PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CITY OF COIMBRA

In one of our last on-site classes, we had a presentation about Portugal and Portuguese culture, specially from the city of Coimbra. The B2.2 student Ana Gadhana told us about this wonderful region with such cozy spots everybody should visit at least once in a lifetime and the importance of university life and students' fados at "queima das fitas", very typical in this area.

PASSIVE REPORTING VERBS

These structures are used to report information in a formal style or to report facts. Passive structures hide the source of the information. This is because it is obvious, the source is unimportant or is 'people in general', or the source is unknown.

Reporting verbs are verbs of saying or believing such as agree, announce, believe, claim, consider, expect, hope, know, report, say, suggest, think, understand, etc. And we can use their passive form for distancing in different ways. 

it + passive reporting verb + that-clause (it is said that...)

In this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb:

Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.

It is known that my grandfather likes red wine.

It is believed that the murderer is no longer in the country.

It has been announced that they are going to cancel the tour.

It has been suggested that the team can’t be trusted defensively.

It was thought the building could collapse.

subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive (someone is said to do)

In this pattern we start with the subject of the reported clause, which is followed by the passive reporting verb and the to-infinitive form of the verb in the reported clause:

Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.

My grandfather is known to like red wine.

He is said to have the biggest private art collection in the country.

They were believed to be secretly in love.

We can also use this form to refer to the future.

She is expected to become a super star.

subject+passive reporting verb+to be+-ing(continuous infinitive) (Someone is said to be doing)

When the reported action is in progress simultaneously to the reporting, we can also use subject + passive reporting verb + to be + -ing (continuous infinitive) with dynamic verbs.

They are thought to be living under strict protection.

subject+passive reporting verb+to have+past participle (perfect infinitive) 

Someone is said to have done

When the reported action is previous to the reporting (earlier in the past), we use subject + passive reporting verb + to have + past participle (perfect infinitive).

She was thought to have left the previous week. (=she left before people thought about it)

He is claimed to have hit another student. (=he hit another student first)

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

VERB PATTERNS WITH REPORTING VERBS

These are the most common reporting verbs:

SAY

The basic verb pattern for using 'say' for reported speech is:

say + (that) + clause
She said (that) she had already eaten.


TELL

with 'tell' we need to use an object, a person who we tell the information to.

tell + someone + (that) + clause
I told John (that) I had seen the new film.

When we are reporting orders, we can also use another pattern with 'tell':

tell + someone + to + infinitive
She told the children to go to bed.

ASK

We use 'ask' to report questions or requests. For questions we use the pattern:

ask + someone + if / question word + clause
I asked my boss if I could leave early.
She asked them where the station was.

For requests we use the pattern:

ask + someone + to + infinitive
I asked Lucy to pass me the salt.

Other reporting verbs follow a variety of patterns.

ADVISE

(= Give someone advice. Notice the different spelling for the verb and the noun.)

Advise + someone + to + infinitive
She advised him to see a doctor.

Advise + (that) + clause
The staff advise that you carry water at all times.

Advise + against + verb-ing
I'd advise against leaving early.

AGREE

Agree + to + infinitive
We agreed to meet the following day.

Agree + (that) + clause
I agreed that the children could do their homework later.

APOLOGISE

Apologise + (to + someone) + for + verb-ing
They apologised to us for being late.
She apologised for forgetting the book.

Apologise (+ to + someone) + for + noun
She apologised for the delay.

DECIDE

Decide + to + infinitive
They decided to go to the cinema.

Decide + (that) + clause
They decided that they would go to the cinema.

ENCOURAGE

Encourage + someone + to + infinitive
She encouraged him to take the exam again.
The teacher encouraged the students to ask questions.

EXPLAIN

Explain + (that) + clause
The teacher explained that the course was finished.

Explain + noun + to + someone
She explained the grammar to the students. (NOT: She explained me the grammar)

Explain + question word + to + infinitive
They explained how to buy a train ticket on the internet.
John explained where to find the restaurant.

Explain + question word + clause
We explained what the exams would cover.

INSIST

Insist + on + verb-ing
He insisted on paying.

Insist + (that) + clause
He insisted that we sit down.

