REPORTED SPEECH
Exercise 1:Rewrite following sentences so that the meaning stay the same.
1.”If I were you,I wouldn’t buy this car”
àHe advised
2.”Shall I carry your suicase,Lan?”said Nam.
àNam offered
3.”Yes,all right,I’ll share the food with you,Dave.”
àAnn agreed
4.”Sue,can you remember to buy some bread?”
àPaul reminded
5.”Don’t touch anything in this room”,the man said to the children.
àThe man ordered
6.”I must go home to make the dinner”,said Mary.
àMary
7.”Are you going to Ho Chi Minh City next week?”Tom asked me.
àTom asked
8.”Have you finished your homework?”Mom asked.
àMom asked if
9.She said to me:”I can’t do it by myself”
àShe told me that
10.”Does your brother live in London,Nam?”Lan asked.
àLan wanted to know if
11.”Don’t repeat this mistake again.”his father warned him.
àHis father warned him
12.”Give me a smile,”The photographer said to me.
àThe
13.”Don’t leave these book on the table” ,the librarian said to the students
àThe librarian told the
students
14.”Have you travelled abroad much?”he asked me.
àHe
3 "Phone to me for an answer tomorrow” the manager said to the client.
4 "Don't be so silly," the father said to the kid.
5 "Give a smile," the photographer said to me.
6 "Please, help me to make a decision," Ann asked her friend.
7 "Don't leave these books on the table, put them back on the shelf," the librarian said to the
student.
8 "Be a good girl and sit quietly for five minutes," the nurse said to the child.
9 "Leave your things here," my companion advised me.
10 "Don't discuss this question now," said the chairman to the participants.
Exercise 2
1.The insructor warned the sportsman not to repeat that mistake again.
2.The assistant told me to leave the address with the secretary.
3.The manager asked the client to phone to him for an answer the next day/the following day.
4.The father told the kid not to be so silly.
5.The photographer told me to give a smile.
6.Ann asked/begged her friend to help her make a decision.
7.The librarian told the student not to leave those books on the table,but to put them back on the
shelf.
8.The nurse told the child to be a good girl and to sit quietly for five minutes.
9.My companion advised me to leave my things there.
10.The chairman asked the participants not to discuss that question at the moment.
Exercise 3
7.My neighbour told me she would let me know as soon as she heard from him./
-My neighbour promised to let me know as soon as she heard from him.
8.She said that she would live in town untilher husband returned from the expedition and that
when he returned,they would go to the seaside together.
9.The mother told her son to sit still.
10.John asked/told his friend to come and spend a week with him.
Exercise 4
1 "Have you travelled abroad much?" he asked me.
2 "Who has written this note?" the boss asked the secretary.
3 "I've just received a postcard from my sister," my friend said to me.
4 "The students also took part in arranging the conference," the chair¬man said.
5 "Have you been here long?" the stranger asked me.
6 "Did you really see this happen with your own eyes?" the policeman asked the boy.
7 "I hope they will have taken a decision by the end of the meeting," she remarked.
8 "Did you watch the detective film on TV yesterday?" he asked her.
9 "This story happened long ago," he said, "and few people remember anything about it."
10 "I haven't read so interesting a book since I don't remember when," she said.
Exercise 4
1.He asked me if I had travelled abroad much.
2.The boss asked the secretary who had written that note.
Exercise 6
1 Jane said to Bill, “When do you expect to finish your assignment?"
2 The man said to the boy: "Can you show me the way to the bank?"
3 Fred asked the postman: "Are there any letters for me today?"
4 Henry said to the librarian, "How many books can I borrow at a time?"
5 John asked his friend, "How did you manage to know my phone number?"
6 “These old buildings might have already disappeared by the time I am back next year?"
he said
7 The boys said to the old woman: "What can we do to help you?"
8 The guests said to the doorman: "Where should we leave our coats?"
9 Tom asked his brother: "Why did you advise them to go sight-seeing on foot?"
10 I asked the children: "Who took away the magazines from my desk?"
Exercise 6
1.Jane asked Bill when he expected to finish his assignment.
2.The man asked the boy if he could show him the way to the bank.
3.Fred asked the postman if there were any letters for him that day.
4.Henry asked the librarian how many books he could borrrow at a time.
5.John asked his friend how he had managed to know his phone number.
6.He said those old buildings might have already disappeared by the time he was back the
following year.
7.The boys asked the old woman what they could do to help her.
8.The guests asked the doorman where they should leave their coats.
9.Tom asked his brother why he had advised them to go sight-seeing on foot.
10.I asked the children who had taken away the magazines from my desk.
