Speech in the English Language

In conversation and writing, dialogue may be either direct or indirect. Direct speech comes from the source, whether spoken aloud or written as a quotation. Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a second-hand account of something a person said. 

Using the Past Tense

Unlike direct speech, which occurs in the present tense, indirect speech usually occurs in the past tense. For example, the verbs "say" and "tell" are used to relate a conversation that you have had with someone. In this case, the verb that you are relating moves one step back into the past.

Using the Past Tense

Unlike direct speech, which occurs in the present tense, indirect speech usually occurs in the past tense. For example, the verbs "say" and "tell" are used to relate a conversation that you have had with someone. In this case, the verb that you are relating moves one step back into the past.

• Tom: I'm working hard these days.
• You: (relating this statement to a friend): Tom said he was working hard lately.
• Annie: We bought some truffles for a fancy dinner.
• You: (relating this statement to a friend): Annie told me they had bought some truffles for a fancy dinner.

Using the Present Tense

Indirect speech sometimes can be used in the present tense to report to someone who has not heard the original statement. When using "say" in the present tense, keep the tense the same as the original statement, but make sure to change the appropriate pronouns and helping verbs. For example:

• Direct speech: I am giving my opinion.
• Reported speech: He says he is giving his opinion.
• Direct speech: I moved back to my parents' house two years ago.
• Reported speech: Anna says she moved back to her parents' house two years ago.

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           How to Teach

Begin teaching the past simple by speaking about some of your past experiences. If possible, use a mix of regular and irregular past verbs. Use time expressions to provide context. It's also a good idea to mix in some other subjects such as "my friend" or "my wife" to signal that there is no change in the conjugation of the past simple other than putting the verb into the past.

I visited my parents in Olympia last weekend.
My wife cooked a wonderful dinner yesterday.
We went to a movie yesterday evening.

Continue modeling by asking yourself a question and providing the answer.

Where did you go last week? I went to Portland yesterday.
When did you have lunch yesterday? I had lunch at 1 o'clock yesterday.
Which level did you teach last month? I taught beginner- and intermediate-level classes.

Next, ask students similar questions. It's a good idea to use the same verbs—for example: went, had, played, watched, ate—when asking questions. Students will be able to follow your lead and answer appropriately.

Introduce Regular and Irregular Verbs

Using the verbs you've introduced, quickly ask students the infinitive form for each verb.

Which verb is went? go
Which verb is cooked? cook
Which verb is visited? visit

Which verb is had? have
Which verb is taught? teach

Ask students if they notice any patterns. ​Usually, a few students will recognize that many past regular verbs end in ‑ed. Introduce the idea that some verbs are irregular and must be learned individually. It's a good idea to provide an irregular verb sheet for their study and future reference. Quick drills, such as a past simple grammar chant, will help students learn irregular forms.

When discussing past regular verbs, make sure that students understand that the final

Introduce Negative Forms

Finally, introduce the negative form of the past simple through modeling. Model the form to the students and immediately encourage a similar answer. You can do this by asking a student a question, then modeling a negative and a positive sentence.

When did you have dinner yesterday? (student) I had dinner at 7 o'clock.
Did he/she have dinner at 8 o'clock? No, he/she didn't have dinner at 8 o'clock. He/she had dinner at 7 o'clock.

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         Essential Basic

byKenneth Beare 

Updated July 27, 2019

These basic English lessons provide the most important learning points for beginning level English learners. Use these 25 short lessons to study for tests, review basic English essentials, or check your understanding of the basics.

01

of 25

When to Use Any or Some

Some and any are used with both countable and uncountable nouns to ask about, confirm and respond negatively about an indefinite amount. Some and any are used with singular and plural verb forms. Here are some examples followed by the rules: Do you have any salt? There are some chairs in that room. She doesn't have any money.

