Attribution and reported language
Report claims without adopting or strengthening them.
Keep the speaker in the sentence
In a synthesis, “L’associazione sostiene che...” attributes a claim; “Il registro indica che...” attributes a measurement; “Una residente riferisce che...” attributes one experience. Direct quotation preserves wording, while indirect speech adapts person and time. Avoid “È dimostrato che quasi cento cittadini hanno partecipato”: the organiser said this, but the register counts 96 entries. Use the source and its method together, and keep an uncertain or disputed assertion marked as such.
- L’associazione afferma che quasi cento cittadini hanno partecipato.· The association claims that almost 100 citizens took part.
- Il registro, invece, documenta novantasei ingressi.· The register, instead, documents 96 entries.
- Una residente riferisce di aver avuto difficoltà con il bus.· One resident reports having had difficulty with the bus.
- Il promemoria precisa che le ore volontarie non sono state valutate.· The memo specifies that volunteer hours were not valued.
Report words, numbers, and scope accurately
The organiser’s exact “quasi cento cittadini” can be quoted and then checked against the register. The survey’s “prenderebbero in considerazione” is conditional intention: do not report it as “torneranno”. In indirect speech, preserve the source’s modal force: la residente ha detto che avrebbe voluto partecipare, not that she participated. When changing from direct to indirect speech, update pronouns and time references only if needed; never replace a voluntary reply with a city-wide conclusion.
- La nota parla di «quasi cento cittadini», ma usa gli ingressi come base.· The note speaks of “almost 100 citizens,” but uses entries as its basis.
- Trentuno rispondenti hanno detto che prenderebbero in considerazione una nuova serie.· Thirty-one respondents said they would consider a new series.
- La residente ha scritto che avrebbe voluto portare una lampada.· The resident wrote that she would have liked to bring a lamp.
- L’ufficio ha chiarito che la spesa fatturata non era il costo completo.· The office clarified that invoiced spending was not the full cost.