REPORTED SPEECH

A) Report the following sentences using the given word:

1) “Are you free on next Monday?” Tom asked Mary. (asked)

Tom…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2) “Where did you go last night?” John asked Susan. (went)
John asked ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3) “This house was painted by an artist last year” the architect said. (been)
4) “There will be many people in the concert tomorrow” the singer said. (that)
The singer said…………………………………………………………………………………………………
5) “I didn’t write this note” the girl said. (denied)
The girl…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6) “I didn’t write this note” the girl said. (she)
The girl said ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7) “You shouldn’t smoke too much” the man told me. (advised)
The man ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8) “I am not going to phone you again” Jenny told Mark. (him)
Jenny told Mark ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9) “No, I won’t phone him again till he apologizes” Jenny told me. (refused)
Jenny ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10) “ Yes, I spent all the money” the wife said. (admitted)
The wife…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
11) “It has been raining all day today” she said. (previous)
She said …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12) “I have to cut my hair next saturday” Lily said. (her)
Lily said …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B) REPORT THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES:

1) “I am going to the centre, Michael” (Mary)

……………………………………………………………………….………
2) “You should take an umbrella, Mary” (Her mother)
………………………………………………………………………………
3) “Would you like to roller – skate, Lily?” (Lily’s brother)
………………………………………………………………………………
4) “Can you turn the lights off when you go out, Marcus?” (father)
………………………………………………………………………………
5) “ Speak in English, John” (teacher)
………………………………………………………………………………
6) “Susan needs a pen and a paper” (teacher)
………………………………………………………………………………
7) “Why don’t we play a chess, Mandy?” (Teressa)
………………………………………………………………………………
8) “Could you stop talking, Charly?” (teacher)
………………………………………………………………………………
9) “ Would you like to go to the cinema today, Pat?” (Tom)
………………………………………………………………………………
10) “ You should speak in English in class, Lucas” (teacher)

C) Report the following sentences:

1. “You should cut your hair, Mike” the mother said.

1. “Would you like to go out on Saturday, Mary?” John asked.
2. “I am very tired today” the woman said.
3. “ Could you close the windows, Tom?” the man asked.
4. “Why don’t you call Teresa?” the teacher asked.

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D) Rewrite the sentences without changing their former meaning:
10) He asked where the children could play.
“Where ……………………………………….?” He asked.
11) She explained she hadn’t got any money.
She said: “ I …………………………………………………”
12) She had arranged to see the dentist that day.
“I’m ……………………………………………………” she said.
13) He predicted the world would disappear.
“The world ………………………………….by 2050” the man said.
14) She really had the intentions to see her grandparents.
“I’m …………………………………………” she said.
15) They asked the waiter for some pizza.
“we …………………………………………” they said.

E) Re-write the following sentences without changing their meaning:

1. “How often do you wash your hair?” Mary asked me.
Mary asked me ……………
2. “Do you enjoy running?” the teacher asked Tom.
The teacher asked him………………
3. “I ate too much chocolate yesterday” Mary said.
Mary said………………
4. “Today I am very tired and upset” my mother told us.
My mother told us ………….
5. “This is the most exciting movie I have ever seen here” the girl replied.
She said…………….

F) Re- write the second sentence in each pair.

1) I don’t know many people here, but at least, I know some. (few)
I………………………………………………………………………………………..people here.
2) I haven’t got much money at all. (little)
I ……………………………………………………………………………………….money.
3) “My family are the most important people in my life”. (life)
He said the most important …………………………………………………………………………his family.
4) “Most of the family still live near home”. (far)
He said most of the family ………………………………………………………………………….from home.
5) “I’ve practised my autograph a lot” (his)
He said …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6) “It is nice to hear all the comments” (enjoyed)
He said ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7) “I am sorry for forgetting to meet you yesterday!” Mary said to Peter. (apologized)
Mary ……………………………………………………………………………………………the day before.
8) “I think you should relax a bit” the doctor told her. (advised)
The doctor ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9) “No! I won’t write the report again! She said. (refused)
She …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10) “I can’t leave until I’ve found my keys!” Tom said. (that)
Tom said …………………………………………………………………………………………………keys.

