我們在日常生活中什麼時候會使用轉述句？
當我們需要向某人轉述另一個人說的話，但不想一字一句複述時，就會使用轉述句（亦稱為間接引語） 。情況就像您正在報告中交代某人說過的話，但您是用自己的話來重新表達一次。例如：
She said she was coming to class[她說她要來上課]
I told you earlier that I would not be able to come.[我早就跟您說過我來不了。]
You said yesterday that you would help me![您昨天說過會幫我的！]
使用轉述句有何英語文法規則？
您在以下例子中會發現兩種變化：
直接引語：“I am happy to drive you to the airport.”[我很樂意載您去機場。]
轉述句或間接引語： “She said she was happy to drive me to the airport.”[她說她很樂意載我去機場。]
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人稱代詞會隨說話的人而改變。2.動詞時態會隨當下的時間而改變。這通常涉及將時態向前移，例如在上面的例子中，時態就從現在簡單式轉為過去簡單式。
顧及這種時態變化後，我們應怎樣表達轉述句呢？下表列出一些例子：
如果您有其他疑問，何不參加成人英語課程呢？您可請教經驗豐富的老師，他們將講解更多例子。我們設有本地課程 https://www.britishcouncil.hk/english-courses/adults
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直接引語 (present [現在]simple[簡單]) |
轉述句(past simple)[過去簡單] |
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I know what to do.[我知道該怎麼做。] |
She said she knew what to do.[她說她知道該怎麼做。] |
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I don’t know what to do.[我不知道該怎麼做。] |
She said she didn’t know what to do.[她說她不知道該怎麼做。] |
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Do you know what to do?[你知道該怎麼做嗎？] |
She asked me if I knew what to do.*[她問我是否知道該怎麼做。] |
* 請注意在轉述是非問題時應使用的英語詞語 if 。
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直接引語 （現在進行式） |
轉述句（過去進行式） |
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I’m working on it this week.[我今個星期會處理這件事。] |
He said he was working on it this week.*[他說他今個星期會處理這件事。] |
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I’m working on it this week.[我今個星期不會處理這件事。] |
He said he wasn’t working on it this week.[他說他今個星期不會處理這件事。] |
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Are you working on it this week?[你今個星期會不會處理這件事？] |
He asked if I was working on it this week.[他問我今個星期會不會處理這件事。] |
*有關提及不同時間點的用法，請見下文
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直接引語（現在完成式） |
轉述句（過去完成式） |
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I’ve finished my lunch.[我已經吃完午飯。] |
She said she had finished her lunch.[她說她已經吃完午飯。] |
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I haven’t finished my lunch.[我還未吃完午飯。] |
She said she had finished her lunch.[她說她已經吃完午飯。] |
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Have you finished your lunch?[您是否已經吃完午飯？] |
She asked if I had finished my lunch.[她問我是否已經吃完午飯。] |
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直接引語（現在完成進行式） |
轉述句（過去完成進行式） |
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I’ve been listening to the news.[我一直在聽新聞。] |
He said he had been listening to the news.[他說他一直在聽新聞。] |
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I haven’t been listening to the news.[我沒有聽新聞。] |
He said he hadn’t been listening to the news.[他說他沒有聽新聞。] |
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Have you been listening to the news?[您是否一直在聽新聞？] |
He asked if I had been listening to the news.[他問我是否一直在聽新聞。] |
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直接引語 (will) |
轉述句 (would) |
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I’ll finish the report in time.[我會準時完成報告。] |
She said she would finish the report on time.[她說她會準時完成報告。] |
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I won’t finish the report on time.[我無法準時完成報告。] |
She said she wouldn’t finish the report on time.[她說她無法準時完成報告。] |
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Will you finish the report in time?[您能準時完成報告嗎？] |
She asked if I would finish the report on time.[她問我是否能準時完成報告。] |
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直接引語（過去簡單式） |
轉述句（過去完成式） |
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I did the training at the same time as Carol.[我和卡羅琳同期接受培訓。] |
She said she had done the training at the same time as Carol.[她說她和卡羅琳同期接受培訓。] |
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I didn’t do the training at the same time as Carol.[我和卡羅琳並非同期接受培訓。] |
She said she hadn’t done the training at the same time as Carol.[她說她和卡羅琳並非同期接受培訓。] |
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Did you do the training at the same time as Carol.[您是否和卡羅琳同期接受培訓？] |
She asked if I had done the training at the same time as Carol.[她問我是否和卡羅琳同期接受培訓。] |
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直接引語 （過去進行式） |
轉述句（過去完成進行式） |
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I was staying at my sister’s place.[我住在姐姐家中。] |
He said he had been staying at his sister’s place.[他說他住在姐姐家中。] |
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I wasn’t staying at my sister’s place.[我沒有住在姐姐家中。] |
He said he hadn’t been staying at his sister’s place.[他說他沒有住在姐姐家中。] |
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Were you staying at your sister’s place?[您是否住在姐姐家中？] |
He asked if I had been staying at my sister’s place[他問我是否住在姐姐家中。] |
