Reported Speech - Exercises

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Exercises

Write the following sentences in indirect speech.
Pay attention to backshift and the changes to pronouns, time, and place.

  1. Two weeks ago, he said, “I visited this museum last week.”
    → Two weeks ago, he said that .I → he|simple past → past perfect|this → that|last …→ the … before
  2. She claimed, “I am the best for this job.”
    → She claimed that .I → she|simple present→ simple past|this→ that
  3. Last year, the minister said, “The crisis will be overcome next year.”
    → Last year, the minister said that .will → would|next …→ the following …
  4. My riding teacher said, “Nobody has ever fallen off a horse here.”
    → My riding teacher said that .present perfect → past perfect|here→ there
  5. Last month, the boss explained, “None of my co-workers has to work overtime now.”
    → Last month, the boss explained that .my → his/her|simple present→ simple past|now→ then

Rewrite the question sentences in indirect speech.

  1. She asked, “What did he say?”
    → She asked .The subject comes directly after the question word.|simple past → past perfect
  2. He asked her, “Do you want to dance?”
    → He asked her .The subject comes directly after whether/if|you → she|simple present → simple past
  3. I asked him, “How old are you?”
    → I asked him .The subject comes directly after the question word + the corresponding adjective (how old)|you→ he|simple present → simple past
  4. The tourists asked me, “Can you show us the way?”
    → The tourists asked me .The subject comes directly after whether/if|you→ I|us→ them
  5. The shop assistant asked the woman, “Which jacket have you already tried on?”
    → The shop assistant asked the woman .The subject comes directly after the question word|you→ she|present perfect → past perfect

Rewrite the demands/requests in indirect speech.

  1. The passenger requested the taxi driver, “Stop the car.”
    → The passenger requested the taxi driver .to + same wording as in direct speech
  2. The mother told her son, “Don’t be so loud.”
    → The mother told her son .not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
  3. The policeman told us, “Please keep moving.”
    → The policeman told us .to + same wording as in direct speech (please can be left off)
  4. She told me, “Don’t worry.”
    → She told me .not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
  5. The zookeeper told the children, “Don’t feed the animals.”
    → The zookeeper told the children .not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t