PROMISE

Promise + to + infinitive
He promised to arrive early.

Promise + (someone) + (that) + clause
I promised him that I wouldn't do it again.

RECOMMEND

Recommend + verb-ing
I recommend visiting the British Museum while you're in London.

Recommend + (that) + clause
I recommend that you visit the British Museum

REMIND

Remind + someone + to + infinitive
She reminded him to take his keys.

Remind + someone + (that) + clause
They reminded me that there is a party tonight.

SUGGEST
Suggest + verb-ing
I suggest leaving soon

Suggest + (that) + clause
I suggest that you come as soon as you can. (NOT: I suggest him to come)

WARN

Warn + someone + (not) + to + infinitive
I warned them not to go in the water.

Warn + someone + about + something
She warned us about the dangerous roads.


Negatives
To make the verbs that we have reported negative, we need to look at the verb pattern:

When there's a clause, we make the negative in the usual way: She said that she didn't like ice cream.
When there's 'to + infinitive', we generally put 'not' before 'to': He promised not to do it again.
When there's 'verb-ing', we generally put 'not' in front of it: I advise not taking the bus.

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

EXERCISE 5

PRESENTATION ABOUT GALICIA

In our last class we had a presentation about Galician language and culture. The B2.2 student Alba Suárez from Arteixo in La Coruña explained aspects of the region in the Northwest of Spain such us nice corners, food, and of course the language.

We also tasted the flavours of Galicia through their "torta de Santiago" and "orellas".

PREFER, WOULD PREFER, WOULD RATHER

Prefer

We use prefer to say we like one thing or activity more than another. We can use a prepositional phrase with to when we compare two things or actions:

I prefer tea to coffee. We prefer going by ferry to flying.

We don’t use than after prefer:

She prefers books to magazines. Not: She prefers books than magazines.

We can use a to-infinitive or an -ing form after prefer. A to-infinitive is more common.

She’s not keen on coffee. She prefers to drink tea.(or She prefers drinking tea to coffee.)

Would prefer

We use would prefer or ’d prefer, followed by a to-infinitive or a noun, to talk about present and future preferences:

I’d prefer to go by myself. Would you prefer a quieter restaurant? She’d prefer not to drive at night.

When we want to say that we would like to do one thing more than another, we can introduce the second thing with rather than, followed by an infinitive without to:

I’d prefer to go skiing this year rather than go on a beach holiday.

When we are talking about our preferences for the actions of another person, we can use would prefer + object pronoun + to-infinitive or would prefer it if + past simple:

They’d prefer us to come later. (or They’d prefer it if we came later.)

Would you prefer me to drive? (or Would you prefer it if I drove?)

Typical mistakes:

We use a to-infinitive after prefer, not an infinitive without to: I prefer to drive. Not: I prefer drive.

Whenever I have time I like to read but I prefer not to read in the evening. Not: … but I prefer not read in the evening.

We make comparisons using to or rather than, not just than:

A lot of young people prefer computer games to football. (or A lot of young people prefer computer games rather than football.) Not: A lot of young people prefer computer games than football.

Would rather

We use would rather or ’d rather to talk about preferring one thing to another. Would rather has two different constructions.

Compare:

           same subject (+ base form)                               different subject (+ past simple clause)

I’d rather stay at home than go out tonight.                 I’d rather you stayed at home tonight.

I’d rather not go out tonight.                                  I’d rather you didn’t go out tonight

In negative sentences with a different subject, the negative comes on the clause that follows, not on would rather:

She’d rather you didn’t phone after 10 o’clock. Not: She wouldn’t rather you phoned after 10 o’clock.

Same subject: When the subject is the same person in both clauses, we use would rather (not) followed by the base form of the verb: We’d rather go on Monday. Not: We’d rather to go … or We’d rather going …

More than half the people questioned would rather have a shorter summer break and more holidays at other times.

I’d rather not fly. I hate planes.


Different subjects: When the subjects of the two clauses are different, we often use the past simple to talk about the present or future: I would rather they did something about it instead of just talking about it. (past simple to talk about the present or future). Would you rather I wasn’t honest with you?

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4