Exercise 1
Choose the correct option, A or B.
a Alan suggested …………………. a film.
A to see B seeing
b He promised …………………. me.
A emailing B to email
c They ordered him …………………. them his passport.
A to show B showing
d I …………………. Tony to phone me when he arrived.
A said B told
e The man told us it …………………. later.
A might have rained B might rain
Exercise 2
Choose the correct sentence in each pair.
a Let’s go out for a meal.
A I suggested him to go out for a meal.
B I suggested going out for a meal.
b Don’t snout.
A Harry told me to not shout.
B Harry told me not to shout.
c You’d better go.
A Matthew said Ellen had better go.
B Matthew said Ellen had better have gone.
d Sit down.
A The teacher told the kids sit down.
B The teacher told the kids to sit down.
e You should go to the dentist.
A He thought she should go to the dentist.
B He thought she should have gone to the dentist.
Exercise 3
Rewrite these sentences as reported speech.
a ‘You should see a doctor.’
They told her ……………………….
b ‘Go and do some work.’
I advised him ……………………….
c ‘Sit down!’
The teacher ordered the boy ……………………….
d ‘We might come back later.’
They said ……………………….
e ‘Could you open the door?’
Leo asked me ……………………….
f ‘Why don’t we go to the beach?’
Nick suggested ……………………….
g ‘I couldn’t read the sign.’
She said ……………………….
h ‘We’ll be back by ten.’
They promised ……………………….
i ‘Please, please lend me your bike.’
Dan begged Alan ……………………….
j ‘OK, I’II pick the kids up at six.’
Jules agreed ……………………….
Exercise 4
Rewrite the reported speech as direct speech.
a He said I’d better go because it was late.
b She promised to give up smoking.
c He told me I ought to take the cat to the vets.
d They said they could see us on Saturday.
e The officer said I mustn’t drive so fast.
f Sid begged me not to tell anyone.
g The weatherman warned us it might snow.
h George and Isabelle suggested trying the new cafe.
i The traffic warden ordered me to move my car.
j I told her to wait for me.
Answers
Read the note to find out why.
1
a B -> B d B -> B
b B -> A e B -> C
c A -> A
2 The correct sentences are:
a B -> B d B -> A
b B -> A e A -> C
c A -> C
3
a They told her she should see a doctor.
b I advised him to go and do some work.
c The teacher ordered the boy to sit down.
d They said they might come back later.
e Leo asked me to open the door.
f Nick suggested going to the beach.
g She said she couldn’t read the sign.
h They promised to be back by ten.
i Dan begged Alan to lend him his bike.
j Jules agreed to pick the kids up at six.
4
a ‘You’d better go because it’s late.’
b ‘I promise to give up/I’ll give up smoking.’
c ‘You ought to take the cat to the vet’s.’
d ‘We could see you on Saturday.’
e ‘You mustn’t drive so fast.’
f ‘Please don’t tell anyone.’
g ‘It might snow.’
h ‘Let’s/Why don’t we try the new café?’
i ‘Move your car!’
Notes
A
Use the infinitive or object + infinitive to report orders and promises. In negative statements, not goes between the object and the infinitive.
B
Don’t use the infinitive or object + infinitive after the reporting verbs say and suggest.
C
The verb after would, could, should, ought to, must might and had better doesn’t usually change its form after past reporting verbs.
Review
Reported speech (2)
Orders, requests, promises, etc.
– You can use the infinitive or object + infinitive to report orders, requests, promises, offers, advice, agreements, etc.
‘I’ll write!’ Jill promised to write.
‘We’ll wash up for you.’ They offered to do the washing-up.
‘Keep quiet!’ Mr Sykes ordered the children to keep quiet.
‘You shouldn’t call again.’ He advised me not to call again.
In negative statements not goes between the object and the infinitive.
She told me not to do it. NOT She told me to not do it.
Say and suggest
– You don’t use the infinitive or object + infinitive after the reporting verbs say and suggest. Use told or suggest + –ing form.
He told me to leave. NOT He said me to leave.
Mum told us not to go to the park. NOT Mum said us not to go to the park.
I suggested trying the new café. NOT I suggested to try the new café.
They suggested using their car. NOT They suggested us to use their car.
Would, could, should, etc.
– You don’t usually change the form of the verbs after would, could, should, ought to, must, might and had better after past reporting verbs.
‘I could buy some fruit.’ She said she could buy some fruit.
NOT She said she could have bought some fruit.
‘You’d better stay the night.’ He told me I’d better stay the night.
NOT He told me I’d better have stayed the night.
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