REPORTED SPEECH
STATEMENTS
Students are asked to assume that these sentences are spoken and reported on different days.
Put the following into indirect speech.
1 1 have something to show you,' I said to her.
2 'Nothing grows in my garden. It never gets any sun,' she said.
3 I'm going away tomorrow, mother,' he said.
4 I've been in London for a month but so far I haven't had time to visit the Tower,' said Rupert.
5 It isn't so foggy today as it was yesterday,' I remarked.
6 'The new underpass is being officially opened the day after tomorrow, 'said the BBC
announcer.
7 'We have moved into our new flat. We don't like it nearly so much as our last one,' said my aunt.
8 'We have a lift but very often it doesn't work,' they said.
9 'From one of the windows of my flat I can see the Eiffel Tower,' he said.
10 I've no idea what the time is but I'll dial 8081 and find out,' said his daughter.
11 He said, 'My wife has just been made a judge.'
12 I'll come with you as soon as I am ready,' she replied.
13 I have a German lesson this afternoon and I haven't done my homework yet,' said the small boy.
14 If you let the iron get too hot you will scorch your clothes,' I warned her.
15 'You haven't given me quite enough. The bill is for Ј14 and you've paid me only Ј13,'
he pointed out.
16 Ann said, 'Englishmen make good husbands because they are nearly always willing to help in the house.'
17 Mary answered, I like men to be useful but I don't like them to be too domesticated. I
prefer them to keep out of the kitchen altogether. Men look silly in aprons anyway.'
18 Motoring report: The new Rolls Royce runs so quietly that all you can hear is the
ticking of the clock.
Managing director of the Rolls Royce company: In that case we'll have to do
something about the clock.
19 1 don't know what to do with all my plums. I suppose I'll have to make jam. The
trouble is that none of us eats jam,' she said.
20 'We like working on Sundays because we get double pay,' explained the builders.
21 He said, I am quite a good cook and I do all my own washing and mending too.'
22 'You can keep that one if you like, Joan,' he said. I've got plenty of others.'
23 I'm going fishing with mother this afternoon,' said the small boy, 'and we are going into the garden now to dig for worms.' (Omit now).
24 'You've got my umbrella,' I said crossly. 'Yours is in your bedroom.'
25 I know exactly what they said,' the private detective explained to his client, 'because I bugged their phone.'
26 I'll sit up till she comes in, but I hope she won't be late,' he said.
27 If you give me some wire, I'll hang that picture for you,' said my cousin.
28 I have a Turkish bath occasionally, but it doesn't seem to make any difference to my
weight.,' she said.
29 This is quite a good model, madam. I use one of these myself,' said the salesman.
30 'My new house is supposed to be haunted, but so far I haven't seen any ghosts,' she
said.
31 The advertisement said, If you answer the questions correctly you may win Ј100.'
32 If I press my ear against the wall, I can hear what the people in the next
QUESTIONS.
1 'Why are you looking through the keyhole?' I said.
2 'Who put salt in my coffee?' he asked.
3 'Which of you knows how to make Irish stew?' said the chief cook.
4 'Why did you travel first class?' I asked him.
5 'How can I run in high-heeled shoes?' she enquired.
6 'What is your new house like?' I asked them.
7 He said, 'Where am I supposed to go now?' (Omit now.)
8 'Whose car did you borrow last night?' I said to him.
9 'What was she wearing when you saw her last?' the policeman asked me.
10 'Who owns this revolver?' said the detective.
11 'Where were you last night, Mr Jones?' he said.
12 'What else did you see?' I asked the boy.
13 'Have you done this sort of work before?' said his new employer.
14 'Can you read the last line on the chart?' the oculist asked her.
15 'Did they understand what you said to them?' he asked me.
16 'Are you being attended to, sir?' said the shop assistant.
17 'Will you go on strike when the others do?' the shop steward asked him.
18 'Do you see what I see, Mary?' said the young man.
19 'Who left the banana skin on the front doorstep?' said my mother.
20 'Have you gone completely mad?' I asked. 'Do you want to blow us all up?'
21 'Why is your house so full of antiques?' she asked. 'Was your father a collector?'
22 'Are you leaving today or tomorrow morning?' said his secretary.
23 'How far is it?' I said, 'and how long will it take me to get there?'
24 'Could I speak to Mrs Pitt?' said the caller.
I'm afraid she's out,' said the au pair girl. 'Could I take a message?'
I'm afraid she's out,' said the au pair girl. 'Could I take a message?'
25 'Are you sorry for what you did?' the mother asked the little boy.
26 'Are you going to see him off at the station?' I asked her.
27 'Would you mind if I looked inside your bag, Madam?' said the policeman.
28 If someone fell at your feet foaming at the mouth would you know what to do?' said the instructor in First Aid.
29 'Why do you think it may be dangerous?' he asked her.
30 'Do you know that the shoes you are wearing aren't a pair?' I asked him.
COMMANDS, REQUESTS
1 'Switch off the TV,' he said to her.
2 'Shut the door, Tom,' she said.
3 'Lend me your pen for a moment,' I said to Mary.
4 'Don't watch late-night horror movies,' I warned them.
5 'Don't believe everything you hear,' he warned me.
6 'Please fill up this form,' the secretary said.
7 'Don't hurry,' I said.
8 'Don't touch that switch, Mary,' I said.
9 'Open the safe!' the raiders ordered the bank clerk.
10 'Please do as I say,' he begged me.
11 'Help your mother, Peter,' Mr Pitt said.