Exercise 7
1 Rose said, "I was just leaving the office when I came face to face with a stranger."
2 Ann asked her brother, "Do you expect to be admitted to the univer¬sity?"
3 Richard asked Jane, "What are you planning to do tomorrow?"
4 She asked her boy friend "Is it true that your father fought in the last war?"
5 Jane said to me, "Where have you been all this time?"
John said.
10 "Could you ring up the station and find out when the train comes in?" said Tom to me.
Exercise 8
1.Helen said that she thought she would have to find a better job because she couldn’t make both
ends meet.
2.He asked her why she was so late;he had been waiting for half an hour already.
3.She told/advised him not to let them down and added that she would be very embarrassed if he
went back on his words.
4.She advised her husband not to drink too much.He might lose control of the car and have a bad
accident.
5.The boy asked his mother when they would have lunch and said he was very hungry.
6.He said he didn’t understand why she had refused to join them on the trip.
7.She told him she was very glad he had come and invited him to sit down.
8.Mr Brown told his wife he didn’t feel like going out that evening and suggested asking the
Browns to come over for a chat.
9.John said it was raining too hard to go out and suggested that they should stay at home and
watch TV instead.
10.Tom asked me to ring up the station to find out when the train came in.
Exercise 9
1 "Be careful. Don't go too near the edge of the cliff," she said to the boys.
2 "Please, please come to help me with the assignment," my friend said to me.
3 "I wouldn't buy that sort of raincoat if I were you," my friend said to me.
4 "Would you mind moving your bicycle?" said the janitor. "It's in the way."
5 "Could I take out another book, please," I said to the librarian.
6 "Remember to leave the window open when you're using the gas stove," my mother said
to me.
7 "Wear your school badge or they won't let you into the classroom." my teacher said to me.
8 "Would you like to come over to my house for a slide show?" my
friend said to me.
9 "Show me your driver's licence, will you?" the policeman said to the drunken driver.
A. could speak B. speaks C. can speak D. has spoken
9. Tina asked me how long I…………… a teacher.
A. have been B. had been C. am D. will be
10. She asked me…………….I liked pop music.
A. if B. whether C. that D. A&B
11. The students asked if I was going to teach them physics………………
A. the next day B. next day C. day next D. the day next
12. I want to know he…………for her birthday.
A. has bought B. buys C. had bought D. would buy
13. She said she………….come to the party on Friday.
A. won’t B. can’t C. doesn’t D. couldn’t
14. Chris asked me where my car…………….
A. is B. will be C. was D. has been
15. Mr Jim said that he……………….happy with his new assistant.
A. weren’t B. isn’t C. wasn’t D. aren’t
16. He said that John……………….up his job.
A. has given B. have given C. had give D. had given
17. She said that she ……………to learn to drive.
A. is going B. was going C. go D. goes
18. I knew that he……………….a very clever man.
A. was B. will be C. has been D. is
19. They said they…………….us if we needed.
A. help B. helped C. had gone D. would help
20. She said she………… the next week, but I never saw her again.
A. will be back B. had been back C. would be
back
D. is back
21. She said that she…………… there the year before.
A. had gone B. went C. would go D. goes
22. I wonder………………the tickets are on sale yet.
A. The woman said that man had spoken to me on the road. B. The woman said that man has
spoken to her on the road.
C. The woman said that man spoke to her on the road. D. The woman said that man had
spoken to her on the road.
34. I said to Nick: “Where are you going?”
A. I asked Nick where was he going. B. I asked Nick where he was going.
C. I asked Nick where is he going. D. I asked Nick where he is going.
35. “If I were you, I’d try to get a room on the top of floor,” he said.
A. He advised me to try to get a room on the top floor. B. He advised me to try getting a
room on the top floor.
C. He offered me to try to get a room on the top floor. D. He suggested me to try to get a
room on the top floor.
36. “I’ll wait for you if you like,” she said.
A. She offered to wait for me. B. She said she’d wait for me if I liked.
C. She suggested she waited for me. D. A&B are correct.
37. “Remember to switch off when you’ve finished,” he said.
A. He reminded me to switch off when I’ve finished. B. He reminded me to switch off
when I’d finished.
C. He offered me to switch off when I’d finished. D. He suggested me to switch off when
I’d finished.
38. “You’d better apologise for being late,” said my mother.
A. My mother advised me to apologise for being late. B. My mother suggested me to
apologise for being late.
C. My mother suggested apologising for being late. D. My mother warned me to
apologise for being late.
39. “Could you check the oil, please?” I asked the mechanic.