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 INSTITUTO SUPERIOR JOSEFINA CONTTE
PROGRESS TEST – REPORTED SPEECH

WRITE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON A DIFFERENT SHIT OF PAPER:

CIRCLE THE CORRECT REPORTING VERBS AND READ THE NEWSPAPER REPORT. WHAT DID
WRITE THE REPORTED SPEECH. FOOTBALLER TELL THE REPORTER?

1.”The secretaries start work at 7,45”. She asked/ Georgi Lato said that he had always wanted to play for
told..... Romania. He thought there was a chance for him soon
2. “You mustn’t arrive late”. I was asked / told ..... because of the way he was playing for his club. He
3. “You can have lunch between 12,30 and 1,30”. She added that he had been scoring a lot of goals since
explained / asked...... September. He had been playing better than ever before.
4. “I can’t use the computer”. He admitted / claimed .... He told me that the Romanian manager would be
5. “My mother won’t be at home”. She claimed / said .... watching his next game. He claimed that the manager
6. “Please don’t tell anyone”. He admitted / begged .... had already watched him twice.
7. “We aren’t getting married next year”. They 1... “I have always wanted to play for Roamnia”.
announced / ordered ... 2...
8. “My dad’s the president!”. She admitted / claimed ... 3...
9. “... and I want you all to finish your work this evening”. 4...
He added / announced ... 5...
10. “Get out of your car and put your hands on your 6...
head”. The police begged / ordered ...

REPORT THE QUESTIONS BELOW.

1.”What exactly is “fusion food”?”. Julie wanted to know...

2. “How long have your family lived in Australia?”. Julie asked Bruce...
3. “What are you going to do in Sydney this evening?”. Julie was interested to know...
4. “ Do you have any photos of an echidna, bruce?”. Julie wodered...
5. “Where will you study when you leave school?”. Julie wanted to know ....

INSTITUTO SUPERIOR JOSEFINA CONTTE

PROGRESS TEST – REPORTED SPEECH

WRITE ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON A DIFFERENT SHIT OF PAPER:

Rewrite the sentences without changing their former Report the following:
meaning:
1) “This house was painted by an artist last year” the architect claimed.
1) He asked where the children could play.
2) “There will be many people in the concert tomorrow” the singer said.
“Where …………………….?” He asked.
3) “I didn’t write this note” the girl denied
2) She explained she hadn’t got any money.
4) “You shouldn’t smoke too much” the man told me.
She said: “ I ………………………………”
5) “I am not going to phone you again” Jenny told Mark.
3) She had arranged to see the dentist that day.
6) “No, I won’t phone him again till he apologizes” Jenny told me.
“I’m ……………………………” she said.
7) “ Please, lend me some money”. The woman begged.
4) He predicted the world would disappear.
8) “It has been raining all day today” she said.
“The world ………by 2050” the man said.
9) “I have to cut my hair next Saturday” Lily said.
5) She really had the intentions to see her grandparents.
10) “Don’t use my computer today”. The secretary ordered.
“I’m ………………………………” she said.

READ THE NEWSPAPER REPORT. WHAT DID ACTRESS TELL THE REPORTER?

Last Saturday I interviewed Penelope Cruz. She said she was happy to be working with those actors; she also
claimed that she is reading the script for the new movie that will be released at the end of the year. Apart from that

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she admitted that she has practised the scenes several times and that last Monday she phoned the director to make
some changes in her part. Penelope begged me not to ask her questions about her private life because she was not
going to answer. Finally she admitted that she had been seeing a man for some time but that she would not say his
name.

1... “I am happy to be working with all these actors”

2...
3...
4...
5...
6...

REPORTED SPEECH

STATEMENTS
STUDY:

· For statements (affirmative or negative), you need to use the verbs SAID or TOLD.
· If you use SAID, don't use an object. Example: She said she was going to be late.
· If you use TOLD, you need to use an object. Example: She told me she was going to be late.

