Reported Speech Exercises

Am waiting becomes was waiting in the requested past viewpoint. Ben becomes he; your email becomes my email because Maya is now speaking.

A reported wh-question keeps where, but uses subject + verb. Remove does and backshift stops to stopped.

A negative instruction uses told + person + not to + base verb. Do not drop not.

Tomorrow in the Monday message means Tuesday, not the Wednesday of this report. Will becomes would. On Tuesday 13 October is also an accurate time reference.

Present opens can preserve a fact that is still true. Backshifted opened can also be grammatical. Opened alone does not prove the timetable changed.

Can becomes could when the requested report looks back at his ability. Had to would express obligation, not ability.

Work becomes worked in the past report. Had worked adds an earlier-past relationship that this simple-present statement does not require.

Have finished becomes had finished. The reporting starter already supplies she. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

The requested transformation is left -> had left and my -> his. Past simple can also remain in some natural reports; here the task explicitly asks for past perfect. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

A yes/no question needs if or whether. Use I was, not was I. My refers to Mira, so it becomes her in Dan's report. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

The reported question uses he had left, not had he left. The coach is asking for a reason, so why must remain.

Use whether or if and statement word order. Past perfect normally stays past perfect; there is no further routine backshift. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Report a request with asked + person + to + base verb. Reports commonly omit please, but to please close the side gate is also a natural polite form and earns credit. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Me in Lina's words refers to Lina; your refers to Arun. In Arun's report they become her and my. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Use not to touch after told us. To not touch is also a grammatical placement of not and should not be marked as bad English. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Here becomes there because the report is made in a different place. Friday stays Friday: its reference has not changed.

Yesterday was Sunday relative to Finn's Monday words. The day before or an explicit Sunday date preserves that reference. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Those seats or the seats keeps the theatre reference. A change of viewpoint can change these, but a neutral noun phrase is also accurate. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Has presents the fact as still current. Had can also be grammatical with a past reporting viewpoint; it does not by itself mean the library has gone. This task asks for the current viewpoint. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

The reporting verb is present and the situation is still current, so there is no reason here to change is to was or now to then. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Told needs a listener object: told me. Said can take to me, but not me directly. Told to me is not the standard pattern. Was closed is a valid normal backshift even though the timetable is still current.

Would preserves the future promise from Eli's earlier viewpoint. Could changes it into ability or possibility.

Had to reports the past obligation. That Friday makes the original deadline explicit; by Friday can also be understood from this context. Must may remain in other reports, but this task requests had to. Must for deduction is not mechanically converted to had to. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Should normally stays should in reported advice. Do not invent shoulded or replace advice with an obligation. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Am taking becomes was taking. Your refers to Nia and becomes my when Nia reports it. This retests the listener-to-reporter possessive change in D01. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Have locked becomes had locked. There is no change to the completed action's meaning. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Where is retained; the order becomes I kept. Do disappears and keep backshifts to kept. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

If or whether introduces the yes/no question. Use I had charged, not had I charged. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Use asked me to bring. Your points to Toby and becomes my in Toby's report. Polite please and meaning-preserving bring along variants are also accepted. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Use not to feed. To not feed is also grammatical, although not to is the main teaching pattern here. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Tomorrow referred to Wednesday. The following day, the next day or the explicit Wednesday date keeps the intended day. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Here in the office becomes there from home. At that desk is an accurate explicit reference too. The requested past-perfect shift is had left. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Works presents the job as current; worked is the past reporting viewpoint. The past form alone does not show that he left the charity. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Use told me or said to me; said me is not the standard pattern. The current timetable can be reported with is closed or with normal backshift, was closed. Both keep the meaning in this context. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Can becomes could to report the stated ability from the past viewpoint. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Should stays should when Zoe reports the advice. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Will becomes would to report the earlier promise. Your refers to Rae, so Rae uses my. This is the fresh repair for P16. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Had to preserves the past obligation; that Tuesday identifies the deadline after Alma's Friday statement. This is a new obligation-and-deadline context for P17. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

The original already uses had read. Keep it, add if or whether and use statement order: I had read, not had I read. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Says is a present reporting verb and Elena is still there. Keep is and now. This fresh item retests P14, rather than a different past-reporting fact pattern. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Have printed becomes had printed; your map refers to Cal and becomes my map in Cal's report. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Use his train arrived after what time. Do not retain does or direct-question order.

If and whether are both valid. The requested past perfect is I had checked; no question inversion remains. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Keep not and use an infinitive after told us. To not leave is also grammatical. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Here means the sports centre; tomorrow means Friday relative to Thursday's words. The next day or on Friday also preserves the date. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Has presents the information as current. Had is a valid backshifted report too; it does not mean an exit disappeared. Either preserves the given fact. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Can becomes could for ability; may becomes might for the possibility in this past report. Keep the contrast with but. Repeating he in the second clause is optional because Pavel is the subject of both actions. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.

Suggested + -ing and suggested that + clause can both report the proposal. Suggested us to use is not the appropriate pattern here. This one item is an extension, not proof of B2 level. Only reviewed responses are checked automatically. A different grammatical viewpoint may not meet this task, but unfamiliar wording is not automatically wrong.