A. I invited the mechanic to check the oil. B. I asked the mechanic to check the oil.
C. I reminded the mechanic to check the oil. D. I warned the mechanic to check the oil.
40 Kate said: “Mike, do you like my dress?”
A. Kate asked Mike if he liked her dress. B. Kate asked Mike if you liked her
14. “Can you help me?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
15. “Are you working tonight?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
16. “Will you come later?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
17. “Do you like coffee?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
18. “Is this the road to the station?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
19. “Did you do your homework?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
20. “Have you studied reported speech before?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________ .
Reported Questions – Answers:
21. She asked me where he was.
22. She asked me what I was doing.
23. She asked me why I went (had gone) out last night.
24. She asked me who that beautiful woman was.
25. She asked me how my mother was.
26. She asked me what I was going to do at the weekend.
27. She asked me where I would live after graduation.
28. She asked me what I had been doing when she saw (had seen) me.
29. She asked me how the journey was (had been).
30. She asked me how often I went to the cinema.
31. She asked me if I lived in London.
32. She asked me if he arrived (had arrived) on time.
33. She asked me if I had been to Paris.
34. She asked me if I could help her.
35. She asked me if I was working tonight (that night).
12. What does Luke do at the weekend?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
13. Where do your parents live?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
14. Who do you go running with?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
15. When does Lucy get up?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
16. How much TV do you watch?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
17. How many books do they own?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
18. Where does John work?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
19. What do the children study on Fridays?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
20. Why do you study English?
She asked me ___________________________________________________
Answers:
1. She asked me where the post office was.
2. She asked me why Julie was sad.
3. She asked me what was for dinner.
4. She asked me who the woman in the red dress was.
5. She asked me how my grandmother was.
6. She asked me when the party was.
7. She asked me how much the rent on your flat was.
8. She asked me where the glasses were.
9. She asked me how the weather in Chicago was.
10. She asked me who the Prime Minister of Canada was.
11. She asked me where I usually went swimming.
10. Is the weather good in Shanghai in the summer?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
11. Does Julie drink tea?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
12. Do you like chocolate?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
13. Do they own a flat?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
14. Does David go to the cinema often?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
15. Do the children study Chinese?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
16. Do they go on holiday every summer?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
17. Does your sister live in Stockholm?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
18. Do I talk too much?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
19. Does Jennifer want a new job?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
20. Does it rain a lot in London?
She asked me if __________________________________________________
Answers:
1. She asked me if John was at home.
2. She asked me if she was late.
3. She asked me if it was cold outside.
4. She asked me if they were in Paris.
5. She asked me if the bus stop was near the shopping centre.
6. She asked me if the milk was fresh.
7. She asked me if I was a doctor.
8. “Would you mind passing the salt?”
She ______________________________________________________________
9. “Would you mind lending me a pencil?”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “I was wondering if you could possibly tell me the time?”
She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Do your homework!”
She told me ________________________________________________________
12. “Go to bed!”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Don’t be late!”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Don’t smoke!”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “Tidy your room!”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Wait here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “Don’t do that!”
She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Eat your dinner!”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. “Don’t make a mess!”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “Do the washing-up!”
She ______________________________________________________________
Reported Orders and Requests – Answers:
1. She asked me to help her carry this.
2. She asked me to come early.
3. She asked me to buy some milk.
She ______________________________________________________________
6. “Could you explain number four, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7. “Where do you live?”
She ______________________________________________________________
8. “We went to the cinema and then to a Chinese restaurant”
She ______________________________________________________________
9. “I’ll come and help you at twelve”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Don’t go!”
She ______________________________________________________________
12. “Do you work in London?”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Could you tell me where the post office is?”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Come here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “I’ve never been to Wales”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Have you ever seen ‘Lord of the Rings’?”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “I don't like mushrooms”
She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Don't be silly!”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. “Would you mind waiting a moment please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “How often do you play sport?”
She said ___________________________________________________________
2. “We went out last night”
She told me ________________________________________________________
3. “I’m coming!”
She said ___________________________________________________________
4. “I was waiting for the bus when he arrived”
She told me ________________________________________________________
5. “ I’d never been there before”
She said ___________________________________________________________
6. “I didn’t go to the party”
She told me ________________________________________________________
7. “Lucy’ll come later”
She said ___________________________________________________________
8. “He hasn’t eaten breakfast”
She told me ________________________________________________________
9. “I can help you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
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10. “You should go to bed early”
She told me ________________________________________________________
11. “I don’t like chocolate”
She told me ________________________________________________________
12. “I won’t see you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
13. “She’s living in Paris for a few months”
She said ___________________________________________________________
14. “I visited my parents at the weekend”
She told me ________________________________________________________
15. “She hasn’t eaten sushi before”
19. She said (that) he could read when he was three.
20. She said (that) she had been sleeping when Julie called.
EXERCISE 17:
Reported Statements: Future Simple
Change the direct speech into reported speech:
1. “I'll go to the cinema later.”
