万连祥
【中图分类号】G623.31 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】2095-3089(2012)04-0055-02
直接引语与间接引语是初中生必须掌握的重要语法项目之一,但也是难点之一。要让学生正确运用直接引语与间接引语,必须使学生掌握以下几点:
一、直接引语与间接引语的概念
英语中有两种引语,一种是直接引语,另一种是间接引语。直接引语是指直接引用他人所说的话,而间接引语是指用自己的话来转述他人所说的话。他们的主要区别是:直接引语需用引号,而间接引语无需用引号,但需用引导词。
eg: Our teacher said: “There are seven days in a week.”→
Our teacher told us there are seven days in a week.
二、 直接引语与间接引语的互相转换
要把直接引语转换成间接引语,首先必须分清直接引语是什么句式。一般初中阶段需掌握四种句式,即:陈述句,一般疑问句,特殊疑问句,祈使句。
1.陈述句变为间接引语
直接引语如果是陈述句,变为间接引语时,用连词that引导(that在口语中可以省略)。从句的人称,时态,指示代词,时间状语,地点状语等作相应的变化。
(1)人称的变化:一般将第一人称改成第三人称;第二人称有时改成第一人称,有时改成第三人称,要根据具体情形而定。
eg:The boy said, “I like the toy plane very much.”→
The boy said that he liked the toy plane very much.
(2)时态的变化
如果主句的谓语动词是一般现在时,直接引语变为间接引语时,时态由自身来确定,也就是不受主句时态的限制;即从句中的时态无需变化。而如果主语的谓语动词是一般过去时,直接引语改成间接引语时;从句的谓语动词要用过去范围内的某种时态,一般地在原有的基础上升一级,如下表:
eg:①Daniel said, “Im afraid I cant finish this work.”→
Daniel said that he was afraid he couldnt finish that work.
②Sandy said, “Im having my dancing lesson.”→
Sandy said that she was having her dancing lesson.
③She said, “I havent heard from him.”→
She said she hadnt heard from him.
④He said ,“I was ill.”→
He said that he had been ill.
⑤Tom said , “Ill do it after school”→
Tom said that he would do it after school.
(3)指示代词,时间状语,地点状语和动词的变化。
当然如果是就地转述,那无需把come改成go。
eg:①He said ,“Ill come here tomorrow.”→
He said that he would go there the next day.
②Millie said , “Im listeningto music now.”→
Millie said that she was listening to music.
2. 一般疑问句变为间接引语
直接引语如果是一般疑问句变为间接引语时,首先要把疑问句语序改为陈述句语序,句末用句号。其次用whether或if 来引导从句;再次主句中的谓语动词said要改为asked,没有间接宾语时,可以根据句意加一个间接宾语(me, us, him等)。
其余的变化与陈述句相同。
eg:①He said, “Are you interested in English?”→
He asked (me) if I was interested in English.
他问我是否对英语感兴趣。
②She asked, “Are you sure you will come or not?”→
She asked whether I was sure I would come or not.
注意:一般情况下whether与if 可以互换,但在以下几种情况中通常只能用whether,不能用if。
(1)whether用在介词的后面;
(2)从句中有or not;
(3)动词不定式的复合结构,即whether to go而不能是if to go。
3.特殊疑问句变为间接引语
要把直接引语是特殊疑问句的句子变为间接引语时,与一般疑问句所不同的是引导词不同;特殊疑问句变化时要用特殊疑问词作为引导词,其余的变化相同。
eg: ①“Where will you go?” he asked me.→
He asked me where I would go.
She asked, “When does his mother get up every day?”→
She asked when his mother got up every day.
4.祈使句变为间接引语
直接引语如果是祈使句,变为间接引语时要运用asked/told sb.(not) to do sth.的句式。
eg: ①He said, “Sit down, please.”→
He asked us to sit down.
②Father said, “Dont worry about me.”→
Father told me not to worry about him.
三、值得注意的几点
1.如果直接引语所叙述的内容表示客观真理,客观事实或习惯性动作,那么在变化时时态无需改变,即时态不变。
eg: The teacher said, “The earth is round.”
此句讲的是地球无论什么时候都是圆的,不可能变成方的或扁的。客观真理,故此句的时态不变,上句应改为:
The teacher said (that) the earth is round.
2.如果所述事情当天转述那变化时无需把today改成that day。
3.如果所述事情当地转述那变化时无需把here改成there。