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Remember this
Reported speech is used to report what somebody else said before. The reporting verbs that we use most are said, asked, told, suggested, warned, recommended, ordered, advised, explained, etc. When we use reported speech, we change tenses, pronouns, and place and time expressions.
Tense Changes:
- Simple Present → Simple Past
- Present Continuous → Past Continuous
- Simple Past → Past Perfect
- Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
- Present Perfect → Past Perfect
- Will → Would
- Can → Could
- May → Might
- Must / Have to → Had to
Types of Reported Speech:
- Statements:
"I broke my arm last week," Jeremy said.
Jeremy said that he had broken his arm the previous week. - Requests & Commands: (to + verb / not to + verb)
"Could you bring me some water?" she asked.
She asked me to bring her some water.
"Don't eat in the classroom," the principal said.
The principal told us not to eat in the classroom. - Questions: (if/whether for Yes/No, Wh- words for Wh-questions)
"Did you go home yesterday?" he asked Tom.
He asked Tom if he had gone home the previous day. - Other types (Suggestions, etc.): (verb + ing / that + subject + should)
"Let's go to the movies," Mr. Reed told his wife.
Mr. Reed suggested going to the movies OR Mr. Reed suggested that we should go to the movies.
N.B. If the introductory verb is in the simple present tense (e.g., he says), we don't change the tense. For example: "I like English," Mary says. → Mary says that she likes English.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Re-write these sentences in reported speech as suggested.
Re-write these sentences in reported speech as suggested.
- "I live in Marrakesh," he said.
He said _________________________________________ - "I am very happy to see Mr. Taylor," she said.
She said _________________________________________ - "I called the secretary yesterday," he said.
He said _________________________________________ - "I was not sick last week," she said.
She said _________________________________________ - "I am waiting for my brother," she said.
She said _________________________________________ - "We are planting olive trees," they said.
They said _________________________________________ - "I was doing my homework," Mary said.
Mary said _________________________________________ - "We were cleaning the classroom," the students said.
The students said that _________________________________________ - "I have repaired my car," Soufiane said.
Soufiane said _________________________________________ - "Steve has sent a message," my mother said.
My mother told me _________________________________________ - "We will make more efforts to win the match," the players said.
The players told the coach _________________________________________ - "I will take you on a picnic next weekend," the father said to me.
The father promised _________________________________________ - "We can solve this equation without a calculator," the students said.
The students told their teacher _________________________________________ - "I can speak four foreign languages," Salma said.
Salma said _________________________________________ - "It may rain tonight," the weatherman said.
The weatherman said that _________________________________________ - "The president may visit this region," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said _________________________________________ - "I have to go," Stephanie said.
Stephanie said that _________________________________________ - "You must hand in the homework tomorrow," the teacher said.
The teacher told his students that _________________________________________
Exercise 2
Re-write these sentences in reported speech as suggested.
Re-write these sentences in reported speech as suggested.
- "Shut up," the teacher said to his students.
The teacher ordered the students _________________________________________ - "Don't use the cell phone aboard the plane," she said.
She reminded the passengers _________________________________________ - "You'd better drink more water," the doctor said.
The doctor advised the patient _________________________________________ - "Do you know his home address?" James asked.
James asked Mary _________________________________________ - "Did your father buy a new car?" the neighbour asked.
The neighbour asked me _________________________________________ - "Will the mayor visit our city?" the residents said.
The residents wanted to know _________________________________________ - "Where can I find a bank?" a man asked.
The man asked me _________________________________________ - "Why is the baby shouting?" she asked her sister.
She asked her sister _________________________________________ - "Let's go to the restaurant?" Jamal told his friend.
Jamal suggested _________________________________________
Quiz 9: Quiz on Reported Speech
Exercise 1
Re-write these sentences as suggested. (6 Pts)
Re-write these sentences as suggested. (6 Pts)
- "I will attend the training session next week," Nada said.
Nada said _________________________________________ - "You played well in the match," the coach told the players.
The coach told his players _________________________________________ - "Don't leave the door open at night," the mother reminded her daughter.
The mother reminded her daughter _________________________________________ - "Will the boss come tomorrow?" Taha asked.
Taha asked _________________________________________ - "Where can I find the dollar exchange?" the tourist asked the receptionist.
The tourist asked the receptionist _________________________________________ - "Why don't you go on a diet?" Mrs. Brown said to her neighbour.
Mrs. Brown advised her neighbour _________________________________________
Exercise 2
Choose the right answer. (6 Pts)
Choose the right answer. (6 Pts)
- "The quiz will be difficult," the teacher said.
The teacher said that the quiz ______ be difficult.- a) would
- b) could
- "Let's go to the party?" he said.
He suggested ______ to the party.- a) going
- b) to go
- "Why don't you eat healthy food?" Maria said.
Maria advised her sister ______ healthy food.- a) not to eat
- b) to eat
- "You shouldn't smoke," Melissa said.
Melisa advised her friend ______.- a) to not smoke
- b) not to smoke
- "The show has attracted a lot of kids," the show producer said.
The show producer said that ______ had attracted a lot of kids.- a) the show
- b) he
- "Did you see the clown," the mother asked.
The mother asked her son if he ______ the clown.- a) saw
- b) had seen
Exercise 3
Re-write these sentences as suggested. (8 Pts)
Re-write these sentences as suggested. (8 Pts)
- "The association has established some new rules," the president said.
The president said _________________________________________ - "We have visited each other in Paris," Mary and Sandra said.
Mary and Sandra said _________________________________________ - "Do your homework," the father to his daughter.
The father reminded his daughter _________________________________________ - "Will the teachers come to the party?" Peter asked his friend.
Peter wanted to know _________________________________________ - "Do you need some help?" a man asked an old lady.
A man asked an old lady _________________________________________ - "When did you visit Istanbul?" the police asked a visitor.
The police asked the visitor _________________________________________ - "I studied Biology last year in that College," Frank said.
Frank told the dean _________________________________________ - "Let's go on a picnic to Ourika?" the students to their teacher.
The students suggested _________________________________________
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