Verb tense changes:

Speaker's words Reported statement

will would
shall should
is/are going to was/were going to
present simple past simple
present continuous past continuous
past continuous past perfect continuous
present perfect past perfect
past simple
must had to
can could
should should
would would
may / might might
don’t (only for requests not to
and commands)

Other changes:

Speaker's words Reported statement

tomorrow the next day / the
following day
yesterday the day before

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 here there
this/that the
this morning that morning
today that day
tonight that night
next / on Tuesday the following Tuesday
last Tuesday the previous Tuesday
the day after tomorrow in two days' time
ago before / previously

EXERCISES

1. My name’s Jenny. (she said) 10. I’m waiting for my exams results. (John
2. I’m writing an e-mail. (she said) said)
3. I’m waiting for Joan. (she told me) 11. I work for an American company. (Mrs
4. I don’t like the idea. (he said) Johnson said)
5. The car isn’t at my house. (she told him) 12. I feel ill. (the little boy told his mother)
6. The TV’s broken. (he said) 13. I’m watching television. (Susan said)
7. I’m working. (he said) 14. I will have a gin and tonic. (Mary told
8. We’re worried about Peter. (they told her)Peter)
9. I don’t smoke. (Mary told me) 15. I can wash the car. (Susan said)

QUESTIONS
IF is used for reported YES-NO QUESTIONS.
Are you hungry? ---------- He asked IF I was hungry.
WH-QUESTIONS (where? when? how old? etc.) become sentences.
What is your favourite colour? ------------------ He asked what my favourite colour was.

EXERCISES
A) Report what Anne asked her brother.

1 Are you tired? Anne asked him ... 7 Were you in Rome last year?
2 Did you feel ill last night? 8 Was John at home last week?
3 Did you have fish for dinner? 9 Is Jane abroad?
4 Have you finished work? 10 Has Bill written? Usado xa la
5 Are you writing a letter? clase
6 Does John know about that?

B) Report what Marco asked his sister.

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1 Where is your coat? Marco asked 9 Why didn’t you stop at the light?
her where her coat was. 10 Why is Jane crying?
2 When did you arrive? 11 How long may I watch TV?
3 Which flight will you take? 12 What should I do?
4 How much does it cost? 13 Where can I get a good meal?
5 Where will you stay in London? 14 How long does the film last?
6 How do I look? 15 What’s the matter?
7 When will it rain? 16 When did you do the shopping?
8 How long have you lived here?

C) Write these sentences in reported speech, using asked and the words given.
Change you to I, etc where necessary, as in the examples:
1 'Which book did you take?' (he) He asked which book I had taken.
2 'Are you wearing your overcoat?' (she) She asked if I was wearing my overcoat.
3 'Did you telephone your mother?' (he)
4 'How far do I have to walk?' (she)
5 'Is the box made of cardboard?' (she)
6 'Have you had anything to eat?' (he)
7 'How much did it cost?' (he)
8 'Are you seeing the director tomorrow?' (she)
9 'What are you doing?' (he)
10 'Are you in a hurry?' (she)
11 'When does the performance start?' (he)
12 'How long does the journey take?' (she)
13 'Where did you stay in Paris?' (he)
14 'Have you had any letters?' (she)
15 'Do you like having holidays abroad?' (he)
16 'Did you see the accident?' (she)
17 'Which school did you go to?' (he)
18 'When did you start learning Spanish?' (she).
19 'Are you French?' (he)
20 'Have you ever been to Japan?' (she)

D) Write these sentences as reported questions. Change the pronouns where

necessary.
1. When does the train leave? (he asked) 7. Are you a foreigner? (he asked)
2. How are you? (I asked her) 8. Have you met Danny before? (she asked)
3. What time does the plane arrive? (she 9. Where do you live? (she asked)
asked) 10. Why are you so late? (he asked)
4. Who do you want to talk to? (he asked)
5. Does your father work here? (she asked)
6. Do you live near your family? (he asked)

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 REPORTED REQUESTS AND COMMANDS

REQUESTS can be expressed through a question with Could/Can you …? [They are NOT regular questions!] or with
Please …
E.g. Can you help me? Could you help me? Please help me.

COMMANDS are always imperative.

E.g Be quiet! Don’t eat that! Close the door!

The reporting verbs are ASKED for requests and TOLD for commands + TO INFINITIVE.
E.g Could you feed the dog? He asked me to feed the dog.
Don’t feed the animals! He told me not to feed the animals.

Don’t ----------------- Not to + infinitive