Communi

cation

Unit 5
 Infinitive & gerund phrases

● It + be + adjective/noun+ infinitive phrase +

complement.
The subject is
“it”
Infinitive phrases

1. It’s rude to ignore your conversation partner.

2. It’s a good idea to try out different topics.

Gerund phrases
The gerund
3. Ignoring your conversation partner is rude. becomes the
subject
4. Trying out different topics is a good idea.
It + be + adjective+ infinitive phrase + complement.
Infinitive phrases

1. It’s considered impolite to interrupt people.

2. It’s considered rude to use your cell phone while talking to

people.

Gerund phrases

3. Interrupting people is considered impolite.

4. Using your phone is considered rude while talking to people.

Infinitive phrases

1. It’s customary for the complimenter to say nice things about

others.

2. It’s customary for the interrupter to jump in other people’s

conversations.

Gerund phrases

3. Saying nice things about others is customary for the

complimenter.

4. Jumping in other people’s conversations is customary for the

interrupter.
 It’s impolite to use certain gestures in some foreign countries .

It’s often considered rude to ask someone’s age.

Addressing a professor by his or her first name isn’t unusual in the U.S.

It’s customary in many cultures to hug friends when you greet

them.

Its’ inappropriate in some countries to ask strangers if they’re married.

Speaki
ng
time!
1. 2.
YOU AND YOUR
you kiss people on
CLASSMATE
the cheek when
INTERRUPT THE
you meet them .
TEACHER.
3. 4.
YOU STAND VERY YOU AND YOUR
CLOSE TO PARENTS TALK
PEOPLE WHEN HONESTLY AND
YOU TALK TO OPENLY.
THEM.
5. 6.
Your best friend call You start a
you after 11.00 conversation with a
p.m. stranger on a bus
or subway.
Organizing ideas with an outline
To create an
outline,
considered the
following
example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSnpATHIhmk
Lesson B.
it’s personal
 Reported speech
Is used when we want to repeat what someone has previously
said.

• Statements, questions, commands and general truths.

Main reporting verbs:

Tell / say/ ask told / said / asked

Other reporting verbs:

• Claim / warn claimed / warned

/ warned
 Reporting verbs

(that)* optional Without that

● said (that) ● asked

● Told (that) ● warned
● claimed (that)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLdduB_qa0
Reported speech :
When a statement in direct speech changes to reported
speech, The tense in the noun clause usually changes to
tense one step in the past.
 Present tense Past simple

Statements Reported statements

“It’s a big secret” He said (that) it was a big secret.
“I’m getting a terrible grade. He said (that) he was getting a terrible
grade.
 Past simple Past perfect

Statements Reported statement

“they got engaged.” He said (that) they had gotten engaged.
 Past continuous Past perfect continuous

Statements Reported statement

“We weren’t talking about you.” They claimed (that) they hadn’t been talking about
me.
 Present Perfect Past Perfect

Statements Reported statement

“She’s been absent since Tuesday.” He said (that) she had been absent since Tuesday.
 Past Perfect Past Perfect

Statement Reported statement

“We had never been here before.” She said (that) they had never been there before.
 Future (will) Conditional (would)

Statement
He said (that) he would meet me at the café.
“I’ll meet you at the café.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4GgZosNQl0
Direct speech Reported speech
Direct speech Reported speech
When questions are used in reported speech, question word order becomes statement word order.
In yes/ no questions, the auxiliaries do/does/did are normally replaced with if/ whether.
Question Reported question
“Did you know about the layoffs?” I asked him if he had known about the
layoffs?
 Present Past
When does the film start? He asked me when the film
started.

Question Reported question

“What are you saying?” He asked them what they were saying ?
Reported speech
● To report commands : in the imperative becomes
the verb
an infinitive. Don’t + base form of the verb becomes not +
infinitive.

Sub + Reporting Verb + Infinitive + Complement

DIRECT SPEECH
1. Bring a dictionary tomorrow.
2. Don’t forget to do your homework.
3. Can you open the door?
4. “Don’t say anything!”*

REPORTED SPEECH
5. The teacher asked to bring a dictionary tomorrow.
6. My father told me not to forget to do my homework.
7. She asked me to open the door.
*example from the book.
8. He warned his friend not to say anything. *
 Reported speech :
General truths A continuing habitual action
● There is not tense change in general truths (e.g., The earth is
round) or if a

situation is still the same, it is not necessary to change the verb to

the past.

The situation is still the same

General truths Reporting general truths

“The sun rises in the east. ” She said (that) the sun rises in the east.