English Exercises > reported speech exercises

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Technicum Si-Tarek of Relizane Second / Third Year Pupils - Scientific Streams Reference sheet –I- Reported Speech PART ONE: UNDERSTAND THE RULES   Try to complete the example to check if you understood the rule   I-The two most common reporting verbs are “say” and “tell”. They are usually in the past simple.   a) We use say (=past simple) + < , >(direct) / that (indirect) + reported clause. * He  , “I am going out with Jane this night.” (DIRECT)                                 Reported clause                                          * He  that he was going out with Jane that night. (INDIRECT)   b) We use tell (=past simple) + object pronoun + < , >(direct) / that (indirect) + reported clause. * He  me , “I am going out with Jane that night.”  (DIRECT)                                       Reported clause                                                * He   that he was going out with Jane that night. (INDIRECT) II-If the sentence starts in the present, there is no change of tenses in reported speech.  * Example: DIRECT : Susan: "I work in an office." (=present simple) INDIRECT :  Susan says that she  in an office. (=present simple)     III-If the sentence starts in the past, we always change the tenses in reported speech. (See: Table) * Example: DIRECT : Susan: "I work in an office." (=present simple) INDIRECT :  Susan said that she in an office. (=past simple)        Examples of change in tenses DIRECT INDIRECT Peter said , "I work in the garden."  Present simple Peter said that he  in the garden.  Past simple Peter said , "I worked in the garden."  past simple   Peter said that he in the garden.    Past perfect simple Peter said , "I have worked in the garden."  Present perfect simple Peter said , "I had worked in the garden."  Past perfect simple Peter said , "I will work in the garden." Peter said that he in the garden. Peter said , "I can work in the garden." Peter said that he in the garden. Peter said , "I may work in the garden." Peter said that he  in the garden Peter said , "I would work in the garden." (could, might, should, ought to) Peter said that he in the garden. (could, might, should, ought to) Peter said , "I'm working in the garden."  Present continuous Peter said that he  in the garden.  Past continuous Peter said , "I was working in the garden."  Past continuous   Peter said that he in the garden.    Past perfect continuous Peter said , "I have been working in the garden."  Present perfect continuous Peter said , "I had been working in the garden."  Past perfect continuous IV-If the sentence contains an expression of time, place or a demonstrative, you must change it as well. * Example:    DIRECT : Peter said , "I worked in the garden yesterday."    INDIRECT :  Peter said that he had worked in the garden the day before/the previous day.   Examples of change in adverbials & demonstratives DIRECT INDIRECT  (evening/afternoon/...)  that (evening/afternoon/...)  today/this day   day   (days/weeks/...)  those (days/weeks/...)  now  then/at  moment  (a/two... week(s)/month(s)...) ago  (the/two.. week(s)/month(s)...)  last weekend/year...   weekend/year/... before  the weekend/year...  next (week/year/...)  the (week/year/...)  the weekend/year/... after    the next/following day  the day    there (=place)  /that (book/car/table...)  the/that (book/car/table...)  these/those (books/car/tables...)  /those (books/car/tables...)      C V-We use ‘ask’, ‘want to know’ or ‘wondered’ to report questions. We change the interrogative form to the affirmative form, and we put the subject before the verb. * Example:    DIRECT : “Where are you?” he asked.     INDIRECT :  He wanted to know Where I was.     VI- A “yes/no” question is reported by ‘if’ or ‘whether’. * Example: DIRECT : She asked me, “Can I borrow your bike?” INDIRECT :  She wondered if / whether she could borrow my bike.     VII-We use ‘told / asked’ + object + (not) to + infinitive to report orders, commands  or requests. * Example: a) DIRECT : Peter asked, “Please help me”.     =request INDIRECT :  He asked her to help him.   b) DIRECT :  “Don’t shout at me,” the girl told her brother.    =command INDIRECT :  She told him not to shout at her.     PART TWO: Now do it by yourself   Try to do the following activities to check your understanding.   1) Rewrite the questions in reported speech.  Q.1. ‘Will the flight be delayed?’ Jill wanted to know  .  Q.2. ‘Where have you been all night?’ My parents wanted to know  .  Q.3. ‘Will I pass my exam?’ Mark wondered  .  Q.4. ‘Did you remember the invitations?’ Sue asked me  .  Q.5. ‘How long have you been learning German?’ Karl asked us .   2) Rewrite the commands in reported speech. * remember: ‘Keep to the left,’    The police officer told the cyclist to keep to the left.    Q.6. ‘Please don’t smoke in this area.’ The waitress asked them .  Q.7. ‘Sit down and be quiet.’ The teacher told the class .  Q.8. ‘Don’t forget to post the letter.’ Jane told her boyfriend .  Q.9. ‘Don’t talk during the exam.’ The examiner told us .  Q.10. ‘Please switch off your mobile phone.’ The air hostess asked him .   3) Rewrite the sentences in reported speech.  Q.11.‘She goes out with her friends every night.’ Sue’s father said that  .  Q.12.‘I bought the tickets yesterday.’ She said that  .  Q.13.‘They’re going to Florida next week.’ Tim told me that  .  Q.14.‘He won’t be in the office tomorrow.’ The secretary said that  .  Q.15.‘Jenny has passed her driving test.’ Jenny’s brother told me that  .  Q.16. ‘Carl might come to the football match this afternoon.’ He told me that  .     4) Read the interview, then complete the summary.   Interviewer : I hear you have a very unusual job. Mr Fogarty: That’s right. Interviewer : So what do you do? Mr Fogarty: Well, I’m investigating the Loch Ness monster. Every day I go to Loch Ness and wait for the monster to appear. Interviewer : And have you ever seen the monster? Mr Fogarty: Yes, I have. It was very foggy and I tried to take a photograph, but unfortunately my camera didn’t work. Interviewer : Do you think you’ll see it again? Mr Fogarty: I might see it again if I’m lucky. Interviewer : And what do people think about your job? Mr Fogarty: Many people think it’s a strange job to have. They don’t believe in the Loch Ness monster, but I know it’s out there somewhere.   SUMMARY   The interviewer asked Mr Fogarty what he did. He explained that he was investigating the Loch Ness Monster. He said that every day he 17to Loch Ness and 18 for the monster to appear. He claimed that he 19 the monster. He said that it 20 very foggy and he 21 to take a photograph, but unfortunately his camera 22. He said that he 23 it again if he 24 lucky. He admitted that many people 25 his job was strange. He said that they 26 in the Loch Ness monster, but he 27 it was out there somewhere.