Oxford English Grammar Course Basic •

Level 1
TEST 20 • indirect speech

Name

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1 Tenses and pronouns. Rewrite the sentences in indirect speech. Begin He/She/They said … .
Where possible, use contracted froms (e.g. wasn’t NOT was not).
SARAH: ‘I’m happy.’
▲

She said (that) she was happy.

1 ANNA: ‘I don’t speak Spanish.’

2 PETER: ‘My girlfriend works for a bank.’

3 KATE: ‘I will meet Harry in the café at 6 o’clock.’

4 JOHN: ‘My sister has passed her driving test.’

5 EMMA: ‘I broke my finger in an accident.’

6 DAVID: ‘I can’t play the guitar very well.’

7 BARBARA: ‘My parents aren’t coming to the party.’

8 TOM AND SUE: ‘We’ve bought a new car.’

9 DANIEL: ‘Nobody wants to go out with me.’

10 MIKE AND ALICE: ‘We’re tired, but it doesn’t matter.’

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2 Said or told? Circle the correct word.
1 Nobody said / told they were hungry.
2 Nobody said / told me there was a problem.
3 Why didn’t you say / tell her the truth?
4 Tony said / told that he wouldn’t wait for us.
5 He was so sad that I didn’t know what to say / tell.

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3 Word order in indirect and polite questions. Rearrange the words and phrases to make complete
sentences and questions.
them / from / they / where / asked / were / he
▲

He asked them where they were from.

1 know / much / shoes / cost / those / don’t / how / I

2 tell / a coffee / can / where / me / you / buy / I / can

?
3 how / I fell asleep, so / the film / you / ends / tell / please can / me
?
4 want / how / much / I / to / for my / know / you paid / don’t / present

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Oxford English Grammar Course • Basic TEST 20 • indirect speech © Michael Swan and Catherine Walter PHOTOCOPIABLE
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4 Here and now / there and then, etc. These sentences were said a month ago in another town.

Level 1
Complete the indirect speech sentences with the correct forms.
‘I like it here.’ She said that she liked it there .
▲

1 These are the shoes I like best.’

She said that were the shoes she best.
2 ‘Do you want to have lunch now?’
She asked me if I to have lunch .
3 ‘I saw your teacher in the supermarket yesterday.’
He told me that he my teacher in the supermarket .
4 ‘I’ll meet you at the shopping centre tomorrow.’
She said she me at the shopping centre .
5 ‘We bought a new car last week.’
They said that they a new car .

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5 Mixed structures. Which sentence(s) is/are correct? Circle A, B or both.
A She thinks it’s going to rain. B She thought it’s going to rain.
▲

1 A I thought I had a problem. B I thought that I had a problem.

2 A I told nothing to the teacher.
3 A She said John the date of the party.
4 A Dad asked where the party was.
5 A She asked me if I had a car.
6 A He thinks he will go by train.
7 A Where did I put my keys?
B I said nothing to the teacher.
B She said her feet were cold.
B Dad asked where was the party.
B She asked me whether I had a car.
B He thinks he would go by train.
B I can’t remember where I put my keys.

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6 Mixed structures. Correct the mistakes or write ‘Correct’.
She said me I was late. told
▲ ▲

I thought I was early. Correct

1 He asked me what did I think.
2 I don’t remember if I locked the door.
3 Nobody knew what the problem is.
4 He wanted to know they were students.
5 They said they had to leave at 8 o’clock.
6 He told the policeman nothing.
7 They didn’t tell what they wanted.
8 Do you know what does this word mean?
9 I knew I would like your friends.
10 They asked her how old was she.
11 I told them they didn’t have to go.
12 He asked them what did they want.
13 Tell me what you would like to drink?
14 He said he had left home week before.

Oxford English Grammar Course • Basic TEST 20 • indirect speech © Michael Swan and Catherine Walter PHOTOCOPIABLE