garden” Peter said that he would work in the garden 4)      Peter “I have worked in the garden” Peter said that he had worked in the garden 5)      Peter “I had worked in the garden” Peter said that he had worked in the garden 6)      Peter “ I will have worked in the garden” Peter said that I would have worked in the garden 7)      Peter “ I am working in the garden” Peter said that he was working in the garden 8)      Peter “ I was working in the garden” Peter said that he had been working in the garden 9)      Peter “ I will be working in the garden” Peter said that he would be working in the garden 10)  Peter “I have been working in the garden” Peter said that he had been working in the garden
	Shifting of expressions of time This evening –that evening               Today –that day Now –then                                             A week ago – a week before Yesterday – the day before              Tomorrow- the following day Here –there ..................................... C) Reported questions (In Reported speech there is no question anymore, the sentence becomes a statement) Question without question words (yes/no questions): 1) Peter: Do you play football?      Peter asked me whether (if) I  played football. 2) Teacher: "Are you a student?      He asked if I was a student 3) She: Do you like me?      She asked me whether I liked her. 4) He: Did you go to temple      He asked me whether I had gone to temple 5) Mother: Will you come tomorrow      Mother asked me whether I would come    tomorrow Question with question words:   1) Peter: "When do you play football?”        Peter asked me when I played football   2)Teacher: what is your name       Teacher asked me what my name was   3) He: where are you going        He asked me where I was going   4) She: what do you want        she asked me what I wanted   5) Mother: What were you doing        Mother asked me what I had been doing