如何在英語的過去完成式時態下使用轉述句
如果原話使用的是過去完成式，便無須改變時態，因為時間已經?不能往向推進前！只有人稱代詞會有所改變：
I had already left when you arrived.[您來到時我已經走了。] She said she had already left when I arrived.[她說我來到時她已經走了。]
如果轉述句與特定時間有關，該怎樣處理？
假如轉述句描述特定時間所發生的事情，亦可能需要改動。請看看這些例子；
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I’ll do it today.[我今天就會做。] |
She said she would do it that day.*[她說她當天就會做。] |
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I’ll do it this week.[我會在這星期做。] |
He said he would do it that week.[她說她會在那個星期做。] |
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I’ll do it this week.[我明天會做。] |
She said she would do it the next day.[她說她第二日會做。] 或 She said she would do it the following day.[她說她翌日會做。] |
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I’ll do it next week.[我下個星期會做。] |
He said he would do it the next week.[他說他下個星期會做。] or[或] He said he would do it the following week.[他說他會在之後一個星期做。] |
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I did it yesterday.[我昨天就做了。] |
She said she had done it the day before.[她說她前一天就做了。] |
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I did it last week.[我上個星期就做了。] |
He said he had done it the previous week.[他說他前一個星期就做了。] |
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I’m not available now.[我現在沒有空。] |
She said she wasn’t available at the time.[她說她當時沒有空。] |
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I’ve never been here before.[我沒來過這裡。] |
He said he had never been there before.[他說他之前沒來過這裡。] |
*如果時間或地點與我們當下身處的時間或位置相同，則無需改動。例如，您正在轉述朋友今天必須做的事情：
I’ll do it today [我今天會做] She said she would do it today.[她說她今天會做。]
英語中使用轉述句的例外情況，例如情態動詞
將情態動詞與轉述句配搭使用
情態動詞的時態可以很難調前。一部分原因是情態動詞的「過去形式」不時會用作指代現在，以表達禮貌或假設語氣。對於以英語為母語的人，情態動詞聽起來沒有那麼咄咄逼人，而且較為禮貌。
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I will be a bit late.[我會遲一點到。] |
He said he would be a bit late[他說他會遲一點到。] |
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I can help you with the party.[我可以幫您辦派對。] |
She said she could help me with the party.[她說她可以幫我辦派對。] |
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You must be at the station by 10:00[您必須在 10:00 前到達車站。] |
He said I had to be at the station by 10:00[他說我必須在 10:00 前到達車站。] |
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Shall we leave?[我們應該離開嗎？] |
She asked if they should leave.[她問他們是否應該離開。] |
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Would you like a coffee?[您想喝咖啡嗎？] |
He asked if I would like a coffee.[他問我想不想喝咖啡。] |
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Could I leave early today?[我今天可以早走嗎？] |
She asked if she could leave early today[她問她今天可不可以早走。] |
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Should I call head office?[我應該打電話給總部嗎？] |
She asked if she should call head office.[她問她是否應該打電話給總部。] |
如何使用轉述句並保持現在時態
在英語中，如果所陳述的情況仍然屬實，我們一般會繼續使用現在時態動詞。例如：
She has a headache.[她頭痛。]
I told you she has a headache![我跟你說過她頭痛！]
（如果對方五分鐘後還在大聲說話。)
我住在我媽媽家。
He said he is staying at his mother’s.[他說他住在他媽媽家。]
（如果他現在還住在他媽媽家）
我愛吃朱古力。
She said she loves chocolate [她說她愛吃朱古力。]
（我們可以假設這是永久不變的狀態。）
如何在英語的轉述句中使用 Said 和 Told
以上所有例子都使用了 said, 或 asked 作為提問。但是如果我們想指定說話的對象，我們通常會使用詞語 told:
I’ll be at work early.[我會早點上班。] She said to me that she would be at work early.[她對我說她會早點上班。]
英語中使用轉述句時常犯的錯誤
將動詞放在主語前
轉述問題時一個常犯的錯誤，是保留動詞和主語倒置的結構：
She asked did I know what to do.[她問我知不知道該怎樣做。]ｘ
事實上，轉述句是一種陳述，應該是將主語放在動詞前：
She asked if I knew what to do.✓
對於 what、where 和 when 這類提問，動詞和主語倒置亦是常犯的錯誤：
He asked where was the exit.[他問出口在哪裡。]ｘ
He asked where the exit was.[他問出口在哪裡。]✓
使用 Said，而不是 Told
另一個常犯的錯誤是混淆 said 和 told,。學習英語的成年人經常會說：
She said me she was coming.ｘ
而不是：
She told me she was coming.✓
英文歌中使用轉述句的例子
您可曾聽過由 The Killers 所唱的 "Somebody Told Me"?歌詞說：
Well, somebody told me you had a boyfriend [有人告訴我您有男朋友]
Who looked like a girlfriend [他看起來像女朋友]
That I had in February of last year[我去年 2 月交的女朋友]
小小測驗
請找出以下五個句子中的錯處，然後向下滾動查看答案。
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He asked how was the meeting.
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She told to me the answers.
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They asked us had we seen the accident.
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She asked what was our homework.
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Somebody said me you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year
Answers
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He asked how the meeting was.
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She told me the answers.
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They asked us if we had seen the accident.
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She asked what our homework was.
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Somebody told me you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year