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The correct and logical backshift of today in reported speech

The correct and logical backshift of TODAY in reported speech When we tell someone's statement that has a time expression in it using reported speech, we need to know when the time expression should remain unchanged or shift back in time. The time expression or it is also called the adverb of time needs to be shifted back when the time between when the statement was said to you and when you report it has passed.  And it should still stay the same when you report the statement around the same time. It is considered that the time hasn't passed. Have a look at this example situation to see how a time expression stays the same and shifts back in time: On Monday , James tellls you that he has a lot of work to do today .   Notice that: The day when James tells you that he has a lot of work to do today is Monday . And the time expression in the above statement is today . The time 'today' refers to Monday. ☆ If you tell this to someone else around monday (It's still on the...

Reported Speech | Direct and Indirect Speech in English

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  Reported Speech | Direct and Indirect Speech in English How to tell someone's statement in indirect (reported) speech in English? In daily life, we often get information, news, or a statement from someone which we need to tell or report again to another person. And to do this, we use direct or indirect speech in English. One notable thing that we need to know when reporting a person's statement especially in indirect speech is that the tense and the time expression do not always change / shift back in time from direct speech to indirect speech.  The tense and the time expression in indirect speech can shift back or stay the same depending on: When you report the statement after it was said to you. The reporting verb forms. The context of the statement (speech). The subject of this English lesson focuses especially on how to tell someone's statement (speech) using indirect (reported) speech with the stipulations or rules mentioned above: A. When we report or tell someone...

When to say thank you?

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  When to say thank you? The uses of thank you or thanks In everyday life, we often thank someone for something. Generally speaking, we use thank you or thanks in many different situations. It's necessary and polite to thank someone for something they have given or done for us. This English lesson provides you with situations where you need to thank someone, expressions as a response to thanks and also expressions that you can use to reply to an apology. Here are some common situations where we necessarily thank someone: 1. We use thank you or thanks when someone asks you about your general health as a greeting or small talk: A: How are you?  B: I'm good, t hank you . A: How's your mother? B: She's good, thanks . A: How are you doing? B: I'm doing well, thank you . A: How are you? B: I'm all right. Thanks for asking. 2. We use it when someone asks you about how well something is going for you or a state of something you experience: A: Hi, Michelle. How's ...

Offering food and drinks

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  Offering food and drinks | Part 2 How to Offer someone two different types of drinks and foods? We offer someone two different types of drinks or food, especially when we need to make sure that they can have the one they'd prefer.  Here are common expressions used to offer someone  two, or three different types of food or drinks: Would you like .......... or ...........? Would you prefer ............ or ..........? Would you prefer to have .........or ........? Would you rather have ............ or .........? Do you want .............. or ..............?   (More informal) Want ....... or ........?    (More informal) Have ....... or .........?  (More informal) Food 1 or food 2?       (More informal) Drink 1 or drink 2?    (More informal) Note Both formal and informal (casual) offers can be used to offer food or drinks to someone that is very close to you, but do not use the informal ones to offer food or drinks to so...