Exercise on Reported Speech EX. 1 Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.

Change pronouns and time expressions where necessary.

1.

She said, "I am reading." She said that 2. They said, "We are busy." They said that 3. He said, "I know a better restaurant." He said that 4. She said, "I woke up early." She said that 5. He said, "I will ring her." He said that 6. They said, "We have just arrived." They said that 7. He said, "I will clean the car." He said that 8. She said, "I did not say that." She said that 9. She said, "I don't know where my shoes are." She said that

10.

He said: "I won't tell anyone." He said that EX. 2 . Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and expressions of time and place where necessary. 1. They said, "This is our book." They said 2. She said, "I went to the cinema yesterday." She said 3. He said, "I am writing a test tomorrow." He said 4. You said, "I will do this for him." You said 5. She said, "I am not hungry now." She said 6. They said, "We have never been here before." They said 7. They said, "We were in London last week." They said 8. He said, "I will have finished this paper by tomorrow." He said 9. He said, "They won't sleep." He said 10. She said, "It is very quiet here." She said EX. 3 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses. 1. "Where is my umbrella?" she asked. She asked

2. "How are you?" Martin asked us. Martin asked us 3. He asked, "Do I have to do it?" He asked 4. "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter. The mother asked her daughter 5. "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend. She asked her boyfriend 6. "What are they doing?" she asked. She wanted to know 7. "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me. He wanted to know 8. The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?" The teacher wanted to know 9. "How do you know that?" she asked me. She asked me

10.

"Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me. My friend asked me Ex. 4 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses. 1. "What's the time?" he asked. He wanted to know 2. "When will we meet again?" she asked me. She asked me 3. "Are you crazy?" she asked him. She asked him 4. "Where did they live?" he asked. He wanted to know 5. "Will you be at the party?" he asked her. He asked her 6. "Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me. She asked me 7. "Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked. The teacher wanted to know 8. "Why don't you help me?" she asked him. She wanted to know 9. "Did you see that car?" he asked me. He asked me 10. "Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins. The mother asked the twins EX. 5 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences. 1. "Stop talking, Joe," the teacher said. The teacher told Joe 2. "Be patient," she said to him. She told him 3. "Go to your room," her father said to her. Her father told her 4. "Hurry up," she said to us. She told us

5. "Give me the key," he told her. He asked her 6. "Play it again, Sam," she said. She asked Sam 7. "Sit down, Caron" he said. He asked Caron 8. "Fill in the form, Sir," the receptionist said. The receptionist asked the guest 9. "Take off your shoes," she told us. She told us 10. "Mind your own business," she told him. She told him EX. 6 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences. 1. She said, "Go upstairs." She told me 2. "Close the door behind you," he told me. He told me 3. "Don't be late," he advised us. He advised us 4. "Stop staring at me," she said. She told him 5. "Don't be angry with me," he said. He asked her 6. "Leave me alone," she said. She told me 7. "Don't drink and drive," she warned us. She warned us 8. "John, stop smoking," she said. She told John 9. "Don't worry about us," they said. They told her 10. "Meet me at the cinema." he said. He asked me EX. 7 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question. 1. He said, "I like this song." He said 2. "Where is your sister?" she asked me. She asked me 3. "I don't speak Italian," she said. She said 4. "Say hello to Jim," they said. They asked me 5. "The film began at seven o'clock," he said. He said 6. "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said. She told the boys 7. "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him. She asked him

8. "I never make mistakes," he said. He said 9. "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know. He wanted to know 10. "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience. The stuntman advised the audience EX. 8 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question and whether you have to change the tenses or not. 1. "I was very tired," she said. She said 2. "Be careful, Ben," she said. She told Ben 3. "I will get myself a drink," she says. She says 4. "Why haven't you phoned me?" he asked me. He wondered 5. "I cannot drive them home," he said. He said 6. "Peter, do you prefer tea or coffee?" she says. She asks Peter 7. "Where did you spend your holidays last year?" she asked me. She asked me 8. He said, "Don't go too far." He advised her 9. "Have you been shopping?" he asked us. He wanted to know

10.

