REPORTED SPEECH ACTIVITIES AND EXERCISES
Choose the right form:
Tom said, 'I want to visit my friends this weekend.'
 Tom said he wanted to visit his friends that weekend.
 Tom said he wants to visit his friends that weekend.
 Tom said he wanted to visit his friends this weekend.
Jerry said, 'I'm studying English a lot at the moment.'
 Jerry said he was studying English a lot at the moment.
 Jerry said he was studying English a lot at that moment.
 Jerry said I was studying English a lot at that moment.
They said, 'We've lived here for a long time.'
 They said they lived here for a long time.
 They said they have lived there for a long time.
 They said they had lived there for a long time.
He asked me, 'Have you finished reading the newspaper?'
 He asked me if I had finished reading the newspaper.
 He asked me if had I finished reading the newspaper.
 He asked me if I finished reading the newspaper.
'I get up every morning at seven o'clock.', Peter said.
 Peter said I got up every morning at seven o'clock.
 Peter said he got up every morning at seven o'clock.
 Peter said he had got up every morning at seven o'clock.
Susan reassured me, 'I can come tonight.'
 Susan told me she could come that night.
 Susan told me I could come that night.
 Susan told me she could come tomorrow evening.
She said, 'I really wish I had bought that new car.'
 She told me she really wished she bought that new car.
 She told me she really had wished she had bought that new car.  She told me she really wished she had bought that new car.
Jack said, 'He must be guilty!'  Jack said he must have been guilty.  Jack said he must have be guilty.  Jack said he must has been guilty.
 Cheryl asked her how long she has lived there.
 Cheryl asked her how long she had lived there.
Cheryl asked her, 'How long have you lived here?'
 Cheryl asked her how long she lived there.
He said, 'I must get going. Otherwise, I'm going to be late.'  He told me he had to get going. Otherwise, he was going to be late.
 He told me he had to get going. Otherwise, I was going to be late.  He told me he has to get going. Otherwise, he was going to be late.
She said, 'I've worked here since I left my last job.'
 She told me that she worked there since she had left her last job.
 She told me that she had worked there since she had left her last job.  She told me that she had worked there since she left her last job.
You said, 'I will help you!'
 You said you would help me!  You said I would help you!  You said you would help her!
She asked me, 'When are we going to leave?'
 She asked me when we were going to leave.
 She asked me when she was going to leave.
 She asked me when we are going to leave.
Peter said, 'I may bring someone with me to the party.'
 Peter said he might bring someone with him to the party.
 Peter said he might have brought someone with him to the party.  Peter said he might bring someone with her to the party.
My friend said, 'I will have finished my homework by the time you arrive.'
 My friend told me he would have finished his homework by the time I arrived.
 My friend told me he would have finished his homework by the time he arrived.
 My friend told me he would had finished his homework by the time I arrived.
Mark asked me, 'Why do you want to study Russian?'
 Mark asked me why did I want to study Russian.
 Mark asked her why I wanted to study Russian.
 Mark asked me why I wanted to study Russian.
Marcia said, 'I have been waiting for you for over an hour.'  Marcia said she had been waiting for me for over an hour.
 Marcia said she was waiting for me for over an hour.
 Marcia said she had waited for me for over an hour.
Alison said, 'I had eaten before you arrived.'
 Alison told me she had eaten before I had arrived.
 Alison told me I had eaten before I had arrived.  Alison told me she had eaten before she had arrived.
Lenny sang, 'I want to get away, I want to fly away.'
 Lenny sang he wanted to get away, he wanted to fly away.
 Lenny sings he wanted to get away, he wanted to fly away.
 Lenny sang he wanted to get away, he wants to fly away.
Jason asked me, 'Are you coming with me?'
 Jason asked me if I was coming with you.
 Jason asked me if I came with him.
 Jason asked me if I was coming with him.
Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense by moving the reported verb one step back into the past when necessary.
I'm working in Dallas today. / He said he _____ (work) in Dallas that day.
I think he will win the election. / She said she _____ (think) he _____ (win) the election.
Anna lives in London. / Peter says Anna _____ (live) in London.
My father is going to visit us next week. / Frank said his father ______ (visit) them the following week.
They bought a brand new Mercedes! / She said they _____ (buy) a brand new Mercedes.
I have worked at the company since 1997. / She said she _____ (work) at the company since 1997.
They are watching TV at the moment. / She said they _____ (watch) TV at that moment.
Francis drives to work every day. / He said Francis _____ (drive) to work every day.
Susan is flying to Chicago tomorrow. / Susan said she _____ (fly) to Chicago the next day.
George went to the hospital last night. / Peter said that George _____ (go) to the hospital the preceding night.
I enjoy playing golf on Saturdays. / Ken says that he _____ (enjoy) playing golf on Saturdays.
I will change jobs soon. / Jennifer told me she _____ (change) jobs soon.
Frank is getting married in July. / Anna tells me that Frank ______ (get married) in July.
October is the best month of the year. / The teacher says that October _____ (be) the best month of the year.
Sarah wants to buy a new house. / Jack told me that his sister ______ (want) to buy a new house.
They are working hard on the new project. / The boss told me that they _____ (work) hard on the new project.
We've lived here for ten years. / Frank told me that they _____ (live) there for ten years.
