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Reported Speech Exercises
Reported Speech Exercises
These exercises are based on the Reading and Use of English paper where you may be tested on this grammar point.
Open close - write one word to complete the sentence.
Key word transformation - complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.
Key word transformation
“I hadn’t got ready when she arrived,” Tom said.
HAD
Tom said he _____________________ when she arrived.
had not/hadn’t got ready
Past perfect doesn’t backshift in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“I must have this document translated into French,” Robert said.
HAD
Robert said that _____________________ document translated into French.
he had to have
Must expressing obligation changes to had to in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“I’ve already finished my homework,” she said.
HAD
She said she _____________________ her homework.
had already finished
Present perfect becomes past perfect in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“I bought a new laptop yesterday,” he said.
HAD
He said that _____________________ a new laptop the day before.
he had bought
Past simple bought backshifts to past perfect had bought.
Key word transformation
“I’ll help you later,” Anna said.
WOULD
Anna said she _____________________ later.
would help me
Will becomes would in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“You should revise more,” the teacher said.
SHOULD
The teacher said _____________________ more.
I should revise
Should does not change in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“Please turn the music down,” she said to us.
ASKED
She _____________________ the music down.
asked us to turn
Request using ask + object + to-infinitive.
Key word transformation
“Close the door!” he said to me.
TOLD
He _____________________ the door.
told me to close
Command using tell + object + to-infinitive.
Key word transformation
“Don’t be late,” Dad said to us.
TOLD
Dad _____________________ late.
told us not to be
Negative command using told + object + not + to-infinitive.
Key word transformation
“Where did you go last night?” she asked me.
WHERE
She asked me _____________________ the previous night.
where I had gone
Wh- question with backshift from did go to had gone.
Key word transformation
“Do you like Italian food?” he asked.
IF
He asked _____________________ Italian food.
(me) if I liked
Yes/no question using if + subject + verb and backshift from present simple to past simple.
Key word transformation
“Can you help me with this?” she asked.
COULD
She asked me_____________________ her with that.
if I could help
Can becomes could and question word order changes to a statement.
Key word transformation
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
THE
He said he _____________________ day.
would see me the next/following
Will becomes would and tomorrow becomes the next/following day.
Key word transformation
“This is my favourite jacket,” she told me.
THAT
She told me that _____________________ favourite jacket.
that was her
This becomes that. Present simple is becomes past simple was and pronouns change.
Key word transformation
“I work in a hospital,” he says.
SAYS
He _____________________ in a hospital.
says he works
With present reporting verb says, tenses do not change.
Key word transformation
“I prefer travelling by train to travelling by bus,” Sue said.
PREFERS
Sue said that _____________________ to travelling by bus.
she prefers travelling by train
General truths or things that are unlikely to change do not change tense in reported speech.
Key word transformation
“I wish I knew more Spanish,” she said.
WISHED
She said she _____________________ more Spanish.
wished she knew
Wish backshifts, but knew stays the same in wish clauses.
Key word transformation
“I can’t come to the meeting,” she said.
ABLE
She said she _____________________ to the meeting.
was not/wasn’t able to come
Can’t becomes was not able to.
Key word transformation
“Why didn’t she answer my message?” Mark said.
WONDERED
Mark _____________________ answered her message.
wondered why she had not/hadn’t
Didn’t answer becomes hadn’t answered. wonder + wh- clause + statement word order.