"Don't make so much noise," he says. He asks us Put these sentences into reported speech.

1. "Do you like fish, Mary?", she asked. She asked Mary if she liked fish.

2. He said, "I've failed my exam". He said he had failed his exam.

3. "I went to market this morning", she said. She said she had gone to market that morning.

4. "Don't lose the money!", she said to her son. She told her son not to lose the money.

5. She said, "I didn't have my eyes tested yesterday". She said she hadn't had her eyes tested the day before.

6. "When did you see me?", he asked her.

He asked her when she had seen him. 7. The teacher told one of his pupils, "You'll come to harm if you don't work." The teacher told one of his pupils he would come to harm if he didn't work. 8. "Don't clean it yourselves!" mother said to the children. Mother told the children not to clean it themselves! 9. The boy said, "I couldn't come because of my father's illness". The boy said he had not been able to come because of his father's illness. 10. "Don't drive so fast", Susan shouted to John. Susan shouted to John not to drive so fast. 11. "I got up early this morning", he said. He said he had got up early that morning 12. She said to me, "Don't worry about it". She told me not to worry about it. 13. "Do you have to leave so early?", he asked her. He asked her if she had to leave so early. 14. "Have you had a good sleep", he asked her. He asked her if she had had a a good sleep. 15. "What are you going to do tomorrow?", she asked me. She asked me what I was going to do the next day. 16. He said, "I didn't notice the speed limit". He said he had not noticed the speed limit". 17. "We'll get some tickets tomorrow", they told me. They told me they would get some tickets the next day. 18. "I'm leaving", the sailor said. The sailor said he was leaving. 19. "They were here last week", Mr Benson told her husband. Mr Benson told her husband they had been there the week before. 20. "He always feels very cold", mother told the doctor.

Mother told the doctor he always felt very cold. 21. "The children went to bed early today", father said. Father said the children had gone to bed early that day. 22. "You look smart in these clothes", she told her daughter. She told her daughter she looked smart in those clothes. 23. "Get out of my pub", the landlord said to the drunkard. The landlord told the drunkard to get out of his pub. 24. The children asked: "Shall we have to bring our books tomorrow?" The children asked if they would have to bring their books the next day. 25. He asked the secretary: 'How do you feel when the manager asks you to have dinner with him?" He asked the secretary how she felt when the manager asked her to have dinner with him. 26. He asked her. 'Can you spare me a minute?' He asked her if she could you spare him a minute. 27. He said, 'I don't know how long it will take me.' He said he didn't know how long it would take him. 28. I asked mother, 'How much did this book cost?' I asked mother how much that book had cost. 29. I asked him, 'Did anybody see you?' I asked him if anybody had seen him. 30. The teacher said: "I want you to do your best, boys. The teacher told the boys he wanted them to do their best. 31. Mother said: "Susan, don't leave the door open! " Mother told Susan not to leave the door open. 32. Mrs Brown asked Maud: "When did the Mortons sell their house ?" Mrs Brown asked Maud when the Mortons had sold their house. 33. David asked his father: "Are you going to London tomorrow ?" David asked his father if he was going to London the next day. 34. She said, "I don't think we shall be late if we hurry".

She said she didn't think they would be late if they hurried. 35. "I'm not very well today", Susan said. Susan said she was not very well that day. 36. "You must send for the doctor at once", Mrs Johnson told her husband. Mrs Johnson told her husband he had to send for the doctor at once. 37. "You can go now, if you like", the teacher said to the boys. The teacher told the boys they could go if they liked. 38. "I think I'll have a holiday on Monday", the manager said. The manager said he thought he would have a holiday on Monday. 39. "I've finished my work", the workman said. The workman said he had finished his work. 40. "My wife is cooking the dinner", Mr Dickens said. Mr Dickens said his wife was cooking the dinner. 41. "We'll stay here until Tuesday", he said. He said they would stay there until Tuesday". 42. "I think it's going to rain", Tom said. Tom said he thought it was going to rain. 43. "Was Mr Gilbert's operation successful?" he asked He asked if Mr Gilbert's operation had been successful. 44. "I can do this exercise,"he said. He said he could do that exercise. 45. "I forgot to ask her name," he said. He said he'd forgotten to ask her name. 46. "I've already had lunch," he said. He said he had already had lunch. 47. "I'll retire soon," he said. said he would retire soon. 48. "What did you have for breakfast?" she asked Tim. he asked Tim what he had h ad for breakfast. 49. "I'm inquiring about a certain patient," Mr Gilbert said. Gilbert said he

was inquiring about a certain patient. 50. Tom said, "I saw you in town but you did not see me". om said he had seen us in town but we had not seen him. 51. She asked him, "How old are you?"

