Reported Speech

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kimhaze

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Joined
Nov 13, 2010
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Student or Learner
Native Language
Vietnamese
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Vietnam
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Vietnam
1. "May I have your name and address?" he said to her.
- He asked her if he could have her name and address.
2. "Shall I buy you a new bicycle? he said "No, thanks." she answered.
- He asked her if he would buy her a new bicycle and she answered no.
3. "Why don't you open an account in the bank?" they said to us.
- They suggested us open an account in the bank.
4. "What about staying out tonight?" Tom said to his friends.
- Tom suggested his friends stay out that night.
5. "Welcome home, my darling!" she said to her husband.
- She welcomed her husband. (I don't think it is correct... but I don't know any other way)
6. "Misbehave another time ad you will know." The father said angrily to his son.
- The farther warned his son not to misbehave again.

If you find any mistake, please tell me.I found it very difficult to know if I am right or wrong. Because my grammar is affected by my speaking English which is not very good.
 
1. "May I have your name and address?" he said to her.
- He asked her if he could have her name and address. :tick:
2. "Shall I buy you a new bicycle? he said "No, thanks." she answered.
- He asked her if he would buy her a new bicycle and she answered no.*
3. "Why don't you open an account in the bank?" they said to us.
- They suggested we open an account in the bank.**
4. "What about staying out tonight?" Tom said to his friends.
- Tom suggested to his friends that they stay out that night.
5. "Welcome home, my darling!" she said to her husband.
- She welcomed her husband. (I don't think it is correct... but I don't know any other way) . You're right -- this one is hard. You could say something "using a term of endearment" or "affectionately" I guess.
6. "Misbehave another time ad you will know." The father said angrily to his son.
- The farther warned his son not to misbehave again.
-- I'd say this was more of a threat than a warning.

If you find any mistake, please tell me.I found it very difficult to know if I am right or wrong. Because my grammar is affected by my speaking English which is not very good.
*An American would say "If he could" but we would not say "Shall I buy you [something]" so I hope a BrE or other dialect will tell you if this one works.

** I'd say "at the bank" but "in" was your original sentence.

You did quite well!
 
2. "Shall I buy you a new bicycle? he said "No, thanks." she answered.
- He asked her if he should buy her a new bicycle and she answered no.*

Fine.
 
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I have marked errors/omissions in red and possible extras/alternatives in blue. Take care with your typing.

1. "May I have your name and address?" he said to her.
- He asked her if he could have her name and address.

2. "Shall I buy you a new bicycle?" he said. "No, thanks." she answered.
- He asked her if he c/should buy her a new bicycle and she answered no.

3. "Why don't you open an account in (at) the bank?" they said/ (suggested) to us.

- They suggested (us open) that we open an account in the bank.

4. "What about staying out tonight?" Tom said to his friends.
- Tom suggested to his friends that they stay out that night.

5. "Welcome home, my darling!" she said to her husband.
- She welcomed her husband (warmly, lovingly).

6. "Misbehave another time and you will know (it; what to expect)" the father said angrily to his son.
- The farther warned his son not to misbehave again.
 
Thanks.
We'd say "Can I buy you..." or "May I buy you..." not "Shall I buy you..." so the reported form was not familiar to me.
 
Thank you so much. But I have a question:
In sentence 3 you used "suggested us" but in sentence 4 you used "suggested to his friends"
So why didn't you use "suggested to us" or "suggested his friends"
What is the difference between sentences 3 and 4?
 
You can say it in either combination.

With the "to ____" form, the "that" is really needed.

He suggested to us that we open an account.
He suggested [that] we open an account. (It's clear this suggestion was to us.)

He suggested to his friend that they stay out all night.
He suggested [that] they stay out all night. (It's not clear who this suggestion was to, so saying "to his friends" is better.)
 
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Look again.
In both 3 and 4 I said suggested to.
The 'us open' is in red - your error.

You can make a general suggestion or you can make a suggestion to one or more people, or you can say I suggest that we do something.
 
Oh... I've got it. Thank you so much
And I will be more careful with typing next time :)
 
2. "Shall I buy you a new bicycle?" he said. "No, thanks." she answered.
- He asked her if he c/should buy her a new bicycle and she answered no.
Thanks. You are correct. I was not.:oops:
I have now edited mine to prevent confusion.
 
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