Job Interview

Blind Date

Green Machine

In my last vacations

Wishes Present and Past

Present wishes indicate something that is "contrary to fact." That is, wishes are something that is untrue but desired. For example,

I wish that I had a sports car. I wish that I were a doctor.

(The truth is I don't have a sports car.) (I'm really not a doctor.)

For present wishes, the past tense is used in the that clause, because it indicates a situation that is only imagined. Sometimes the word that is omitted.

• She wishes (that) she had a diamond ring.
• He wishes (that) he were rich.

To express possibility (can) and future intention (will), use the modals could and would respectively.

• She wishes that she could sing.
• They wish that she would stop.

When a "be" verb is required, the word were is used, regardless of the subject.

• We wish you were here.
• I wish (that) I were taller.

Past wishes indicate things we imagine would have been different in the past, although we cannot change them. For past wishes, use the past perfect in the that clause. I wish (that) I had gone to Cincinnati He wishes that he had been elected chairman. They wish they had won the lottery. (I really didn't go.) (He wasn't elected.) (They didn't win.) Form and meaning Wishes about the present and future We use wish + past simple to express that we want a situation in the present to be different. I wish I spoke Italian. (I don't speak Italian.) I wish I had a big car. (I don't have a big car.) I wish I was on a beach. (I'm in the office.) We use wish + past continuous to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present. I wish I was lying on a beach now. (I'm sitting in the office.) I wish it wasn't raining. (It is raining.) I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow. (You are leaving tomorrow.) Wishes about the past We use wish + past perfect to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be different. I wish I hadn't eaten so much. (I ate a lot.) I wish they'd come on holiday with us. (They didn't come on holiday with us.) I wish I had studied harder at school. (I was lazy at school.)

Report Speech

If we report what anothe person has said, we usuallu do not use the speaker's exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.


Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Type	Example
direct speech	“I speak English.”
reported speech (no backshift)	He says that he speaks English.
reported speech (backshift)	He said that he spoke English.

        

Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative or if / whether

Type		Example
with interrogative	direct speech	“Why don’t you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative	direct speech	“Do you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

Request

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• place and time expressions

Type	Example
direct speech	“Carol, speak English.“
reported speech	He told Carol to speak English

Additional Information and Exeptions 

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

• main clauses connected with and / but
• tense of the introductory clause
• reported speech for difficult tenses
• exeptions for backshift
• requests with must, should, ought to and let’s

Special reporting verbs

Form and meaning

We use reporting verbs to report what someone said more accurately than using say and tell.

Verb + infinitive

Agree, decide, offer, promise, refuse, threaten

• They agreed to meet on Friday.
• He refused to take his coat off.

Verb + object + infinitive

Advise, encourage, invite, remind, warn

• Tom advised me to go home early.
• She reminded me to telephone my mother.

Verb + gerund

Deny, recommend, suggest

• They recommended taking the bus.
• She suggested meeting a little earlier.

Verb + object + preposition (+ gerund)

Accuse, blame, congratulate

• He accused me of taking the money.
• They congratulated me on passing all my exams.

Verb + preposition + gerund

Apologize<<<, insist

• They apologized for not coming.
• He insisted on having dinner.

Verb + (that) + subject + verb

Admit, agree, decide, deny, explain, insist, promise, recommend, suggest

• Sarah decided (that) the house needed cleaning.
• They recommended (that) we take the bus.

Tag questions, agreeing and disagreeing

Use

Frequently used in spoken English when you want to agree or disagree.


Form

Positive statement ->question tag negative - You are Tom, aren't you?
Negative statement->question tag positive - He isn't Joe, is he?

Examples

With auxiliaries
You've got a car, haven't you?

Without auxiliaries (use: don't, doesn't, didn't)
They play football on Sundays, don't they?
She plays football on Sundays, doesn't she?
They played football on Sundays, didn't they?

Questions tags are used to keep a conversation going. You can agree or refuse to a sentence with a question tag.

You go to school, don't you?
(You agree). Yes. I do.
(You refuse). No, I don't.

You aren't from Germany, are you?

(You agree). Yes. I am.
(You refuse). No, I'm not.

Questions tags - Special

Although the negative word not is not in the sentence, the sentence can be negative. Then we use the "positive" question tag.


