Learn English – Change in narration:

reported-speech

I have to convert given sentences into reported speech.

My father said to me ‘‘Look! you are taking too much pressure on yourself’’.

  1. My father exclaimed that I was taking too much pressure on myself.

  2. My father told me that I was taking too much pressure on myself.

Which one is correct here. I don't think it as a exclamatory sentence. So for me, 2 should be correct here.

Alex said to his sister, ‘‘Before I go to New York, I shall meet Shelly.’’

  1. Alex told his sister that before he went to New York, he would meet Shelly. (my answer)
  2. Alex told his sister that before going to New York, he would meet Shelly. (answer given in exam sheet)

Which one is correct here? Why verb "go" is changed to "going" in 2.

She said to her friend, "could/would you please lend me some money?

  1. She requested her friend to lend her some money. (Book answer)
  2. She asked her friend if he could kindly lend her some money. (My answer)

This is not imperative sentence so how 1 could be the correct answer?

Best Answer

My father said to me ‘‘Look! you are taking too much pressure on yourself’’.

  1. My father exclaimed that I was taking too much pressure on myself.

  2. My father told me that I was taking too much pressure on myself.

Which one is correct here. I don't think it as a exclamatory sentence. So for me, 2 should be correct here.

The original sentence doesn't really make sense. In English, we "put" pressure on ourselves, we don't tend to "take" pressure. The phrase is literally from putting pressure on something, like pressing on a wound.

If I had to select an answer, I would choose 1. The original (wonky!) sentence contains an imperative verb. An order or command. Because of the forcefulness, the father would "exclaim" rather than "tell" because exclaim is more forceful. Also there is an exclamation mark in the original sentence.

Alex said to his sister, ‘Before I go to New York, I shall meet Shelly.’

  1. Alex told his sister that before he went to New York, he would meet Shelly. (my answer)

  2. Alex told his sister that before going to New York, he would meet Shelly. (answer given in exam sheet)

Which one is correct here? Why verb "go" is changed to "going" in 2.

The original sentence uses before as a conjunction, "I shall meet Shelly" as the main clause and going to New York as the subordinate clause. Really it sounds better as "I shall meet with Shelly". Also, it's not a very nice question, quite ambiguous.

If I had to select an answer, I would choose 2. The sentence describes an event that has not happened, in the future. The second answer refers to a future event, I will be going. Since the original sentence refers to a future event then answer 2 is appropriate. Answer 1 still reads okay but the mix of conditional and past tenses makes it less viable as an answer. Answer 1 would read better as "before he went to New York, he met up with Sally", all past.

She said to her friend, "could/would you please lend me some money?

  1. She requested her friend to lend her some money. (Book answer)

  2. She asked her friend if he could kindly lend her some money. (My answer)

This is not imperative sentence so how 1 could be the correct answer?

An imperative sentence gives a direct command. It can end in a full stop or an exclamation mark, depending on the forcefulness of the command. The first sentence containing "look!" was imperative. None of these are imperative and nether are the answers.

I would choose 1, looking at the difference between the answers, the change is between request and ask. To request for some money is to use the conditional tense and say "would you please lend me money". To ask for some money (to put a question to; inquire) is to say "is it possible for you to lend me money, do you have any money?". You are asking directly, you are not making a request. So I would pick 1. The use of "please" and kindly is a bit of red herring.

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