12 'Don't make too much noise, children,' he said
MIXED TYPES
Put the following into indirect speech, avoiding as far as possible the verbs say, ask and tell and choosing instead from the following:
accept, accuse, admit, advise, agree, apologize, assure, beg, call (=summon), call (+noun/pronoun+noun), complain, congratulate, deny, exclaim, explain, give, hope, insist, introduce, invite, offer, point out, promise, protest, refuse, remark, remind, suggest, thank, threaten, warn, wish.
accept, accuse, admit, advise, agree, apologize, assure, beg, call (=summon), call (+noun/pronoun+noun), complain, congratulate, deny, exclaim, explain, give, hope, insist, introduce, invite, offer, point out, promise, protest, refuse, remark, remind, suggest, thank, threaten, warn, wish.
1 He said, 'Don't walk on the ice; it isn't safe.'
2 'Miss Brown, this is Miss White. Miss White, Miss Brown,' he said.
3 'Here are the car keys. You'd better wait in the car,' he said to her.
4 'Please, please, don't tell anyone,' she said.
I won't, I promise,' I said.
I won't, I promise,' I said.
5 'Would you like my torch?' I said, holding it out.
'No, thanks,' he said. I have one of my own.' {Omit thanks)
'No, thanks,' he said. I have one of my own.' {Omit thanks)
6 Tom: I'll pay.
Ann: Oh no, you mustn't!
Tom: I insist on paying!
Tom: I insist on paying!
7 'Come in and look round. There's no obligation to buy,' said the shopkeeper.
8 If you don't pay the ransom, we'll kill the boy,' said the kidnappers.
9 I won't answer any questions,' said the arrested man.
10 'He expects a lot of work for very little money,' complained one of the typists.
'Yes, he does,' agreed the other.
'Yes, he does,' agreed the other.
11 I wish it would rain,' she said.
12 'You pressed the wrong button,' said the mechanic. 'Don't do it again. You might have a nasty accident.'
13 'Your weight's gone up a lot!' I exclaimed.
'I'm afraid it has,' she said sadly.
'I'm afraid it has,' she said sadly.
14 1 hope you'll have a good journey,' he said. 'Don't forget to send a card when you arrive.'
15 'Hurrah! I've passed the first exam!' he exclaimed.
'Congratulations!' I said, 'and good luck with the second.'
'Congratulations!' I said, 'and good luck with the second.'
16 'All right, I'll wait a week,' she said. (Omit all right)
17 'Many happy returns of your birthday!' we said.
'Thanks,' said the boy.
'Thanks,' said the boy.
18 'Your door is the shabbiest in the street, 'said the neighbour.
It is,' I said.
It is,' I said.
19 'Cigarette?'-
'Thanks,' I said.
'Thanks,' I said.
20 I'll sell the TV set if you keep quarrelling about the programme,' said their mother.
'No, don't do that! We won't quarrel any more,' said the children.
'No, don't do that! We won't quarrel any more,' said the children.
21 I'll give you Ј500 to keep your mouth shut,' he said to me.
22 I'll wait for you, I promise,' he said to me.
23 I'm sorry I'm late,' she said. 'The bus broke down.'
24 'You've been leaking information to the Press!' said his colleagues.
'No, I haven't,' he said. 'Liar!' said Tom.
'No, I haven't,' he said. 'Liar!' said Tom.
25 I'll drop you from the team if you don't train harder,' said the captain.
26 If the boys do anything clever, you call them your sons,' complained his wife. 'But if they do anything stupid, you call them mine.'
27 'Let's have a rest,' said Tom.
'Yes, let's,' said Ann.
'Yes, let's,' said Ann.
28 'Ugh! There's a slug in my lettuce. Waiter!' he cried.
INDIRECT TO DIRECT SPEECH
Put the following into direct speech, using dialogue form:
Tom: Would you like to come for a drive tomorrow, Ann?
Ann: I'd love to etc.
Tom: Would you like to come for a drive tomorrow, Ann?
Ann: I'd love to etc.
Trip to Stratford
1 Tom invited Ann to come for a drive the following day.
2 Ann accepted with pleasure and asked where he was thinking of going.
3 He said he'd leave it to her.
4 She suggested Stratford . . .
5 adding that she hadn't been there for ages.
6 Tom agreed and said that they might go on the river if it was a fine day.
7 Ann wondered what was on at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
8 Tom said they'd find out when they got there ...
9 adding that it was usually possible to get seats on the day of the play.
10 He asked Ann if she could be ready by ten.
11 Ann said with regret that she couldn't as she had to type a report first.
12 Tom expressed horror at the idea of working on Saturday . . .
13 and advised her to change her job.
14 She told him not to be ridiculous and explained that . . .
15 she had volunteered to type the report in return for a free afternoon the following week.
16 She pointed out that she hadn't known that he was going to ask her out.
17 Tom said he supposed it was all right but . . .
18 warned her not to make a habit of volunteering for weekend work.
19 Ann promised not to.
20 Tom said gloomily that he supposed she'd be busy all morning.
21 Ann assured him that she'd be finished by 11.00 and . . .
22 offered to meet him at the bus stop at Hyde Park Corner.
23 Tom said that it wasn't a very good meeting place and that he'd call for her.
24 Ann said that that was very kind of him and that she'd be waiting in the hall.
Hill climb
25 Tom suggested climbing to the top, adding that the view from there was marvellous ...
26 but Ann said that they'd been climbing for three hours and that she was too tired to go any further.
27 She suggested that Tom should go on up while she went down and waited there.
28 Tom agreed and handed her the car keys, advising her to wait in the car.
29 He promised to be as quick as he could.
30 Ann said that if he was too long there'd be no lunch left, for she'd have eaten it all.
