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Grammar Exercises With Indirect Speech

The document contains 25 indirect speech examples from statements made by various people. The summaries provide the context and essence of what was said without directly quoting the statements.

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ancutzsa
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590 views13 pages

Grammar Exercises With Indirect Speech

The document contains 25 indirect speech examples from statements made by various people. The summaries provide the context and essence of what was said without directly quoting the statements.

Uploaded by

ancutzsa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Put the following statements into indirect speech.

1 'I'm going out now, but I'll be in by nine,' he said. {Omit now.)
2 'I'm working in a restaurant, and don't much care for it,' she said.
3 'I can't live on my basic salary,' said Peter. 'I'll have to offer to do overtime.'
4 'My young brother wants to be a tax inspector,' said Mary. 'I can't think why. None of my family has ever been a tax
inspector.'
5 'We're waiting for the school bus,' said the children. 'It's late again.'
6 'I've made a terrible mistake!' said Peter.
'You're always making terrible mistakes,' I said. 'You should be used to it by now.'
7 'We make £450 a week,' said one of the men, 'and send most of it home to our wives.'
8 'It's lonely being away from our families,' said another, 'but we earn three times as much in this factory as we would in our
own country.'
9 'We've been here for two and a half years,' said the man who had spoken first, 'and we're going to stay another six months.'
11 'The ice will soon be hard enough to skate on,' said Tom. 'I'll look for my skates when I get home,' Ann said.
12 'I'm living with my parents at present,' she said, 'but I hope to have a flat of my own soon.'
13 'I'm leaving tomorrow,' she said, 'by the 4.30 from Victoria.' 'We'll come and see you off,' we said.
14 'I've just bought a car,' said Peter, 'but it's not insured yet so I can't take you for a drive.'
15 'I'd like to speak to Susan,' said Mary, 'but I'm bathing the babies and they will drown if I leave them alone in the bath
while I go to the phone.'
16 Mary has just received a postcard from Ann, beginning, 'I'm coming up to London next week. I hope you and Jack will
meet me for lunch one day.' {Imagine that Mary is reading this card to Jack. Begin: Ann says . . .)
17 'Nothing ever happens in the village,' she said. 'It's like a dead village. All the young people have drifted away to the
towns.'
18 'I've missed my train,' said Bill. 'Now I'll be late for work and my boss will be furious.'
19 'We'll wait for you if you're late,' they said.
20 'They are supposed to be landing at London airport,' I said. 'But if the fog gets any thicker the plane may be diverted.'
21 'If you lend me the chainsaw,' said Mary, 'I'll bring it back the day after tomorrow.'
22 'I hate getting up on dark mornings,' grumbled Peter. 'It is horrible,' agreed his wife, 'but the mornings will be lighter soon
and then it won't be quite so bad.'
23 'The sales are starting tomorrow,' said the typist. 'As soon as we finish work the whole typing pool is going to make a
dash for the shops.'
'I hope you'll all get what you want,' I said.
24 'I wish I had something to eat,' said Peter.
'You've only just had lunch,' said his sister. 'I don't know how you can be hungry again so soon.'
25 'If you're short of money I can lend you £50,' said my aunt, 'and you can take your time about paying it back.'
Questions:
2 'Do you want to see the cathedral?' said the guide.
3 'Do you mind working on the night shifts?' he asked.
4 'Would you like to come with us?' they said.
5 'Who did you give the money to?' asked Ann.
6 'How long does it take to get to Edinburgh by coach?' asked the tourist.
7 'How much do you think it will cost?' he said.
8 'What did you miss most when you were in prison?' Mary asked the ex-convict.
9 Another passenger came in and said, 'Is this seat taken?'
10 'How do you get on with your mother-in-law?' said Paul.
11 'How did you get into the house?' they asked him.
12 'What were you doing with these skeleton keys?' said Mr Jones. 'Were you trying to get at the secret files?'
13 'Did you sleep well?' asked my hostess.
14 'Have you been here long?' the other students asked him.
15 'Can you tell me why Paul left the university without taking his degree?' Paul's sister asked.
16 'How many people know the combination of the safe?' said the detective.
17 'Are there any letters for me?' said Mary.
18 'How long have you been learning English?' the examiner said.
19 'Why aren't you taking the exams?' said Paul.
20 'Are these free-range eggs?' said the customer.
21 'Where are you going for your summer holidays?' I asked them.
22 'Will it be all right if I come in a little later tonight?' asked the au pair girl.
23 'Have you ever seen a flying saucer?' said the man.
24 'Where can I park my caravan?' she asked the policeman.
25 'Would you like a lift?' said Ann. 'Which way are you going?' I said.

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct forms.

1 I've hung out the clothes. It's lovely and sunny; if it (stay) like this they (be) dry in two hours.
2 French is essential in this job. All the telephonists_speak it. If they (not know) French they (not understand) half the
callers.
3 How did you do in the car rally? ~
We came in last actually; but only because we got lost. If we (not got) lost we (come) in somewhere in the middle. We
certainly (not be) last.
4 I wasn't really surprised that we got lost because I knew that the navigator couldn't map-read. ~
But if you (know) that why you (take) him as navigator?
5 This flat would be all right if the people above us (not be) so noisy.
6 A group of spectators, including myself, left the stand just before the end of the game. When we were half way down the
stairs a goal was scored and there was a great cheer from the spectators. If there (not be) a goal the crowd (not cheer).
7 If the crowd (not cheer) we (not run) back up the stairs to see what had happened.
8 If we (not run) back we (not crash) into the rest of the spectators on their way down, and there (not be) this frightful
accident.
9 If the pain (return) you'd better take another pill.
10 If you aren't going to live in the house why you (not sell) it? If I (have) a house I couldn't use I (sell) it at once.
11 No, I didn't know any Russian at that time. ~
But if you (not know) Russian why you (offer) to give him Russian lessons? ~
Because I knew that he (refuse). He always rejected my offers.
12 Tell him to bring his bicycle inside. If he (leave) it outside someone (steal) it.
13 Why do people always wear dark clothes at night? If pedestrians (wear) light coloured clothes drivers (see) them much
more easily.
14 She must have loved him very much because she waited for him for fifteen years. If she (not love) him she (not wait) so
long.
15 He looked so small and weak that nobody asked him to do anything. If he (look) strong he (be) expected to dig all day
like everyone else.

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