Exercise on Reported Speech

Reported Speech without backshift – Change of Pronouns

Helen is in front of the class holding a presentation on London. As Helen is rather shy, she speaks with a very low voice. Your classmate Gareth does not understand her, so you have to repeat every sentence to him.

Complete the sentences in reported speech (no backshift). Note the change of pronouns and verbs.

§  Helen: I want to tell you something about my holiday in London.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that she wants to tell us something about her holiday in London.

§  Helen: I went to London in July.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that she went to London in July.

§  Helen: My parents went with me.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that her parents went with her.

§  Helen: We spent three days in London.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that they spent three days in London.

§  Helen: London is a multicultural place.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that London is a multicultural place.

§  Helen: I saw people of all colours.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that she saw people of all colours.

§  Helen: Me and my parents visited the Tower.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that she and her parents visited the Tower.

§  Helen: One evening we went to see a musical.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that one evening they went to see a musical.

§  Helen: I love London.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that she loves London.

§  Helen: The people are so nice there.

§  Gareth: What does she say?

§  You: She says that the people are so nice there.

  

  Reported Speech without backshift – Change of Pronouns and Places

Your friend is an exchange student in the USA at the moment. You are speaking with him on the phone and your friend Sue is standing next to you. She is very excited - you have to repeat every sentence to her.

Complete the sentences in reported speech (no backshift). Note the change of pronouns, places and verbs.

§  Tom: I'm fine.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that he's fine.

§  Tom: The weather here is great.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that the weather there is great.

§  Tom: My host family is very nice.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that his host family is very nice.

§  Tom: I have my own room.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that he has his own room.

§  Tom: We have a national park here.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that they have a national park there.

§  Tom: We went there yesterday.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that they went there yesterday.

§  Tom: It was great.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that it was great.

§  Tom: I'd love to go there again.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that he'd love to go there again.

§  Tom: The teachers at my school are very nice.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that the teachers at his school are very nice.

§  Tom: My English has improved.

§  Sue: What does he say?

§  You: He says that his English has improved.

Questions - Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note the change of pronouns and tenses.

1.    "Where is my umbrella?" she asked.→ She asked where her umbrella was.Simple Present becomes Simple Past (3rd person singular + was)

2.    "How are you?" Martin asked us.→ Martin asked us how we were.Simple Present becomes Simple Past (we + were)

3.    He asked, "Do I have to do it?"→ He asked if he had to do it.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
the auxiliary verb 'do' (first position) is dropped and the main verb (have) is put into Simple Past

4.    "Where have you been?" the mother asked her daughter.→ The mother asked her daughter where she had been.Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect

5.    "Which dress do you like best?" she asked her boyfriend.→ She asked her boyfriend which dress he liked best.Simple Present becomes Simple Past
the auxiliary verb 'do' (first position) is dropped and the main verb (like) is put into Simple Past

6.    "What are they doing?" she asked.→ She wanted to know what they were doing.Present Progressive becomes Past Progressive (they/we + were)

7.    "Are you going to the cinema?" he asked me.→ He wanted to know if I was going to the cinema.Present Progressive becomes Past Progressive (I + was)

8.    The teacher asked, "Who speaks English?"→ The teacher wanted to know who spoke English.Simple Present becomes Simple Past

9.    "How do you know that?" she asked me.→ She asked me how I knew that.Simple Present becomes Simple Past

10. "Has Caron talked to Kevin?" my friend asked me.→ My friend asked me if Caron had talked to Kevin.Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect

Mixed Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question.

1.    He said, "I like this song."→ He said that he liked that song.statement, backshift: Simple Present becomes Simple Past; note that the pronouns have to be changed
depending on whether the same song is played at the moment or now, you will use this song or that song

2.    "Where is your sister?" she asked me.→ She asked me where my sister was.question, backshift: Simple Present becomes Simple Past; note that the pronouns have to be changed

3.    "I don't speak Italian," she said.→ She said that she didn't speak Italian.statement, backshift: Simple Present becomes Simple Past; note that the pronouns have to be changed

4.    "Say hello to Jim," they said.→ They asked me to say hello to Jim.request, positive: to + rest of the sentence

5.    "The film began at seven o'clock," he said.→ He said that the film had begun at seven o'clock.statement, backshift: Simple Past becomes Past Perfect

6.    "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said.→ She told the boys not to play on the grass.request, negative: not to + rest of the sentence (don't and addressee are dropped)

7.    "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him.→ She asked him where he had spent his money.question, backshift: Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect; note that the pronouns have to be changed

8.    "I never make mistakes," he said.→ He said that he never made mistakes.statement, backshift: Simple Present becomes Simple Past; note that the pronouns have to be changed

9.    "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know.→ He wanted to know if she knew Robert.question, backshift: Simple Present becomes Simple Past; note that the pronouns have to be changed

10. "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience.→ The stuntman advised the audience not to try that at home.request, negative: not to + rest of the sentence (don't is dropped)
you would normally use that here, however, if you are watchin the same stunt at the moment of reporting (e.g. on video), you could say this.

Mixed Exercise 2

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question and whether you have to change the tenses or not.

1.    "I was very tired," she said.→ She said that she had been very tired.statement, introductory clause is in Simple Past (she said): backshift (Simple Past becomes Past Perfect); note that the pronouns have to be changed

2.    "Be careful, Ben," she said.→ She told Ben to be careful.request, positive: to + rest of the sentence (name is dropped)

3.    "I will get myself a drink," she says.→ She says that she will get herself a drink.Ich hole mir was zu trinken. - Sie sagt, dass sie sich was zu trinken holt.
statement, introductory clause is in Simple Present (she says): no backshift in reported speech; note that the pronouns have to be changed

4.    "Why haven't you phoned me?" he asked me.→ He wondered why I hadn't phoned him.question, introductory clause is in Simple Past (he asked): backshift (Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect); note that the pronouns have to be changed

5.    "I cannot drive them home," he said.→ He said that he could not drive them home.statement, introductory clause is in Simple Past (he said): backshift (can becomes could); note that the pronouns have to be changed

6.    "Peter, do you prefer tea or coffee?" she says.→ She asks Peter if he prefers tea or coffee.question, introductory clause is in Simple Present (she says): no backshift in reported speech; note that the pronouns have to be changed

7.    "Where did you spend your holidays last year?" she asked me.→ She asked me where I had spent my holidays the year before.statement, introductory clause is in Simple Past: backshift (Simple Past becomes Past Perfect); note that the pronouns have to be changed
depending on whether it is still the same year when reporting or even later, you use last year or the year before
for advanced learners: due to the time expression indicating past, backshift is not necessary here

8.    He said, "Don't go too far."→ He advised her not to go too far.request, negative: not to + rest of the sentence (don't is dropped)

9.    "Have you been shopping?" he asked us.→ He wanted to know if we had been shopping.question, introductory clause is in Simple Past (he asked): backshift (Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect); note that the pronouns have to be changed

10. "Don't make so much noise," he says.→ He asks us not to make so much noise.request, negative: not to + rest of the sentence (don't is dropped)