REPORTING VERBS Exercise REVISION

Choose a verb from the box to rewrite each of the sentences below. Keep the same meaning
as in the original sentence. Use each verb only once, and use its past simple form.
complain   admit   suggest   deny   refuse   offer   agree   promise
 

1 I’ll give you a lift to the station if you want.

She   to give him a lift to the station. 

2 Yes, OK. I'll lend you my car, but please be careful with it.

He   to lend him his car. 

3 Yes, it was me: I broke the photocopier.

She   breaking the photocopier. 

4 No, it wasn't me: I didn't break the photocopier.

She   breaking the photocopier. 

5 I'll leave the office early tomorrow, and I’ll be back home before 5 o’clock.

He   to be home before 5 o’clock. 

6 This coffee is cold! Please bring me another!

She   that the coffee was cold. 

7 Sorry, I won't help you with those invoices. It’s your job, not mine.

She   to help with the invoices. 

8 What about if we meet on Wednesday?
She   meeting on Wednesday.
Choose the correct reporting verb from this list and finish the reported speech for each
example.

Told Suggested

Said Asked

Advised Offered

Warned Ordered

1. "I'd go and see a doctor if I were you," Julie said to me.

Julie   me to go and see a doctor.

2. "Can you come and help me with this box?"

John   me to help him with the box.

3. "This is an exam Mr. Jenkins!! Shut up now!!!"

The headmaster   Mr. Jenkins to shut up.

4. "That road is very dangerous so just be very careful!"

His mother   him that the road was very dangerous and to be careful.

5. "Liverpool won the match last night."

The journalist   that Liverpool had won the match the previous night.

6. "Why don't we go and see that new film at the cinema."

Bill   going to see the new film at the cinema.

7. "I can come and look after the children tomorrow night."
Jane   to come and look after the children the following day.

8. "The lesson starts at six o'clock in the evening."

The teacher   us that the lesson started at six in the evening.
COMPLETE WITH THE CORRECT PREPOSITION:

The line graph compares the number of car thefts for every thousand vehicles in
four countries …………………… 1990 …………………… 1999. Overall, it can
be seen that car thefts were far higher in Great Britain than in the other three
counties throughout the whole time frame.
To begin, car thefts in Sweden, France and Canada followed a fairly similar pattern
over the first five years, all remaining …………………… +…………………… 5
and 10 per thousand. The general trend though for France and Canada was a
decline …………………… the number of vehicles stolen over the period, with
both …………………… around 6 in 1999. In contrast, Sweden experienced an
upward trend, starting the period …………………… approximately 8, and
finishing …………………… just under 15.
Interestingly, car thefts in Great Britain started …………………… 18 per
thousand, which far exceeded that of the other countries. It then fluctuated over the
next nine years, reaching a peak …………………… 20 thefts per 1000 in 1996,
and ending the period slightly lower than where it
began, …………………… approximately 17 per thousand.

FIND THE RIGHT VERB AND CONJUGATE IT

The graph illustrates trends in music buying habits between 2011 and
2018. It presents three different methods: streaming, downloading and
buying CDs.
Overall, both downloads and physical sales of music ……. steadily ……….
The latter ………………… since 2011, while the downturn for the former
………….. in 2014. However, there …………. a sharp rise in people
streaming music since 2013.
In 2011, the majority of music sales ………… of CDs, at 55% of all sales. In
contrast, streaming ……….. not common at all at only 5%. Also, although
people had started to download music, it only ………………. 35% of sales.
As sales of CDs began to fall, downloads ……………… to rise. They
……………… steadily and downloads overtook physical sales in mid-2013.
During the same period, streaming …………….. to 10% but then it started
to grow more dramatically.
Downloads ……………. in 2014 at about 43% of sales but fell to 30% by
2018. This was slightly higher than physical sales, which …………….. to
25%. Streaming, on the other hand, overtook both of them and accounted
for just over 40% of sales in 2018.

CONNECTORS OF CAUSE AND RESULT:

Conjunctions :

o Because , as, since

o Therefore , as a result, consequently, that’s why,

for this reason, so

o So + adjective or adverb + that

o Such (a) + (adjective)+ noun + that

Connectors followed by a noun sentence, a noun or a gerund:

o Because of, on account of, owing to, due to, as a result of

NOW DO THESE EXERCISES

1. Doctors believe some bacteria are more resistant nowadays … the

misuse of antibiotics.

2. … you have no more money to spend, you will have to stop buying
useless things.

3. He’s embarrassed about being bald … he always wears a wig.

4. I knew I couldn’t win. … , I didn’t play the match and I decided to do

more practice to improve my performance for the next competition.

5. … the traffic jams I arrive late for work every day.

6. She was … annoying woman that no one wanted to invite her to a

party.

7. The students were angry … the teacher didn’t keep her promise to let
them out earlier.

8. You are not following the doctor’s advice … you won’t get better.

9. Edward is … conceited that he won’t even consider the possibility of

not getting the job.

10. … the rain had poured for three days without a rest, there were
floods in the area.