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← Level C lessonsNORTHEAST STORM · LEVEL C · UNIT 19

Delta Warned Customers That...: Reporting Without 'That' and Complex Objects

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Practice note: Grammar examples and role-play details may be hypothetical. Questions explicitly about the article use the reported facts. This is a historical report, not current travel advice.

Words from the text: confirm, mean, exact, warn customers that, nor'easter, disruption, scale, severe, significant, adjust, beyond

A After reporting verbs such as say, confirm and announce, the conjunction that is often optional, especially in less formal or news style. Both versions are grammatically possible; style and clarity guide the choice.

A powerful nor'easter is causing disruption across the Northeast, and Delta said (that) it expected a significant number of cancelations at Boston Logan.

Cape Air confirmed (that) all flights in its North Region had been canceled because of the storm.

FlightAware confirmed (that) the scale of the disruption was severe at Logan.

that можно опустить после said/confirmed/announced — смысл не меняется.

B Tell normally needs a personal object: tell somebody (that)… . Warn can take a personal object or just a that-clause: warn somebody (that)… / warn (that)… . That can often be omitted; keep it when it makes the sentence clearer.

Delta warned customers that cancelations were expected.

Delta warned customers cancelations were expected.

Delta warned that cancelations were expected.

Delta said it expected delays. / Delta said to customers that it expected delays.

Наличие customers не делает that обязательным. В учебном и официальном тексте that часто сохраняют ради ясности; это выбор стиля, а не запрет.

C When the reported statement is a prediction or situation that is still true or still developing at the time of writing (typical of live news updates), the verb inside the reported clause often stays in the present tense, even though the main verb is in the past. This keeps the forecast feeling current, exactly as in the original announcement.

Delta warned customers that a significant number of cancelations are expected at Boston Logan on Sunday. (the report treats the prediction as still current)

Airlines confirmed that the exact number of cancelations continues to change as schedules are updated.

The waiver's conditions do not mean that every flight has been canceled; the disruption remains severe, but not every route is affected.

В новостном стиле прогноз внутри косвенной речи часто остаётся в present, если он ещё актуален.

Exercises

Write your answers below, then open Answers. There is no automatic checking. Entries are not saved when you leave this page.

19.1 Rewrite these sentences without optional that. Then discuss whether keeping that would make the report clearer.

Example: JetBlue confirmed that the waiver covers flights operated between September 25 and 27. → that can be omitted: JetBlue confirmed the waiver covers flights operated between September 25 and 27.

  1. Delta said that it expected a significant number of cancelations at Boston Logan on Sunday.
  2. Cape Air announced that it had canceled all flights in its North Region.
  3. Delta has warned customers that a significant number of cancelations are expected on Sunday.
  4. FlightAware confirmed that 253 cancelations were recorded at Logan on Saturday.
  5. The airline confirmed that passengers could move their trips to alternative flights without extra fees.
  6. The waiver does not mean that all flights covered by the policy have been canceled.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. that can be omitted: Delta said it expected a significant number of cancelations at Boston Logan on Sunday.
  2. that can be omitted: Cape Air announced it had canceled all flights in its North Region.
  3. Delta has warned customers a significant number of cancelations are expected on Sunday. Keeping that can improve clarity, but it is not grammatically required.
  4. that can be omitted: FlightAware confirmed 253 cancelations were recorded at Logan on Saturday.
  5. that can be omitted: The airline confirmed passengers could move their trips to alternative flights without extra fees.
  6. that can be omitted: The waiver does not mean all flights covered by the policy have been canceled.

19.2 Rewrite these airline statements as reported speech, following the pattern 'Delta said (that) it expected...' from the text. Keep or omit that as appropriate.

Example: Delta: 'We expect a significant number of cancelations at Boston Logan on Sunday.' → Delta said (that) it expected a significant number of cancelations at Boston Logan on Sunday.

  1. American Airlines: 'We confirm that flights to Philadelphia are affected by the storm.'
  2. United Airlines: 'We expect delays to continue into Monday.'
  3. JetBlue: 'We warn customers that flights between Boston and New York could be canceled.'
  4. Cape Air: 'We have canceled all flights in our North Region because of the weather.'
  5. Delta: 'We confirm that the exact number of cancelations is still changing.'
  6. American Airlines: 'We expect the disruption to extend beyond Boston.'
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. American Airlines confirmed (that) flights to Philadelphia were affected by the storm.
  2. United Airlines said (that) it expected delays to continue into Monday.
  3. JetBlue warned customers (that) flights between Boston and New York could be canceled.
  4. Cape Air said (that) it had canceled all flights in its North Region because of the weather.
  5. Delta confirmed (that) the exact number of cancelations was still changing.
  6. American Airlines said (that) it expected the disruption to extend beyond Boston.

19.3 You are writing a news update about Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK) and regional carriers. Use the verb given to write a reported statement, following the Delta/Cape Air pattern from the text ('Delta has warned customers that...').

Example: Cape Air / confirm / 44 cancelations were recorded at Martha's Vineyard on September 26. → Cape Air confirmed (that) 44 cancelations were recorded at Martha's Vineyard on September 26.

  1. Cape Air / confirm / 66 cancelations were recorded at Nantucket on September 26.
  2. Cape Air / warn passengers / delays could continue into Sunday.
  3. Airport officials / say / they expect conditions to improve by Monday.
  4. JetBlue / confirm / the waiver covers flights operated between ACK and Boston.
  5. Delta / warn customers / a significant number of cancelations are expected at regional airports.
Answers

For open questions, these are model answers. Other answers may also be correct.

  1. Cape Air confirmed (that) 66 cancelations were recorded at Nantucket on September 26.
  2. Cape Air warned passengers (that) delays could continue into Sunday.
  3. Airport officials said (that) they expected conditions to improve by Monday.
  4. JetBlue confirmed (that) the waiver covers flights operated between ACK and Boston.
  5. Delta warned customers (that) a significant number of cancelations are expected at regional airports.