Mastering Reported Speech: Practice and Examples
Reported Speech Exercises
Exercise 1: Rewrite in Reported Speech
Rewrite the following sentences in reported speech.
- “Sally gave me a present yesterday.”
Jack said (that) Sally had given him a present the previous day / the day before. - “I’m working now.”
Alice said (that) she was working then. - “We’ve just spoken to Wayne.”
Marcia mentioned (that) they had just spoken to Wayne. - “Do you want a cup of tea?”
Neil asked me if / whether I wanted a cup of tea. - “You can borrow my bicycle.”
Mark told me (that) I could borrow his bicycle.
Exercise 2: Using Reporting Verbs
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Use the reporting verbs below. Make any necessary changes.
wondered | warned | suggested | explained | reminded
- “Let’s do the project together,” Leonard said.
Leonard suggested doing / that we do the project together. - “When did they build this skyscraper?” asked the tourist.
The tourist wondered when they had built that skyscraper. - “Most shops in town are closed on Sundays,” Jill said.
Jill explained that most shops in town were closed on Sundays. - “Don’t forget to return your library books,” said Claire’s father.
Claire’s father reminded her to return her library books. - “You mustn’t smoke,” the doctor told me.
The doctor warned me not to smoke.
Exercise 3: Verb Forms in Reported Speech
Complete the passage with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
The coach admitted that we had had (have) a difficult season and asked us how we felt (feel) about the next day’s match. He said that he thought we had played (play) beautifully that morning during practice. He predicted that we would do (do) well in the match the following day, and told us not to give up (not give up).
Exercise 4: Using Suitable Reporting Verbs
Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Use a suitable reporting verb below.
wondered | warned | promised | advised | complained
- “We’ll pay for your driving lessons,” my parents said.
My parents promised (that) they would pay for my driving lessons. - “Don’t go out in the storm tomorrow,” the news announcer told people.
The news announcer warned people not to go out in the storm the next day. - “Did you work last weekend?” Jeremy asked us.
Jeremy wondered if we had worked the previous weekend. - “I don’t like the service here,” the customer said.
The customer complained that he / she didn’t like the service there. - “You should start studying tonight for the exam,” Lynn told me.
Lynn advised me to start studying that night for the exam.
Exercise 5: Completing Sentences
Complete the sentences in a logical way using reported speech.
- Our teacher reminded us to submit our assignments by the end of the week.
- Nigel admitted that he had made a mistake in his calculations.
- My sister wondered if she should take up a new hobby to pass the time.
- The tour guide explained that the historical monument had been built in the 16th century.
Exercise 6: Interview with Louis Giovi
Read about an interview with Louis Giovi, a teenage golf star from the United States. Complete it with the correct form of the words in brackets.
When a reporter asked Giovi when he had first got (first / get) into golf, he replied that he had been playing (play) since he was four. The reporter then wondered how Giovi found (find) time for his schoolwork, and Giovi explained that he always did (do) his homework before practicing golf. When asked about his plans, Giovi said that he was preparing (prepare) for the following month’s tournament in Arizona. At the end, he added that even though he was an excellent golfer, his grandmother could beat (can / beat) him at mini-golf!