Excercises

1. These people are saying these things. Reportthem, using says that.
a. Paul said that Atlanta was a wonderful city.
b. Ruth said that she was jogging every morning.
c. Anna said that Jenny wasn't studying for her exams.
d. Andrew said that he used to be very fat.
e. Jim said that he couldn't swim.

2. People made these statements. Report them, using said.

a. Jane said Mary worked in a bank.
b. Jim said he was staying with some friends.
c. Mike said he had never been to Russia.
d. Ella said Tom couldn't use a computer.
e. Jill said everybody must/ had to try to do their best.
f. Jane said Rachel may move to another flat.
g. Bill said he would stay at home on Sunday.

3. Report what the guests said at a wedding last Sunday.

a. Miss Moore said (that) they would make a lovely couple.
b. Mister Smith said (that) they were going to live in Brighton.
c. Mrs Jones said (that) the bride and the groom were very nice young couple.
d. Mr Roberts said (that) the bride was wearing a beautiful wedding dress.
e. Mr Clarke said (that) the couple parents looked happy.
f. Miss Mayall said (that) the bride's father had bought them a new flat.

4. Change the following statements into the reported speech.

a. I said to her (that) I had something to show her.
b. He said (that) he was going away the next day/ the following day/ the day after.
c. Rupert said (that) he had been in London for a month but he hadn't had time to
visit the Tower.
d. She replied (that) she would go with him/ her/ me/ you as soon as she was
ready.
e. They said (that) they had a lift but very often it didn't work.
f. He said (that) he must/ had to go to the dentist the next day/ the following day/
the day after.
g. He said (that ) he had found an old Roman coin in the garden the previous day/
the day before and he was going to take it to the museum that afternoon.
5. Write these sentences in indirect speech.
a. She said (that) she was very tired.
b. He said (that) he would see them soon.
c. She said (that) she was going to the cinema.
d. He said (that) he saw the children very often.
e. She said (that) she was having a bath.
f. She said (that) she had already met their parents.
g. She said (that) she had stayed in a hotel for a few weeks.
h. He said (that) he must/ had to go home to make dinner.
i. She said (that) she hadn't been waiting long.
j. He said (that) he was listening to the radio.
k. She said (that) she would tell them the news on Saturday.
l. He said (that) he liked swimming, dancing and playing tennis.
m. She said (that) she could drive.
n. He said (that) he had walked home after the party.
o. She said (that) she was going to be sick.
p. He said (that) he must/ had to go out to post a letter.
q. He said (that) he had spoken to Jane the previous week/ the week before.
r. He said (that) he was trying to listen to music.
s. She said (that) she would phone the office from the airport.
t. He said (that) he couldn't speak any foreign languages.

6. Write these sentences in indirect speech, changing words where

necessary.
a. She said (that) she would see me/ you/ him/ her the next day/ the following day/
the day after.
b. He said (that) he had seen her that day.
c. She said (that) she didn't like that film.
d. She said (that) they had gone swimming that day.
e. He said (that) he had met her three months before.
f. She said (that) she would see Mary on Sunday.
g. She said (that) Pete and Sue were getting married the next day/ the following
day/ the day after.
h. She said (that) Stephen was bringing some records to the party the next day/ the
following day/ the day after.
i. She said (that) she really liked that furniture.
j. She said (that) her parents were arriving the next day/ the following day/ the day
after.
k. They said (that) they had visited her that morning.
l. They said (that) they would see her the next summer/ the following summer.
m. He said (that) they had been there three months before.
n. She said (that) she could see me/ you/ him/ her the next day/ the following day/
the day after.

QUESTIONS

7. Report the police-officer’s questions to the shop owner.

a. ... what his/ her name was.
b. ... if he/ she had seen the robbers.
c. ... what they were wearing.
d. ... how he/ she thought they had got in.
e. ... what they had taken.

8. Write these sentences as reported questions using the words given.

a. He wanted to know what my name was.
b. She asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she liked Marlon Brandon.
c. She asked me/ you/ him/ her how old I/ you/ he/ she was.
d. I asked when the train left.
e. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she was enjoying myself/ yourself/
himself/ herself.
f. He asked me/ you/ him/ her how I was/ you were/ he was/ she was.
g. She asked me/ you/ him/ her if my/ your/ his/ her father worked there.
h. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she lived near my/ your/ his/ her father.
i. My mother asked me/ you/ him/ her who I/ you/ he/ she had seen at the meeting.
j. He asked me/ you/ him/ her why I/ you/ he/ she had taken his wallet.
k. She asked me/ you/ him/ her how I/ you/ he/ she got to school.
l. She asked me/ you/ him/ her if I was/ you were/ he was/ she was a foreigner.
m. The boy asked me/ you/ him/ her where I/ you/ he/ she lived.
n. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she had met Danny before.
o. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I was/ you were/ he was/ she was hungry.
p. She asked why Judy hadn't been at the party.
q. My father asked me/ you/ him/ her why I/ you/ he/ she hadn't telephoned.
r. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she had borrowed his dictionary.
s. The teacher asked me/ you/ him/ her why I was/ you were/ he was/ she was so
late.
t. She asked me/ you/ him/ her/ us if I / you/ he/ she/ we had finished my/ your/ his/
her/ our exam.
u. He asked me/ you/ him/ her if I/ you/ he/ she had invited Judy and Mitch.
v. She asked me/ you/ him/ her if my/ your/ his/ her brother lived in London.
w. The judge asked why the police hadn't reported the crime.
x. He asked me/ you/ him/ her/ us if I/ you/ he/ she/ we knew who had broken the
window.
y. He shouted why I/ you/ he/ she wouldn't let him in.
COMMANDS, REQUESTS AND ADVICE
9 . Rewrite these sentences in reported speech.
a. Carol asked Bob to make some coffee.
b. She told them to do their homework soon.
c. He reminded Ann to buy a map.
d. He advised Mrs Clark to see a doctor.
e. They warned Bill to keep all the windows closed.
f. Francis told Paul to go home.
g. He tried to persuade Bob to stay for supper.

10. Report the following sentences.

a. She told me not to be funny.
b. He told her to wait there till he came.
c. She told him to go to bed and not to get up till he was called.
d. He told her to be a good girl and to sit quietly for five minutes.
e. I told him to watch the milk and not to let it boil over.
f. He told me not to take my coat off.
g. I told him not to forget to thank Mrs Jones when he was saying good bye to her.
h. They told her to stop that dog.

11. Write the sentences in reported speech using the words given.
a. He told Mary to sit down.
b. He asked me/ you/ him/ her to pass his suitcase.
c. The children's motherwarned then not to go near the sea.
d. Tim's father told him not to be late.
e. The librarian told the children to be quiet.
f. The inspector told us to have our tickets ready.

SAY AND TELL

12. Use the correct form of SAY and TELL in these sentences.
a. told
b. said
c. told
d. said
e. told
f. said
g. say
h. tell
i. told
j. told
k. said
l. said
m. tell
n. saying
o. tell
p. says
q. told
r. say
s. Tell
t. telling
u. said
v. said
w. said
x. told
y. said
z. telling

OFFERS AND SUGGESTIONS

13. Rewrite the sentences withth egerundor the infinitive and the in reported
speech.
b. She suggested going to the cinema that night/ that we go to the cinema that
night.
c. He admitted that he had stolen the wallet.
d. He warned us that the water was boiling.
e. My father insisted on apologizing to my teacher.
f. My friend agreed to share the expenses with me.