She said ________________________________________________________
2. “We'll meet the children at six.”
She said ________________________________________________________
3. “She’ll be late.”
She said ________________________________________________________
4. “Lucy will definitely come.”
She said ________________________________________________________
5. “I will stop smoking on Tuesday.”
She told us _____________________________________________________
6. “John won't do it.”
She said ________________________________________________________
7. “They won't be able to arrive early.”
She said ________________________________________________________
8. “I won't come with you.”
She said ________________________________________________________
9. “He won't remember to buy milk.”
She said ________________________________________________________
10. “It won't rain later I'm sure.”
She said ________________________________________________________
11. “The Conservatives will win the next election.”
She said ________________________________________________________
12. “That girl will never pass the exam.”
She told us _____________________________________________________
13. “John will arrive before David.”
15. She said Jenny would cook dinner.
16. She said they want to get married next year.
17. She said she wouldn’t be able to afford a new car.
18. She said she wouldn’t want to attend the meeting.
19. She said Richard wouldn’t drink coffee.
20. She said she wouldn’t vote at the next election.
EXERCISE 18:
Reported Statements: Past Simple
1. “I went to the cinema yesterday.”
She said ________________________________________________________
2. “Jane left the party early.”
She told me _____________________________________________________
3. “I didn't go out at the weekend.”
She said ________________________________________________________
4. “He didn't like chocolate as a child.”
She said ________________________________________________________
5. “They visited Japan.”
She said ________________________________________________________
6. “She didn't buy the dress.”
He told me _____________________________________________________
7. “I travelled through India and Pakistan.”
She told me _____________________________________________________
8. “He met his girlfriend in a café.”
She said ________________________________________________________
9. “David didn't arrive until 10 o'clock.”
She said ________________________________________________________
10. “We went to the park to have a picnic.”
She told me _____________________________________________________
11. “We ate Chinese food, then we walked home.”
She told me _____________________________________________________
12. He told me she had forgotten / forgot to bring the CDs.
13. She said she hadn’t liked / didn't like the food inthe restaurant.
14. She said he hadn’t taken / didn't take a shower.
15. She said she had worked / worked until six.
16. She said they had gone / went to Paris for the weekend.
17. She said the plane had left / left at seven.
18. She said she had come / came to London in 2004.
19. She told me Lucy hadn’t gone / didn't go to university.
20. She said John had never studied / never studied German.
EXERCISE 19:
Reported Statements: Present Continuous
1. “I'm sleeping”
She told me _____________________________________________________
2. “We’re working”
She told me _____________________________________________________
3. “She's coming to the party”
She told me _____________________________________________________
4. “He’s talking on the telephone”
She told me _____________________________________________________
5. “Lucy is reading a book in front of the fire”
She told me _____________________________________________________
6. “I'm not going out”
She said ________________________________________________________
7. “We are not visiting Paris during our trip”
She said ________________________________________________________
8. “I'm listening to my new CD”
She said ________________________________________________________
9. “John is working in a bar for the summer”
She told me _____________________________________________________
10. “I'm not going to go on holiday”
9. She told me John was working in bar for the summer.
10. She told me she wasn't going to go on holiday.
11. She told me he wasn't living in Beijing.
12. She told me she was taking the train to Berlin.
13. She told me he was never coming back.
14. She told me Jill was studying a lot.
15. She told me she wasn't meeting Julie.
16. She said they weren't renting a flat.
17. She said they were visiting the museum.
18. She said she was eating dinner.
19. She said they weren't going to the library.
20. She said she was coming.
EXERCISE 20:
‘Say’ and ‘Tell’
Put in ‘said’ or ‘told’:
1. Julie ______________ that she would join us after work.
2. She ______________ me that she was going running this evening.
3. John ______________ us that he couldn’t come to theparty.
4. John ______________ that he had been to the cinema at the weekend.
5. She ______________ them she wanted to quit.
6. David ______________ he was going to arrive at eight.
7. They ______________ that they didn’t want to meet us on Tuesday.
8. I ______________ him I wasn’t impressed.
9. Lucy ______________ Julie that she was leaving on Wednesday.
10. We ______________ that we were going on holiday thefollowing week.
11. Jack ______________ my mother he would be in Spain this week.
12. I ______________ that I hated mushrooms.
13. She ______________ she loved chocolate.
14. They ______________ they were meeting Luke today.
15. They ______________ us they were going to the museum this afternoon.