We use will/would with the imperative (Simple Present).

Open the window, will you?
Open the window, would you?          Don't open your books, will you?


We use won't with a polite request.

Open the window, won't you?


We use shall after Let's.

Let's take the next bus, shall we?


Auxiliary must

We must be at home at 8 pm, mustn't we?
Yes, we must. 
No, we needn't.


English is a polite language. Even when you think someone is wrong about something, it is rude to directly contradict that person. This means that you have to do so indirectly. You also have to be careful to notice when an English person wants to disagree, since you might think he is just discussing the subject, or even that he is agreeing with you.

Sometimes you will have to agree or disagree with an opinion.
For example:
What a beautiful baby! 
You may also have to accept or reject a suggestion
For example:
Would you like to finish reading this? 



Orders as Suggestions

Sometimes orders are given as suggestions - the only difference is who gives them. If you refuse an order given as a suggestion, you must be very polite and give a good reason. Otherwise accept the suggestion politely. 
For example:
Bus Conductor: Can you show me your ticket please?
Traveller: I'm terribly sorry, I seem to have lost it.
or
Yes, of course. Here you are



Suggestions

Formal
A formal suggestion is a complete question. Very formal suggestions are given in the third person.
For example:
Butler : Would Sir like to partake of coffee?
Lord Jones : I will, thank you. 
or
Not at this time, thank you.

Normal formal suggestions use 'you'
Waiter : Would you like some coffee?
Harry Jones : Yes, thank you. 
That would be nice, thank you. 
I would indeed. 
or
Not right now, thank you. 
No thanks. 
Do you have tea?



Informal
With informal suggestions, your replies can also be informal.
For example:
Sally : Coffee?
Harry: Why not? 
Cheers 
I don't mind if I do. 
Good idea. 
Sure, okay. 
or
I'll pass, thanks. 
Let's have tea. 
Later, maybe

If you are disagreeing with a suggestion, it is polite to give a reason.
For example:
Would you like to come up for a coffee?
I'd love to but it's late.
Let's go to the cinema this evening.
I can't. I've got to go to work early tomorrow.


Opinions

Opinions are stated as facts. You can agree with them, disagree (politely or rudely) ask for more information, or show that you do not want to discuss the matter.
For example:
That film is really good.
Yes, I really enjoyed it.(agreeing)
I can't say it's my favourite?(disagreeing politely)
What, that load of rubbish?(disagreeing rudely)
I don't watch films much.(not wanting to discuss it)


Question tags

Question tags at the end of a sentence demand a response. Therefore they are useful in asking for agreement, or in starting a discussion about an opinion.
For example:
That road is really dangerous, isn't it? 
Yes, it is. 
Janet is so stupid!'
You don't like her, do you? 
Note that when agreeing to an opinion with a question tag, 'yes' or 'no' alone are impolite. You should answer with 'yes', 'no' and then the subject pronoun and auxiliary.
For example:
He wouldn't do that, would he? 
No, he wouldn't.


Agreeing strongly

For example:
That film should be banned.
You are so right.
Absolutely.
I totally/completely/fully agree.
That's exactly what I say.
Of course it should.


Agreeing mildly

For example:
That film should be banned.
I suppose so.
Well, yes, maybe it should.
Should it? Okay.
If you say so.


Staying neutral

For example:
That film should be banned.
Well, that's your opinion.
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Mmmm.
Ah. That film.


Disagreeing mildly

For example:
That film should be banned.
Do you think so?
Why that one in particular?
Well, it is challenging.
Isn't banning it rather extreme?


Disagreeing strongly

For example:
That film should be banned.
No, it shouldn't.
That's rubbish.
What are you talking about?
You are so wrong.


Disagreeing indirectly

Rather than confront your opinion directly, English people might tell you the reasons they disagree.
For example:
That film should be banned.
It is one of the most popular films of the year.
Many people think it is a classic.
It has not upset many people.

To make their disagreement seem less forceful, English people will use words like Well, Actually or Yes, but at the start of their sentence. They might also apologise for disagreeing
For example:
That film should be banned.
I'm sorry, but I don't think so.
Yes, but you want almost every film banned.
Well, actually, it's not that bad as a matter of fact.