reported speech grammar drills, review, explanation, exercises

reported speech grammar drills

1. If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported speech (indirect) .

2. We often use reported speech to: 1. Give someone a telephone message. For example: Maha said that she couldn’t come today because she was sick. 2 . Tell someone news that we heard from someone else. For example: Nora told me that Amal graduated. 3. To repeort something that happened earlier. For example: Ahmad said that the other driver ran the red light and hit his car.

3. How Do we use Reported Speech? When we use Reported Speech, we are usually talking about something that happened in The Past. *Therefore, Verbs usually change to the past.

4. For example: am / is become are would could were had was becomes become becomes becomes Have / has can will

5. When transforming statements, check whether you have to change: pronouns present tense verbs (3rd person singular) place and time expressions tenses (backshift) What else should we keep in mind?

6. Example direct speech “I speak English.” English reported speech He said that he spoke English.

7. In Reported Speech you should use this structure: Someone said ( that ) …………………… Someone told me ( that ) …………………… Or:

8. Ahmad told me that he ………. not happy at his job anymore and he…………………. he …………. quit. I’m not happy at my job anymore and I think I will quit. was thought would

9. Be careful with pronouns: Ameera said that ………… sister was coming to visit ………… soon. My sister is coming to visit me soon. her her

10. Report the following quotes

11. I find that the harder I work , the more luck I seem to have. Thomas Jefferson

12. He said he found that the harder he worked , the more luck he seemed to have. What did he say?

13. 90% of our worries are about things that will not happen Margaret Thatcher

14. She said that 90% of their worries were about things that would not happen What did she say?

15. Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else. Will Rogers

16. He said that everything was funny as long as it was happening to somebody else. What did he say?

17. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Change pronouns and time expressions where necessary. She said, "I am reading." → She said that ____________________ They said, "We are busy." → They said that ___________________ He said, "I know a better restaurant." → He said that _____________________ She said, "I woke up early." → She said that ____________________ He said, "I will ring her." → He said that _____________________

18. They said, "We have just arrived." → They said that _________________ He said, "I will clean the car." → He said that ___________________ She said, "I did not say that." → She said that __________________ She said, "I don't know where my shoes are." → She said that __________________ He said: "I won't tell anyone." → He said that ____________________

19. REPORTING QUESTIONS "Where is my umbrella?" she asked. → She asked _______________________ "How are you?" Martin asked us. → Martin asked us ___________________ He asked, "Do I have to do it?" → He asked ________________________ "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter. → The mother asked her daughter ________ "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend. → She asked her boyfriend _______________

20. "What are they doing?" she asked. → She wanted to know ________________ "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me. → He wanted to know _________________ The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?" → The teacher wanted to know __________ "How do you know that?" she asked me. → She asked me ______________________ "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me. → My friend asked me __________________

21. When transforming questions,also note that you have to: transform the question into an indirect question use the interrogative or if / whether

22. Interrogative direct speech “Why don’t you speak English?” reported speech He asked me why I didn’t speak English Direct: “Do you speak English?” reported speech: He asked me whether / if I spoke English.