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Exercises
Write the following sentences in indirect speech.
Pay attention to backshift and the changes to pronouns, time, and place.
- 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
- She claimed, “I am the best for this job.”
→ She claimed that .I → she|simple present→ simple past|this→ that
- Last year, the minister said, “The crisis will be overcome next year.”
→ Last year, the minister said that .will → would|next …→ the following …
- My riding teacher said, “Nobody has ever fallen off a horse here.”
→ My riding teacher said that .present perfect → past perfect|here→ there
- 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.
- She asked, “What did he say?”
→ She asked .The subject comes directly after the question word.|simple past → past perfect
- He asked her, “Do you want to dance?”
→ He asked her .The subject comes directly after whether/if|you → she|simple present → simple past
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- The passenger requested the taxi driver, “Stop the car.”
→ The passenger requested the taxi driver .to + same wording as in direct speech
- 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
- The policeman told us, “Please keep moving.”
→ The policeman told us .to + same wording as in direct speech (please can be left off)
- She told me, “Don’t worry.”
→ She told me .not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
- 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