I take the subway to work every day. / Ken tells me he _____ (take) the subway to work every day.
Put the following paragraph in the reported speech into conversational form using direct speech.
Peter introduced me to Jack who said he was pleased to meet me. I replied that it was my pleasure, and that I hoped Jack was enjoying his
stay in Seattle. He said he thought Seattle was a beautiful city, but that it rained too much. He said that he had been staying at the Bayview
Hotel for three weeks, and that it hadn't stopped raining since he had arrived. Of course, he said, this wouldn't have surprised him if it hadn't
been July! Peter replied that he should have brought warmer clothes. He then continued by saying that he was going to fly to Hawaii the
following week, and he that he couldn't wait to enjoy some sunny weather. Both Jack and I commented that Peter was a lucky person indeed.
Ask you partner the following questions making sure to take good notes. After you have finished the questions, find a new partner
and report what you have learnt about your first partner using reported speech.
Orale in classe
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What is your favorite sport and how long have you been playing/doing it?
What are your plans for your next vacation?
How long have you known your best friend? Can you give me a description of him/her?
What kind of music do you like? Have you always listened to that kind of music?
What did you use to do when you were younger that you don't do anymore?
Do you have any predictions about the future?
Can you tell me what you do on a typical Saturday afternoon?
What were you doing yesterday at this time?
Which two promises will you make concerning learning English?
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verb object
infinitive
verb
infinitive
verb (that)
verb gerund
verb object
preposition
gerund
verb
preposition
gerund
deny
recommend
suggest
accuse
blame
congratulate
apologize
insist
advise
encourage
invite
remind
warn
agree
decide
offer
promise
refuse
threaten
admit
agree
decide
deny
explain
insist
promise
recommend
suggest
Examples:
Jack
encouraged me
to look for a
new job.
Examples:
She offered
to give him a
lift to work.
Examples:
Tom admitted
(that) he had
tried to leave
early.
They invited all
their friends to
attend the
presentation.
My brother
refused to
take no for
an answer.
Examples:
He denied
having
anything to
do with her.
Ken
suggested
studying early
in the
morning.
She agreed
(that) we
needed to
reconsider our
plans.
Examples:
They accused
the boys of
cheating on
the exam.
She blamed
her husband
for missing
the train.
Examples:
He
apologized
for being
late.
She insisted
on doing the
washing up.
Vocal Verbs
Vocal verbs provide information on the tone of the statement. They are grouped by a general indication of the type of statement made.
Say Suddenly
blurt exclaim
gasp
snap
Examples:
Alison blurted out the answer.
Jack gasped in reaction to the scene.
Provide Advice / Opinion
Examples:
I snapped a quick response to his question.
advise
argue
caution
note
observe
warn
Pete cautioned the children to be careful. The teacher observed that the exercise was difficult.
Say Loudly
exclaim
bellow call
cry
scream
shout yell
Examples:
She shouted out the answer.
The boys screamed as they dived into the cold water.
The mother cried out in disdain when her son was accused of the crime.
Say Softly
The following four vocal verbs are often used as a complaint.
Groan moan mumble
mutter
whisper
Examples: Jack mumbled his responses to the questions. He muttered so badly that they couldn't understand him. I moaned that I was hurt.
Say with Authority /
Command
announce
assert
order
The teacher announced the exam at the end of the week. Jane asserted her rights as a voter. The police ordered the protesters away from the area.
Vocal Adverbs
Vocal verbs provide information on the manner in which the statement is made. Vocal adverbs are often used to provide
additional information on the feeling that the speaker has when making a statement.
admiringly - indicates: respect for someone
Example:
Alice admiringly noticed his clothes.
angrily - indicates: with anger
Example:
She angrily denounced his crimes.
casually - indicates: without much importance
Example:
She casually conceded her mistake.
cautiously - indicates: in a careful manner
Example:
She cautiously mentioned the extra homework.
cheerfully - indicates: joy, happiness
Example:
Frank cheerfully agreed to do the job.
decisively - indicates: belief in statement made
Example:
Ken decisively replied to the question.
defiantly - indicates: challenge to something
Example:
Peter defiantly taunted his classmates.
formally - indicates: proper, correct
Example:
Josh formally complained to the personnel department.
gloomily - indicates: without much belief in something
Example:
I gloomily remarked that I was aware of the problem.
harshly - indicates: critical judgement
Example:
The teacher harshly scolded the children.
jealously - indicates: wanting something that someone else has
Example: Mary jealously whined the wanted some of the ice cream.
meekly - indicates: without much conviction
Example:
Jennifer meekly mumbled her apology.
mysteriously - indicates: mystery, unexplained situations Example:
Susan mysteriously warned us about the town in Utah.
offensively - indicates: rudeness
Example:
Alan offensively argued his point about schooling.
sadly - indicates: sadness
Example:
Thomas sadly observed that his business was bankrupt.
serenely - indicates: peace, complete belief in something Example:
Alice serenely responded to the investigators questions.
shyly - indicates: without conviction, shyness
Example:
The customer shyly complained about the food to the manager.
sternly - indicates: authority
Example:
The teacher sternly stated that all reports were due on Friday.
thankfully - indicates: gratitude
Example:
Jane thankfully accepted the job offer.
wisely - indicates: wisdom, smart decision
Example:
Angela wisely commented on the situation.