Reported Speech Exercise

DIRECT
is seeing
sees
saw
has seen
will see
is going to see
can see

REPORTED
was seeing
saw
saw/had seen
had seen
would see
was going to see
could see

She said, We ... . She said that they ...

DIRECT
here
this
these
now
today
yesterday
tomorrow

REPORTED
there
that
those
then
that day
the previous day
the next day

They said to him, ... . They told him that ...

A Convert the phrases below into reported speech.

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"It's raining," she said.

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He said to her, "I love you."

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"I saw Mara in the supermarket yesterday," said Carlos.

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"We've lived here for three years," he said.

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"I'll bring a pasta salad," said Francesca.

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"Mark's going to install solar panels," said Miranda.

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"They found gold here," said the geology teacher.

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"Jenny can't speak French," said Pierre.
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"I first met my wife in Seville," he told them.

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10

"I want your homework handed in by tomorrow," he said to the class.

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11

"My mother made these cakes," said Juan.

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12

"I'm feeling tired now," said David.

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B Now write some examples of your own.

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www.autoenglish.org

Written by Bob Wilson Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2009

Answers
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She said (that) it was raining.

He told her (that) he loved her.
Carlos said (that) he saw/had seen Mara in the supermarket the previous day.
He said (that) they had lived there for three years.
Francesca said (that) she would bring a pasta salad.
Miranda said (that) Mark was going to install solar panels.
The geology teacher said (that) they had found gold there.
Pierre said (that) Jenny couldn't speak French.
He told them (that) he first met/ had first met his wife in Seville.
He told the class (that) he wanted their homework handed in by the next day.
Juan said (that) his mother made/had made those cakes.
David said (that) he was feeling tired then.

www.autoenglish.org

Written by Bob Wilson Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2009