• Use "some" in positive sentences. We use some for both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: I have some friends.
• Use "any" in negative sentences or questions. We use any for both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: Do you have any cheese? - He doesn't have any friends in Chicago.
• Use "some" in questions when offering or requesting something that is there. Example: Would you like some bread? (offer) - Could I have some water? (request)
• Use "any" in negative sentences or questions. We use any for both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: Do you have any cheese? - He doesn't have any friends in Chicago.
• Use "some" words—somebody, someone, somewhere and something—in positive sentences. Example: He lives somewhere near here.
• Use "any" words—anybody, anyone, anywhere and anything—in negative sentences or questions. Example: Do you know anything about that boy? - She doesn't have anywhere to go.

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    Used With Electronics

Today we live, work, eat and breath surrounded by gadgets. Gadgets can be defined as small devices and tools that we use to do a wide variety of tasks. Generally speaking, gadgets are electronics, but some gadgets such as a 'can opener' are not. Today we have many mobile devices that are our favorite gadgets.

There are many common verbs used to describe the actions we take with these devices. This article focuses on the proper verbs to express these actions for gadgets in the home, cars, computers, tablets, and smartphones.

We all love music, don't we? Use start and stop with music devices such as stereos, cassette players, record players, etc. These verbs are also used when speaking about listening to music with popular music programs such as iTunes or apps on smartphones. 

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     English for Information Technology

Computer specialists develop and maintain the computer equipment and software programs that form the basis of the Internet. They make up the majority of professional and related occupations and account for about 34 percent of the industry as a whole. Computer programmers write, test, and customize the detailed instructions, called programs or software, that computers follow to perform various functions such as connecting to the Internet or displaying a Web page. Using programming languages such as C++ or Java, they break down tasks into a logical series of simple commands for the computer to implement.

Computer software engineers analyze user needs to formulate software specifications, and then design, develop, test, and evaluate programs to meet these requirements. While computer software engineers must possess strong programming skills, they generally focus on developing programs, which are then coded by computer programmers.

Computer systems analysts develop customized computer systems and networks for clients. They work with organizations to solve problems by designing or tailoring systems to meet unique requirements and then implementing these systems. By customizing systems to specific tasks, they help their clients maximize the benefit from investment in hardware, software, and other resources.

Computer support specialists provide technical assistance to users who experience computer problems. They may provide support either to customers or to other employees within their own organization. Using automated diagnostic programs and their own technical knowledge, they analyze and solve problems with hardware, software, and systems. In this industry, they connect with users primarily through telephone calls and e-mail messages.

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                                                                   world name 


Software engineers and computer programmers both develop software applications needed by working computers. The difference between the two positions lies in the responsibilities and the approach to the job. Software engineers use well-defined scientific principles and procedures to deliver an efficient and reliable software product.

Software Engineering 

Software engineering treats the approach to developing software as a formal process much like that found in traditional engineering. Software engineers begin by analyzing user needs. They design software, deploy, test it for quality and maintain it. They instruct computer programmers how to write the code they need. Software engineers may or may not write any of the code themselves, but they need strong programming skills to communicate with the programmers and are frequently fluent in several programming languages.

Software engineers design and develop computer games, business applications, network control systems, and software operating systems. They are experts in the theory of computing software and the limitations of the hardware they design for. 

Computer-Aided Software Engineering

The whole software design process has to be formally managed long before the first line of code is written. Software engineers produce lengthy design documents using computer-aided software engineering tools. The software engineer then converts the design documents into design specification documents, which are used to design code. The process is organized and efficient. There is no off-the-cuff programming going on.

Paperwork

One distinguishing feature of software engineering is the paper trail that it produces. Designs are signed off by managers and technical authorities, and the role of quality assurance is to check the paper trail. Many software engineers admit that their job is 70% paperwork and 30% code. It's a costly but responsible way to write software, which is one reason why avionics in modern aircraft are so expensive.

Software Engineering Challenges

Manufacturers cannot build complex life-critical systems like aircraft, nuclear reactor controls, and medical systems and expect the software to be thrown together. They require the whole process to be thoroughly managed by software engineers so that budgets can be estimated, staff recruited and the risk of failure or expensive mistakes minimized.

In safety-critical areas such as aviation, space, nuclear power plants, medicine, fire detection systems, and roller coaster rides, the cost of software failure can be enormous because lives are at risk. The ability of the software engineer to anticipate problems and eliminate them before they happen is critical.

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