Reported speech, a test task
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Good day, Friends. Could you help with a test question?
The question is a ‘fill the gap’ type:
We had expected that they _______ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
b) would speak
c) had spoken
d) spoke
I’m going to take the IELTS exam quite soon, so I decide to go to a language school in order to get some help in preparation. As it usually happens in these cases, I was asked to undergo the school’s testing so they would be able to offer me a proper study course. Everything went fine, but I stumble at one question (above).
I told the teacher that it’s reported speech and went for the d)-option, having mentioned that the statement of the question isn’t quite clear so the b) and c) are also possible (depending on what the ‘speaker/thinker’ had in mind).
The school said I gave a wrong answer, with which I disagreed and wanted to argue a bit out of pure interest, which ended up with a little bicker and conclusion that I know nothing about subjunctive mood.
The school insists that this is a subjunctive mood/imaginary situation, because !!!!!, there is not a ‘say' verb :)) so the only right answer is b)-would speak.
Could you please help and judge who’s right?
indirect-speech
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
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Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Good day, Friends. Could you help with a test question?
The question is a ‘fill the gap’ type:
We had expected that they _______ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
b) would speak
c) had spoken
d) spoke
I’m going to take the IELTS exam quite soon, so I decide to go to a language school in order to get some help in preparation. As it usually happens in these cases, I was asked to undergo the school’s testing so they would be able to offer me a proper study course. Everything went fine, but I stumble at one question (above).
I told the teacher that it’s reported speech and went for the d)-option, having mentioned that the statement of the question isn’t quite clear so the b) and c) are also possible (depending on what the ‘speaker/thinker’ had in mind).
The school said I gave a wrong answer, with which I disagreed and wanted to argue a bit out of pure interest, which ended up with a little bicker and conclusion that I know nothing about subjunctive mood.
The school insists that this is a subjunctive mood/imaginary situation, because !!!!!, there is not a ‘say' verb :)) so the only right answer is b)-would speak.
Could you please help and judge who’s right?
indirect-speech
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Good day, Friends. Could you help with a test question?
The question is a ‘fill the gap’ type:
We had expected that they _______ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
b) would speak
c) had spoken
d) spoke
I’m going to take the IELTS exam quite soon, so I decide to go to a language school in order to get some help in preparation. As it usually happens in these cases, I was asked to undergo the school’s testing so they would be able to offer me a proper study course. Everything went fine, but I stumble at one question (above).
I told the teacher that it’s reported speech and went for the d)-option, having mentioned that the statement of the question isn’t quite clear so the b) and c) are also possible (depending on what the ‘speaker/thinker’ had in mind).
The school said I gave a wrong answer, with which I disagreed and wanted to argue a bit out of pure interest, which ended up with a little bicker and conclusion that I know nothing about subjunctive mood.
The school insists that this is a subjunctive mood/imaginary situation, because !!!!!, there is not a ‘say' verb :)) so the only right answer is b)-would speak.
Could you please help and judge who’s right?
indirect-speech
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Good day, Friends. Could you help with a test question?
The question is a ‘fill the gap’ type:
We had expected that they _______ fluent English, but in fact they didn’t.
a) were speaking
b) would speak
c) had spoken
d) spoke
I’m going to take the IELTS exam quite soon, so I decide to go to a language school in order to get some help in preparation. As it usually happens in these cases, I was asked to undergo the school’s testing so they would be able to offer me a proper study course. Everything went fine, but I stumble at one question (above).
I told the teacher that it’s reported speech and went for the d)-option, having mentioned that the statement of the question isn’t quite clear so the b) and c) are also possible (depending on what the ‘speaker/thinker’ had in mind).
The school said I gave a wrong answer, with which I disagreed and wanted to argue a bit out of pure interest, which ended up with a little bicker and conclusion that I know nothing about subjunctive mood.
The school insists that this is a subjunctive mood/imaginary situation, because !!!!!, there is not a ‘say' verb :)) so the only right answer is b)-would speak.
Could you please help and judge who’s right?
indirect-speech
indirect-speech
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
asked 20 mins ago
Михаил Трегубов
1
1
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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Михаил Трегубов is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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