REPORTED SPEECH

1. She told him: "Shut the door!" She told him . 2. He said: "I am going home now." He said (that) . 3. Sam asked her: "Have you got 20 pounds?" Sam asked her . 4. He wanted to know: "Which picture is the most famous one?" He wanted to know . 5. She said: "I was biking yesterday." She said (that) . 6. He was told: "Fill in the form!" He was told . 7. She said: "I am doing my homework. She said (that) . 8. They asked me: "Did Paul lose the match?" They asked me . 9. He told her: "Don't call me before 7 o'clock! He told her . 10.Mother said to me: "I will buy that book for you." Mother said to me (that) . 11.Cathy asked me: "Is the movie interesting or boring?" Cathy asked me . 12.She said to him: "I have invited you to my party." She said to him (that) . 13.They wanted to know: "When is your birthday?" They wanted to know . 14.Susan said: "I like classical music." Susan said (that) . 15.She asked me: "Where did you meet her?" She asked me .

ANSWERS

EX. 1Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and time expressions where necessary.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

She said, "I am reading." She said that she was reading. They said, "We are busy." They said that they were busy. He said, "I know a better restaurant." He said that he knew a better restaurant. She said, "I woke up early." She said that she had woken up early. He said, "I will ring her." He said that he would ring her. They said, "We have just arrived." They said that they had just arrived. He said, "I will clean the car." He said that he would clean the car. She said, "I did not say that." She said that she had not said that. She said, "I don't know where my shoes are." She said that she did not know where her shoes were.

10.

He said: "I won't tell anyone." He said that he would not tell anyone. EX. 2 Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and expressions of time and place where necessary.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

They said, "This is our book." They said that was their book. She said, "I went to the cinema yesterday." She said that she had gone to the cinema the day before. He said, "I am writing a test tomorrow." He said that he was writing a test the next day. You said, "I will do this for him." You said that you would do that for him. She said, "I am not hungry now." She said that she was not hungry then. They said, "We have never been here before." They said that they had never been there before. They said, "We were in London last week." They said that they had been in London the week before. He said, "I will have finished this paper by tomorrow." He said that he would have finished that paper by the next day. He said, "They won't sleep." He said that they wouldn't sleep.

10.

She said, "It is very quiet here." She said that it was very quiet there.

EX. 3Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

"Where is my umbrella?" she asked. She asked where her umbrella was. "How are you?" Martin asked us. Martin asked us how we were. He asked, "Do I have to do it?" He asked if he had to do it. "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter. The mother asked her daughter where she had been. "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend. She asked her boyfriend which dress he liked best. "What are they doing?" she asked. She wanted to know what they were doing. "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me. He wanted to know if I was going to the cinema. The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?" The teacher wanted to know who spoke English. "How do you know that?" she asked me. She asked me how I knew that.

10.

"Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me. My friend asked me if Caron had talked to Kevin.

EX. 4

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

"What's the time?" he asked. He wanted to know what the time was. "When will we meet again?" she asked me. She asked me when we would meet again. "Are you crazy?" she asked him. She asked him if he was crazy. "Where did they live?" he asked. He wanted to know where they had lived. "Will you be at the party?" he asked her. He asked her if she would be at the party. "Can you meet me at the station?" she asked me. She asked me if I could meet her at the station. "Who knows the answer?" the teacher asked. The teacher wanted to know who knew the answer. "Why don't you help me?" she asked him. She wanted to know why he didn't help her. "Did you see that car?" he asked me. He asked me if I had seen that car.

10.

"Have you tidied up your room?" the mother asked the twins. The mother asked the twins if they had tidied up their room.

