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Grammar and Linguistics > Grammar Problem
Grammar Problem
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Apryll12
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Grammar Problem
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Hi Everyone!
I �m confused about a grammatical problem. Can you help me, please?
"I went to my grandparents�", she said. - direct speech
Which one is correct in indirect speech?
She said that she �d been to her grandparents �.
She said that she �d gone to her grandparents �.
I �m asking this because there was an exercise that made me confused:
Task: Change the sentences back to direct speech.
1. She admitted that she �d been shopping.
Key: "I �ve been shopping", she admitted
2. She explained that she had been to the hairdresser �s.
Key: "I went to the hairdresser �s", she explained.
According to this task I think that both my previous sentences are correct, but somehow I feel that it �s not exactly so.
I �m really interested in your opinions. Thanks in advance.
Krisztina
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6 Apr 2009
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douglas
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I think "She �d gone..." is correct due to the verb "to go" being used in the original.
The second uses the verb "to be".
Douglas |
6 Apr 2009
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Logos
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Douglas, I reckon you Americans need to speak English like it �s meant to be spoked!!! I think the correct answer is She �d been ... .
Don �t ask me why, one of our super grammarians will give us the difinitive answer, but I am pretty sure it is She �d been.
Anyone wish to join the battle of the Atlantic - take up your sides NOW!!
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6 Apr 2009
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arkel
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I �m with Logos here. �She �d gone � would imply that she was still at her grandparents � whereas �she �d been � shows that she returned. The verb �go � has two past participles: gone and been, depending on the context. Hope that helps a little. |
6 Apr 2009
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nite
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Hey!
The difference between I �ve been and I �ve gone is that the former conveys the meaning of that I �ve already returned whereas the latter means that I �m still there.
She �s been to her grandparetns � (she �s not there now)
She �s gone to her grandparents � (she �s still there, not returned yet)
So both sentences are gramatically correct. u need to look at the context.
Hope it has BEEN useful! |
6 Apr 2009
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Logos
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Nite I agree with your explanation, except for one minor detail. The direct speech requested was "She �d gone... (not She �s...) If it is the present perfect I agree entirely, but the past perfect does not sound right to me. |
6 Apr 2009
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malouk
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Hi Krisztina
Nite �s explanation is totally correct. ... has/have gone to ... refers to someone who has gone to a place but has not yet returned while has/have been to ... refers to a place which someone has visited. Many times "has been to" may be used in reference to a place words as an experience.
I would agree with Logos that She �s been to her grandparents � is probably better.
Hey Logos, see some of us Americans know our grammwr and we can justify why we speak the way we do. and by the way the direct speech was was "I went to my grandparents�", she said. So sides taken |
6 Apr 2009
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Apryll12
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Yes, malouk. I know this, but the reason for my confusion is this:
I went - I �d gone/I �d been in indirect speech depending on the situation, right?
I have been - I �d been in indirect speech, right?
She explained that she had been to the hairdresser �s. could be "I �ve been to the hairdresser �s", she explained. But according to the key it �s "I went to the hairdresser �s", she explained. Why???
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6 Apr 2009
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arkel
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I would think �I �ve been to the hairdresser �s � is more correct if no time expression is used. If she said �the day before �, or �two days ago �, then it would definitely be �I went to the hairdresser �s (yesterday, this morning etc) � Indirect speech is really difficult to explain exactly as it all depends on when the person spoke and also when the other person reported it. |
6 Apr 2009
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douglas
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I still say both are correct, but since the original used the verb "to go" then in this context "She �d gone" would be "more correct".
go went have gone
am/are/is was/were have been
Douglas |
6 Apr 2009
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arkel
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go went have gone/ been in my part of the world. |
6 Apr 2009
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