引述別人的話壹般有兩種形式,即直接引語(Direct Speech)和間接引語(Indirect Speech)。
原封不動的引用原話,把它放在引號內,叫直接引語。用引述人的語言所轉述的原話叫做間接引語。間接引語不用引號引導,但其中的動詞時態,代詞,限定詞和某些表示時間或地點的副詞等要作相應變動。為了突出重點,方便論述,我們分類敘述。
陳述句的間接引語
1. 陳述句由直接引語變間接引語,通常由that引導,可以省略。
“I want the blue one.” he told us. “我想要蘭色的。” 他說。
→He told us that he wanted the blue one.他說他想要蘭色的。
She said to me, “You can’t settle anything now.”她對我說:“此刻妳無法解決任何事情。”
→She told me that I couldn’t settle anything then.她對我說那時侯我無法解決任何事
疑問句的間接引語
直接引語如果是疑問句,變成間接引語後,叫做間接疑問句。間接疑問句為陳述語序,句末用句號,動詞時態等的變化與間接陳述句相同。引述動詞常用ask, wonder, want to know, inquire。間接疑問句壹般有三種:
1. 壹般疑問句由直接引語變為間接引語時, 由whether或if 引導,如:
“Has he ever worked in Shanghai?” Jim asked. “他在上海工作過嗎?”吉姆問。
→Jim asked whether/if he had ever worked in Shanghai.吉姆問他是否在上海工作過。
“Can you tell me the way to the hospital?” The old man asked. 那個老人問:“妳能告訴我去醫院的路嗎?
→The old man asked whether I could tell him the way to the hospital. 那個老人問我是否能告訴他去醫院的路。
2. 特殊疑問句由直接引語變為間接引語時,仍由原來的疑問詞引導,如:
“Which room do you live in?” He asked. “妳住哪個房間?”他問我。
→He asked me which room I lived in. 他問我住哪個房間。
“What do you think of the film?” She asked. 她問“妳怎麽看這部電影?”
→She asked her friend what she thought of the film.她問她的朋友怎麽看這部電影。
2. 選擇疑問句由直接引語變為間接引語時,由whether/if …or引導,如:
“Is it your bike or Tom’s? Mum asked.媽媽問:“這是妳的自行車還是湯姆的?”
→Mum asked whether/if it was my bike or Tom’s.媽媽問這是我的自行車還是湯姆的。
“Does your sister like blue dresses or green ones?” Kate asked.“妳妹妹喜歡蘭色的裙子還是綠色的?”凱特問。
→Kate asked whether/if my sister liked blue dresses or green ones. 凱特問我的妹妹喜歡蘭色的裙子還是綠色的。
祈使句的間接引語
當祈使句變為間接引語時,間接祈使句的引述動詞常用tell, ask, order, beg, request,order等,而把直接祈使句變成帶to的不定式短語。
Jack said, “Please come to my house tomorrow, Mary.”傑克說:“瑪麗,明天請到我家來。”
→Jack asked Mary to go to his house the next day.傑克請瑪麗第二天到他家去。
The teacher said to the students, ”Stop talking.”老師對學生們說:“不要講話了。”
→The teacher told the students to stop talking.老師讓學生們不要說話了。
“Don’t touch anything.” He said.“不要碰任何東西。”他說。
→He told us not to touch anything.他對我們說不要碰任何東西。
感嘆句的間接引語
當感嘆句變成間接引語時,間接感嘆詞常用what, how或that引導,句末常用句號,常用的引述詞為say 和tell。
“What a lovely girl you are!” Lucy said. “妳是壹個多麽可愛的女孩!”露西說。
→Lucy said what a lovely girl I was.露西說我是壹個非常可愛的女孩。
“How wonderful the performance is!” He said.“演出太精彩了!”他說。
→He said how wonderful the performance was.他說演出太精彩了。
動詞時態等的變動
1.某些代詞,限定詞,表示時間或地點的副詞和個別動詞在間接引語中的變化規則如下:
直接引語 間接引語
today that day
now then, at that moment
yesterday the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow the next day / the following day
the day after tomorrow two days after, / in two days
next week/ month etc the next week/month etc
last week/ month etc the week / month etc. before
here there
this that
these those
come go
bring take
2.如果引述動詞為現在時形式,則間接引語中的動詞時態,代詞,限定詞和表示時間或地點的副詞不用變化。而如果引述動詞是過去時,以上內容就要有相應變化。變化情況如下:
現在時間推移到過去的時間,即壹般現在時變為壹般過去時;
“I feel better today.” He said “我今天感覺好多了。”他說。
→He said that he felt better that day. 他說他那天感覺好多了。
現在進行時變為過去進行時;
“Xiao Ming is doing some washing” Mum said.“小明正在洗衣服。”媽媽說。
→Mum said that Xiao Ming was doing some washing.媽媽說小明正在洗衣服。
現在完成時變為過去完成時;
“I have been to America twice.” Mr. Wang told us.“我去過兩次美國。”王先生告訴我們。
→Mr. Wang told us that he had been to America twice.王先生告訴我們他去過兩次美國。
將來時變為過去將來時;
“We will meet at ten o’clock tomorrow.” Mary told me.“明天我們十點鐘見。”瑪麗告訴我。
→Mary told me that they would meet at ten o’clock the next day.瑪麗告訴我他們第二天十點見。
3.當引述的是客觀事實,科學真理,現在習慣性動作以及格言時,盡管尹樹動詞是過去時,間接引語中的時態不變。
The teacher said, “Light travels faster than sound.”老師說:“光比聲音傳播地快。”
→The teacher told us that light travels faster than sound.老師說光比聲音傳播地快。
“An object in motion tends to stay in motion. .” Newton said. “運動中的物體在其他力量作用之前,會保持原來的運動。“ 牛頓說。
Newton said that an object in motion tends to stay in motion.牛頓說運動中的物體在其他力量作用之前,會保持原來的運動。
4.當直接引語與間接引語在時間上沒有差異時,動詞時態變動可有可無。
“It will happen by the year 2010 AD.”“到公元2010年他將會發生。”
→She said it will/would happen by the year 2010 AD. 她說它將會到公元2010年發生。
“I forgot it.” →He said he forgot / had forgotten it.”“我把它忘了。” →他說他把它忘了。