3.5 Grammar in Use

Since this chapter is a play built on reasoning, the grammar focus is on the language of cause and conclusion, on reporting questions, and on reading drama.

1. Connectors of reason and result

The whole play moves from a cause (a clue) to a result (a conclusion). We join the two with connectors:

  • Reason: because, since, as — The camel was lame because one footprint dragged.
  • Result: so, therefore, hence — One footprint dragged, so the camel was lame.

Notice that because introduces the reason, while so introduces the result. Both describe the same link, from opposite ends.

Practice. Join each pair using the connector in brackets:

  1. The grass was eaten on one side. The camel was blind in one eye. (so)
  2. The merchant could not explain their accuracy. He accused them. (because)
  1. The grass was eaten on one side, so the camel was blind in one eye.
  2. The merchant accused them because he could not explain their accuracy.

2. Reporting questions (reported speech)

The king asks many questions, so it helps to know how to report a question. When we report a question, we drop the question mark, change the word order to a statement, and use asked with if/whether (for yes–no questions) or the question word (for wh- questions).

Direct: The king asked, “How did you know the camel was lame?” Reported: The king asked how they had known the camel was lame.

Direct: The merchant asked, “Did you steal my camel?” Reported: The merchant asked whether they had stolen his camel.

Practice. Report: The king asked, “Where are you going?”

The king asked where they were going.

3. Reading a play

A play looks different from a story. Learn to spot its parts:

  • Character name + dialogue: KING: Bring the young men to me. (No quotation marks; the name shows who speaks.)
  • Stage directions: (The sentries enter, bowing.) — these tell actors what to do and are not spoken aloud.
  • Scene heading: tells us the place and time of the action.

Quick check In a play, if words are in brackets or italics, they are usually stage directions (actions/feelings), not lines to be spoken. The words after a name and colon are the dialogue.

Practice. In the line DEV DATT (pointing to the ground): Look at these flies! — which part is the stage direction, and which is the dialogue?

Stage direction: (pointing to the ground). Dialogue: Look at these flies! The speaker is Dev Datt.