EXERCISES

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EXERCISES

1.- Put the sentences which follow into reported speech and choose one of the reporting verbs
below for each one.

EXPLAINED ADMITTED COMPLAINED ARGUED PROMISED

-“You never lift a finger to help me”!. His wife…

-“I’ll give you a hand with your homework this evening”. My father…
-“I’m late because the bus broke down”. I…
-“I’m afraid I’ve had an accident with your car”. My friend…
-“John ought to go first because he’s the youngest”. The teacher…

2.- Put the following sentences into reported speech and choose one of these reporting verbs:
ADVISE INVITE RECOMMEND FORBID WARN REMIND
ASK

-“Could you shut the door, please?”. The interviewer…

-“Don’t forget to switch off the fire”. My mother…
-“Would you like to sit down and wait?”. The receptionist…
-“I should lie down, if I were you”. My friend…
-“You mustn’t tell anyone about this product”. My boss…
-“Don’t move or I’ll shoot!”. The gunman…
-“Try to stay at the Imperial Hotel if you can”. Some friends of mine…

3.- Complete the following sentences with either To-Infinitive or a That clause.

-My neighbour invited me….her garden.

-The mechanic warned him…dangerous condition.
-They forbade the children…in the road.
-Didn’t I tell you…my exam with Grade A?.
-I told the children…too much noise.
-Police warned drivers …in the fog.
-I had to remind him…the cat.
-The waiter recommended us…the salmon.
-Why didn’t you remind me…closed on Saturday?.
-The travel agent advised them….because the weather then would be very hot indeed.

4.- Change the following sentences into reported speech.

-“How much do you earn?”. He wanted to know…

-“Where did you buy your watch?. She asked…
-“How many kilos have you lost?”. The doctor asked…
-“When are you coming to stay with me?”. My aunt wanted to know…
-“Why won’t you marry me?”. Her boyfriend wanted to know…
-“Who on earth gave you my address?”. I asked him…
-“Have you got change of a 5 pound note?”. The man asked me…
-“Have you seen Tim today?”. They wanted to know…
-“Will you be at home this weekend?”. I asked if she…
-“Does your wife speak any Portuguese?”. At the interview, they asked…
-“Did you telephone me last night?”. She wanted to know…
 -“Can you lend me 1 pound till tomorrow?”. My friend asked….
-“How are your parents?”. She asked me…
-“Do you like Jazz?”. I asked you…
-“Can I use the telephone, please?”. He asked…
-“Who did you go home with?”. I asked him…

5.- Put the following statements into indirect speech.

-“I’m going out now, but I’ll be in by nine”, he said.
-“I’m working in a restaurant, and don’t much care for it”, she said.
-“I can’t live on my basic salary”, said Peter. “I’ll have to offer to do overtime”.
-“My young brother wants to be a tax inspector”, said Mary. “I can’t think why. None
of my family has ever been a tax inspector”.
-“We’re waiting for the school bus”, said the children. “It’s late again”.
-“I’ve made a terrible mistake!”, said Peter.
“You’re always making terrible mistakes”, I said, “you should be used to it by now”.
-“I’m living with my parents at present”, she said, “but I hope to have a flat of my
own soon”.
-“I’d like to speak to Susan”, said Mary, “but I’m bathing the babies and they will
drown if I leave them alone in the bath while I go to the phone”.

6.- Translate these sentences and then, put them into reported speech.

-“¿Te gustaría ir al cine conmigo?”, Preguntó él.

-Mi hermana dijo:”mañana no te ayudaré con tus deberes”.
-El médico me dijo: “no fumes tanto”.
-Ellos dijeron: “deberíais llevar algo de comida para el viaje”.
-Ellos dijeron: “los estudiantes no habían terminado el examen, cuando el profesor se
marchó”.
-Mi padre nos dijo: “si llueve, no iremos a la playa”.
-Los niños dijeron: “no nos moveremos”.
-Ella dijo: “¿Dónde compró Luis su coche nuevo?.
-Mi hermano dijo: “ ayer comí con mis futuros jefes”.
-El taxista me preguntó: “¿Dónde va usted?”.
-Ella le dijo: “¡Vete y no vuelvas ¡”.
-Los jardineros nos dijeron: “¡no cortéis las flores!”.
-Ángel dijo a su hermana: “si me dices la verdad, te compraré un helado”.
-Pablo me preguntó: “¿dónde has puesto mi camisa verde?”. Yo le respondí: “la acabo
de tirar”.