reported speech

[aysaa]

Hi,

Modal changes in indirect speech | Grammaring - A guide to English grammar
Student Stumper 5: May in Reported Speech | English with Jennifer

May (permission, present) : Could

May (permission, future) : Would be allowed to

I have read this information on these sites and I have been a little bit confused. If the things written about 'may' is true, I would like to ask if it is a rule or can we use 'might' instead of 'could / would be allowed to'? For example;

1- ''No one may leave the meeting before the vote is taken,” said the director.

a- The director said that no one could leave the meeting before the vote was taken.
b- The director said that no one might leave the meeting before the vote was taken.

2- You may leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.

a- You could leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.
b- You might leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.

Could you please help me about this subject?

Thanks.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hi,

Modal changes in indirect speech | Grammaring - A guide to English grammar
Student Stumper 5: May in Reported Speech | English with Jennifer

May (permission, present) : Could

May (permission, future) : Would be allowed to

I have read this information on these sites and I have been a little bit confused. If the things written about 'may' is true, I would like to ask if it is a rule or can we use 'might' instead of 'could / would be allowed to'? For example;

1- ''No one may leave the meeting before the vote is taken,” said the director.

a- The director said that no one could leave the meeting before the vote was taken.
b- The director said that no one might leave the meeting before the vote was taken.

2- You may leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.

a- You could leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.
b- You might leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.

Could you please help me about this subject?

Thanks.

a- You could leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.
b- You might leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner.

These are not indirect speech.

 

[aysaa]

1- ''No one may leave the meeting before the vote is taken,” said the director.

a- The director said that no one could leave the meeting before the vote was taken.
b- The director said that no one might leave the meeting before the vote was taken.

2- ''You may leave the table now that you're finished with your dinner,'' she said.

a- She said that I could leave the table at that time that I was finished with my dinner.
b- She said that I might leave the table at that time that I was finished with my dinner.

Sorry, I forgot to change them into ''reported speech''.

 

[aysaa]

I have fixed it. :roll::roll:

 

[bhaisahab]

Sorry, I forgot to change them into ''reported speech''.

2 a and b are completely unnatural.

 

[5jj]

a. She said that I could/might leave the table when/because I had finished my dinner.