Hedged Reported Speech

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

Researchers who study these snap judgements insist that the sympathetic nervous system, not reasoned thought, drives much of this first read, which may explain why interviewers who swear they trust pure gut instinct are often simply responding to signals they never consciously noticed.

Grammar Reference · Hedged Reported Speech

Hedged reporting

She said the data might have been misread. — reports an uncertain claim

must have + idiom

He admitted he must have given off cold feet. — reported deduction about the past

Softened reported opinion

The researcher suggested interviewers may have judged too fast. — hedge inside reported speech

Common error

She said she must had missed it ✗ → she must have missed it ✓ — modal perfect never doubles 'had'

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Hedged Reported Speech

1.Direct: 'I might have judged him too quickly.' Reported: She admitted she judged him too quickly.

2.Direct: 'He must have noticed my cold hands.' Reported: She said he noticed her cold hands.

3.Direct: 'They may have decided already.' Reported: He suspected they decided already.

4.Direct: 'I could have read the room better.' Reported: He admitted he read the room better.

5.Direct: 'She might not have meant it.' Reported: He said she meant it.

6.Direct: 'We must have misjudged her.' Reported: The panel admitted they misjudged her.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.'The decision might have been unfair,' she said.

2.'He must have practised his handshake,' the coach said.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

Hedged Reported Speech01classplan.ai