INFOGRAPHIC

INDIRECT ADVERBIAL
SPEECH PHRASES
Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk An adverbial phrase is a type of adverb that adds
about the past, so we normally change the tense of more detail and meaning to a sentence. Adverbial
the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', phrases can be divided into three main types: time,
'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to place, and manner. They can be used to modify verbs,
introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are adjectives, adverbs, and even other adverbial phrases
not used.
Where (Adverbial
She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that When (Adverbial Phrase of
Phrase of Place) An
she had seen him. (indirect speech) Time) An adverbial phrase
adverbial phrase of
of time states when place states where
something happens or how something happens.
often.

How (Adverbial Phrase of Why (Adverbial Phrase of

Manner) An adverbial Reason) An adverbial
phrase of manner states phrase of reason states
how something is done. why something is done.

VERB
PARTERN
Verb patterns are nothing more than the way in
which two consecutive verbs are conjugated in the
same sentence. In that way? We are sure you must
have heard, for example: I want to buy a car.
That's right, this sentence already contains a verb
pattern.
Depending on the main verb, the second verb will be
used in the infinitive preceded by to, or by a gerund
verb.
When are verb patterns used?
As we indicated at the beginning, verb patterns
are used when we want to express an idea with
two verbs. Here are some combinations of verb
patterns:
conjugated verb + to + infinitive = I want to sleep.
conjugated verb + gerund = I like sleeping.
VAGUE
LANGUAGE
Vague language is not totally accurate or
clear. Although some people think this is "bad"
English, all native English speakers use vague
language when they are unable or unwilling to
give accurate information, or they think it is
either unnecessary or socially inappropriate to
do so. A good example of vague language is
rounding up numbers when telling the time.
#1 - List completers
Sometimes a speaker might start a list of some kind and
then cannot remember the rest of the list or does not
think the other items are important enough to mention.
In these cases, list completers are ideal:
"I typed some letters, reports and so on."
"You have to ask a doctor or a lawyer or someone
like that, you know."

#3 - Quantifiers
#2 -Placeholders
Vague language is very common with numbers when
Placeholders are for when a speaker does not know
expressing quantity, frequency or the time. Low
or cannot remember the name of something or
numbers are often substituted by phrases such as
someone. We use general words like thing, person,
a couple of / a few, whereas larger numbers are
man, guy, bloke, woman as placeholders.
rounded up with about / around or replaced with
"I need a thing for the slide projector."
lots of / loads of.
#4 - Generalisers
#5 - Suffixes
Also very common are items like sort of, kind of
or you know. These may be used when someone We often add the suffix –ish or –y to a word
cannot think of the right word. We also use items to show that we are not being precise.
like this when we do not want to be too precise,
perhaps because we don’t want people to think
we are trying to look like an expert on a topic.