Name: __________________

Mark:
Teacher:
Date: _____/ _____ / ______

1. Put the following sentences into reported speech. Replace the verb said by a suitable reporting verb from the
list. The first sentence has been done for you as an example.

announced
explained
protested
ordered
admitted
suggested
promised
insisted

a) Yes, I broke that window with my ball, said the boy.

The boy admitted that he had broken the window with his ball.
b) Lets go to the cinema this evening, said David.
____________________________________________________________________
c) Stop crying Anne, or youll stay in your bedroom the whole afternoon, said my father.
____________________________________________________________________
d) You cant take me to prison. I know my rights, the man said to the police officer.
____________________________________________________________________
e) You must come to Sarahs party with me on Sunday, said Tom.
____________________________________________________________________
f) Well, Id like you all to know Emma and I are getting married next summer, James said to
his friends.
_____________________________________________________________________
g) Dont worry, son, Ill fix your bike this weekend, said Mr Turner.
_____________________________________________________________________
h) The delay occurred because of a mechanical problem, said the information officer.
______________________________________________________________________

2. Change the following sentences into reported speech. Assume that the time and place are quite different from
those of the original statements.

a) I just dont know what to do now, Mrs Williams complained. This news has come as a complete shock.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
b) Ive got a job as a computer programmer in London and Im moving there next month, David told his girlfriend.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
c) When did you start getting several backaches, Mrs Darby? asked Dr Martell.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
d) Dont go walking in the fog. It can be dangerous, the mountain guide warned us.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
e) I may be able to give you a lift to Oxford, Sophie, but I wont know until this evening, explained Edward.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
f) Do you know many people here, Martin? I asked.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
g) Go away and stop bothering me ordered my mother.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
h) I want to finish this job today, said the painter.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________
Mark:
Teacher:
Date: _____/ _____ / ______

1. Put the following sentences into reported speech. Replace the verb said by a suitable reporting verb from the list.
The first sentence has been done for you as an example.

announced

i)

explained

j)

protested

k)

ordered
admitted

l)

suggested

m)

promised

n)

insisted
o)
p)

Yes, I broke that window with my ball, said the boy.

The boy admitted that he had broken the window with his ball.
Lets go to the cinema this evening, said David.
____________________________________________________________________
Stop crying Anne, or youll stay in your bedroom the whole afternoon, said my father.
____________________________________________________________________
You cant take me to prison. I know my rights, the man said to the police officer.
____________________________________________________________________
You must come to Sarahs party with me on Sunday, said Tom.
____________________________________________________________________
Well, Id like you all to know Emma and I are getting married next summer, James said to
his friends.
_____________________________________________________________________
Dont worry, son, Ill fix your bike this weekend, said Mr Turner.
_____________________________________________________________________
The delay occurred because of a mechanical problem, said the information officer.
______________________________________________________________________

2. Change the following sentences into reported speech. Assume that the time and place are quite different from
those of the original statements.

i)

I just dont know what to do now, Mrs Williams complained. This news has come as a complete shock.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

j)

Ive got a job as a computer programmer in London and Im moving there next month, David told his girlfriend.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

k) When did you start getting severe backaches, Mrs Darby? asked Dr Martell.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
l)

Dont go walking in the fog. It can be dangerous, the mountain guide warned us.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

m) I may be able to give you a lift to Oxford, Sophie, but I wont know until this evening, explained Edward.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
n) Do you know many people here, Martin? I asked.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
o) Go away and stop bothering me ordered my mother.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
p) I want to finish this job today, said the painter.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer key:
1
a) b) David suggested they (should) go to the cinema that evening./ David suggested going.
c) My father ordered me to stop crying or I would stay in my bedroom the whole
afternoon.
d) The man protested that the police officers couldnt take him to prison. He knew his
rights.
e) Tom insisted that I went to Sarahs party with him on Sunday. / Tom insisted on going
with me to
f) James announced to his friends that he and Emma were getting married the following
summer.
g) Mr Turner promised his son that he would fix his bike that weekend.
h) The information officer explained that the delay had occurred because of a mechanical
problem.
2

a) Mrs Williams complained that she didnt know what to do at that time. The news had
come as a complete shock.
b) David told his girlfriend that he had got a job as a computer programmer in London and
was moving there the following month.
c) Dr Martell asked Mrs Darby when she had started getting severe backaches.
d) The mountain guide warned us not to go walking in the fog it could be dangerous.
e) Edward explained to Sophie that he might be able to give her a lift to Oxford but he
wouldnt know until that evening.
f) I asked Martin if he knew many people there.
g) My mother ordered me to go away and stop bothering her.
h) The painter said that he wanted to finish the job that day / the same day.