The
Solstice - June
21 is the longest/shortest day of the year.
Writing Competition - Send
your entry in by June 17. Grammar Garage In this edition
of the newsletter we look at reported speech.
The
Solstice 'June
21 marks the shortest day of the year in the south and
the longest day of the year in the north.'
The
solstice is approaching. In the northern hemisphere
it is the Summer solstice. Here in Australia it is
the Winter solstice. June 21 will mark the shortest
day of the year in the south and the longest day of
the year in the north.
In
addition to the solstices there are also the Spring
and Autumn equinoxes which occur in September and
March. The equinoxes are the days on which the day
and the night are both 12 hours long.
In
many parts of the world March, June, September and
December 21 mark the beginning of the seasons. Mankind
has celebrated the beginning of the seasons for thousands
of years. In Australia we don't use the solstices
and equinoxes as the first day of the season. Our
seasons begin on March, June, September and December
1.
equinoxes =
the days in the year when both day and night
are 12 hours long. solstices
- the Winter solstice is the shortest day of
the year and the Summer solstice is the longest
day of the year. hemisphere-
half of the world
Writing Competition
We
haven't held the writing competition for a few months.
We've had several requests for it. So here it is again!
We'll publish three pieces of writing. We'll correct
the first 15 entries and send them back with comments.
Next
Writing Competition
Tell
us about the best thing to do in your city
at this time of year. Write around 100 words.
We will publish three pieces of writing. Teachers
will correct the grammar and expression on the first
15 entries and send your work back with corrections.
REPORTED
SPEECH When we report what someone said, we sometimes
have to change the verb. Look at these sentences.
(direct
speech) Paul said, "I drink two litres
of water a day." (reported speech) Paul said he drank two
litres of water a day.
(direct
speech) Jenae said, "I am doing my homework." (reported speech) Jenae said she was doing
her homework.
What
happened to the verbs?
drink => drank
am doing => was doing
present
simple => past simple
do
=> done
present
continuous => past continuous
am
doing => was doing
present
perfect => past perfect
have
done => had done
present
perfect continuous => past perfect continuous
have
been doing => had been doing
past
simple => past perfect
did
=> had done
past
continuous => past perfect continuous
was
doing => had been doing
Change
these sentences to reported speech.
1.
Derek said, "I was living in Tahiti."
2.
Mary said, "I lived in Greece for two years."
3.
Jack said, "I live in Brown Street."
4.
Julie said, "I am living in a small house."
5.
John said, "I have lived in every major city
in Australia."
6.
Anne said, "I have been living in Paris for
five years."
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Grammar
Garage - Answers 1. Derek said
he had been living in Tahiti.
2. Mary said she had lived in Greece for two years.
3. Jack said he lived in Brown Street.
4. Julie said she was living in a small house.
5. John said he had lived in every major city in Australia.
6. Anne said she had been living in Paris for five
years.
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The
Solstice 
Writing Competition