EX. 5

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences.

1.

"Stop talking, Joe," the teacher said. The teacher told Joe to stop talking.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

"Be patient," she said to him. She told him to be patient. "Go to your room," her father said to her. Her father told her to go to her room. "Hurry up," she said to us. She told us to hurry up. "Give me the key," he told her. He asked her to give him the key. "Play it again, Sam," she said. She asked Sam to play it again. "Sit down, Caron" he said. He asked Caron to sit down. "Fill in the form, Sir," the receptionist said. The receptionist asked the guest to fill in the form. "Take off your shoes," she told us. She told us to take off our shoes.

10.

"Mind your own business," she told him. She told him to mind his own business.

EX. 6

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns in some sentences.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

She said, "Go upstairs." She told me to go upstairs. "Close the door behind you," he told me. He told me to close the door behind me. "Don't be late," he advised us. He advised us not to be late. "Stop staring at me," she said. She told him to stop staring at her. "Don't be angry with me," he said. He asked her not to be angry with him. "Leave me alone," she said. She told me to leave her alone. "Don't drink and drive," she warned us. She warned us not to drink and drive. "John, stop smoking," she said. She told John to stop smoking. "Don't worry about us," they said. They told her not to worry about them.

10.

"Meet me at the cinema." he said. He asked me to meet him at the cinema.

EX. 7

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question.

1. 2.

He said, "I like this song." He said that he liked that song. "Where is your sister?" she asked me. She asked me where my sister was.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

"I don't speak Italian," she said. She said that she didn't speak Italian. "Say hello to Jim," they said. They asked me to say hello to Jim. "The film began at seven o'clock," he said. He said that the film had begun at seven o'clock. "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said. She told the boys not to play on the grass. "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him. She asked him where he had spent his money. "I never make mistakes," he said. He said that he never made mistakes. "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know. He wanted to know if she knew Robert.

10.

"Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience. The stuntman advised the audience not to try that at home.

EX. 8 Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question and whether you have to change the tenses or not.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

"I was very tired," she said. She said that she had been very tired. "Be careful, Ben," she said. She told Ben to be careful. "I will get myself a drink," she says. She says that she will get herself a drink. "Why haven't you phoned me?" he asked me. He wondered why I hadn't phoned him. "I cannot drive them home," he said. He said that he could not drive them home. "Peter, do you prefer tea or coffee?" she says. She asks Peter if he prefers tea or coffee. "Where did you spend your holidays last year?" she asked me. She asked me where I had spent my holidays the year before. He said, "Don't go too far." He advised her not to go too far. "Have you been shopping?" he asked us. He wanted to know if we had been shopping.

10.

"Don't make so much noise," he says. He asks us not to make so much noise.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

if she liked... he had failed his... she had gone to the market that morning she hadnt has her eyes tested the day before when she had seen him he would come to harm if he didnt work not to clean it themselves

8. he had not been able to come because of his father ilness 9. not to drive so fast 10. he had got up early that morning 11. not to worry about it 12. if she had to leave 13. if she had had a good sleep 14. what I was going to do the next day 15. he hadnt noticed 16. they would get some tickets the next day 17. he was leaving 18. they had been there the week before 19. he always felt very cold 20. had gone to bed early that day 21. she looked smart in those 22. to get out of his pub 23. if they would have to bring their books the next day 24. how she felt when the manager asked her 25. to have dinner with him 26. if she could spare him 27. he didnt know how long it would take him 28. how much that book had cost 29. if anybody had seen him 30. she/he wanted them to do their best 31. not to leave the door 32. when the Mortons had sold their house 33. if he was going to London the next day 34. she didnt think they would be late if they hurried 35. she was not very well that day 36. he had to send 37. they could go if they liked 38. he thought he would have 39. his wife was cooking 40. he had finished his work 41. they would stay 42. he thought it was going to rain 43. if Mr Gilberts operation had been successful 44. he could do that exercise 45. he had forgotten 46. he had already had lunch 47. he would retire soon 48. what he had had for breakfast 49. he was inquiring about 50. he had seen us in a town but we hadnt seen him 51. how old he was