1. Complete the reported speech. Use the past simple, could / couldn’t, past continuous or past perfect.
1 ‘I’m going out,’ she said.
She said that …she was going out. …………
2 ‘I don’t speak French,’ he said.
He said that ……………………………………… .
3 ‘I saw a good film in London,’ he said.
He said that ……………………………………… .
4 ‘We can’t come to the party,’ they said.
They said that ……………………………………… .
5 ‘It’s very cold outside,’ she said.
She said that ……………………………………… .
6 ‘I didn’t do my homework,’ he said.
He said that ……………………………………… .
7 ‘We live in a small village,’ they said.
They said that ……………………………………… .
8 ‘He can type really fast,’ she said.
She said that ……………………………………… .
9 ‘It’s snowing,’ he said.
He said that ……………………………………… .
10 ‘Somebody stole my wallet,’ he said.
He said that ……………………………………… .
Answer
1 he didn’t speak French.
2 he had seen a good film in London.
3 they couldn’t come to the party.
4 they couldn’t come to the party.
5 it was very cold outside.
6 he hadn’t done his homework.
7 they lived in a small village.
8 he could type really fast.
9 it was snowing.
10 somebody had stolen his wallet.
2. Change the reported speech to direct speech.
1 He said that he hadn’t slept well.
I didn’t sleep well.
2 They said that they hadn’t read the newspaper.
…………………………………
3 She said that drug dealers were criminals.
…………………………………
4 He said that he wasn’t wearing a coat.
…………………………………
5 She said that she couldn’t swim.
…………………………………
6 He said he had bought a DVD.
…………………………………
7 She said that she had wanted to go to bed.
…………………………………
8 He said he couldn’t hear me.
…………………………………
Answer
2 We didn’t read the newspaper.
3 Drug dealers are criminals.
4 I’m not wearing a coat.
5 I can’t swim.
6 I’ve bought a DVD.
7 I wanted to go to bed.
8 I can’t hear you.
3. Read the dialogue and report it as direct speech.
Fred I read a really good detective story recently.
Liz I can’t stand detective stories. I’m reading a horror story.
Fred I like horror stories too. I read part of Frankenstein in the summer holidays. My parents gave it to me for my birthday.
Liz I didn’t enjoy Frankenstein.
Fred I think it’s brilliant.
Liz The ending isn’t very good.
Fred I don’t want to know the ending.
Liz I’m not going to tell you!
Fred said that 1 …he had read a good detective story recently………..
Liz said that 2…………………………………………. .
She said that 3…………………………………………. .
Fred said that 4…………………………………………. .
He said that 5…………………………………………. .
He said that 6…………………………………………. .
Liz said that 7…………………………………………. .
Fred said that 8…………………………………………. .
Liz said that 9…………………………………………. .
Fred said that 10…………………………………………. .
Liz said that 11…………………………………………. .
Answer
2 she couldn’t stand detective stories.
3 she was reading a horror story.
4 he liked horror stories too.
5 he had read part of Frankenstein in the summer holidays.
6 his parents had given it to him for his birthday.
7 she hadn’t enjoyed Frankenstein.
8 he thought it was brilliant.
9 the ending wasn’t very good.
10 she wasn’t going to tell him.
Challenge!
Listen and report what the people say. Use the correct tense and pronouns.
1 He said he was tired.
2 ………………………………………
3 ………………………………………
4 ………………………………………
5 ………………………………………
6 ………………………………………
7 ………………………………………
8 ………………………………………
Answer
2 She said that David was reading.
3 He said that he couldn’t sleep.
4 He said that he hadn’t seen the burglar.
5 She said that she liked rap music.
6 He said that they were going out this evening.
7 She said that she could swim really well.
8 She said that she had given her a CD for Christmas.
Transcript
1 I’m tired.
2 David is reading
3 I can’t sleep.
4 I didn’t see the burglar.
5 I like rap music.
6 We’re going out this evening.
7 I can swim really well.
8 She gave me a CD for Christmas.
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