Reported speech
Practice
Write these sentences in indirect speech.
1. 'I'm very tired,' she said.
She said she was very tired.
2. I'll see them soon, he said.
He said he would see them soon.
3. 'I'm going to the cinema, she said.
She said that she was going to the cinema
4. “I see the children quite often,' he said.
He said that he saw the children quite often
5. “I'm having a bath, she said.
She said that she was having a bath
6. I've already met their parents,' he said.
He said he had already met their parents.
7. 'I stayed in a hotel for a few weeks,' she said.
She said that she had stayed in a hotel for three weeks.
8. 'I must go home to make the dinner," he said.
He said that he had to go home to make dinner.
9. ‘I haven't been waiting long,' she said.
She said that she hadn´t been waiting long
10. I'm listening to the radio,' he said.
he said that he was listening to the radio
11. ‘I'll tell them the news on Saturday,' she said.
She said she would tell them the news on Saturday.
12. ‘I like swimming, dancing and playing tennis,' he said.
He said that he liked swimming
13. 'I can drive, she said.
she said she could drive
14. 'I walked home after the party,' he said.
He said that he had walked home after the party
15. ‘I'm going to be sick, she said.
She said that she was going to be sick
16. 'I must go out to post a letter,' he said.
He said that he had to go out to post a letter
17. 'I spoke to Jane last week,' she said.
She said that she had spoken to Jane the previous the week before
18. I'm trying to listen to the music,' he said.
He said that he was trying to listen to the music
19. l’ll phone the office from the airport, she said.
She said that she would phone the office from the airport.
20. ‘I can't speak any foreign languages, he said.
He said that he couldn't speak any foreign languages
Practice
Write these sentences in indirect speech, changing words where necessary.
1. ‘I'll see you tomorrow, she said.
She said she'd see me the next day.
2. I saw her today,' he said.
He said he'd seen her that day
3. ‘I don't like this film, she said.
She said that he didn´t like that film
4. She said, 'We went swimming today.'
She said that they had gone swimming that day.
5. ‘I'll see Mary on Sunday,' she said.
She said she had seen Mary on Sunday
6. ‘I met her about three months ago, he said.
He said that he had met her about three months before
7. ‘Pete and Sue are getting married tomorrow, she said.
She said that Pete and Sue were getting married the following the next day
8. ‘Stephen's bringing some records to the party tonight, he said.
he said Stephen would bring some records to the party tonight.
9. ‘I really like this furniture, she said.
She said She really liked that furniture
10. My parents are arriving tomorrow, she said.
She said that her parents were arriving the following the next day.
11. We visited her this morning, they said.
They said that they had visited her that morning
12. 'We'll see her next week, they said.
They said that they would see her the following week
13. 'They were here three months ago,' he said.
He said that they had been there three months before
14. I'm meeting them at four o'clock today, he said.
He said he was meeting them at four o´clock that day
15. I can see you tomorrow, she said.
She said that she could see me the following the next day.
Practice
Write these sentences as reported questions, using the words given. Change you to I, etc.
where necessary.
1. 'What's your name?' he asked. (wanted to know)
He wanted to know what my name was.
2. 'How old are you?' she said. (asked)
She asked how old I was.
3. ‘When does the train leave?' I asked. (asked)
I asked her when the train left
4. 'How are you?” he said. (asked)
He asked me how I was.
5. Who did you see at the meeting?' my mother said. (wanted to know)
My mother wanted to know who she had seen at the meeting.
6. “Why did you take my wallet?” he asked. (wanted to know)
He wanted to know why I had taken his wallet
7. 'How did you get to school?' she said. (asked)
She asked me how I had got to school
8. 'Where do you live? the boy asked. (wanted to know)
The boy wanted to know where i lived
9. Why wasn't Judy at the party?' she asked. (asked)
She asked me why Judy hadn´t been at the party
10. ‘Why didn't you telephone?' my father asked. (wanted to know)
My father wanted to know why I hadn´t telephoned.
11. Why are you so late?' the teacher asked. (demanded to know)
The teacher demanded to know why I was so late
12. Why didn't the police report the crime?' the judge asked. (inquired)
The judge inquired why I had not reported the crime.
