Reported speech
Task 1. Read the pairs of sentences. Then correct the mistakes in the reported speech.
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1. ‘Recycling waste is very important to me.’ |
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She told to me that recycling waste was very important to her. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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2. ‘I’m going to meet a group of activists.’ |
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He told me that he met a group of activists. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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3. ‘Maja called me.’ |
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He said that Maja has called him. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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4. ‘We’ll meet you.’ |
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They told us that they will meet us. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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5. ‘We haven’t received your application.’ |
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They told her that we hadn’t received your application. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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6. ‘I’ll see you at the party, Matt.’ |
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She told Matt that she will see him at the party. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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7. ‘I’ve already sent you an email explaining the situation.’ |
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He said that he already sent an email explaining the situation. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
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8. ‘I can collect the documents.’ |
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She told to her manager that she could collect the documents. |
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______________________________________________________________. |
Task 2. Complete the reported statements.
1. Sarah: ‘Can you tell us your job interview story?’
🡪 Sarah asked Vernon ______________________________ job interview story.
2 Vernon: ‘I run a small company and I was looking for a new accountant.’
🡪 Vernon said ______________________________ and ___________________________ for a new accountant.
3. Shirley: ‘Interviewees should always switch their phones off during the interview.’
🡪 Shirley said ______________________________________________ during the interview.
4. Robert: ‘I recently interviewed a young woman. I don’t think she was very well prepared.’ 🡪 Robert said ______________________________ a young woman. He also said ________ _____________________________ very well prepared.
5. Jennifer: ‘I interviewed somebody this morning and offered him the job.’
🡪 Jennifer said _________________________________________________ him the job.
6. Sarah: ‘We have time for one more caller. So, Jennifer, tell us your story.’
🡪 Sarah said ______________________________ and asked Jennifer ____________ ______________________ story.
Task 3. Write the conversation in reported speech. Use the reporting verbs in brackets.
A: Have we met before? (ask)
B: I’m not sure. (reply)
A: Were you at Sam’s party a few weeks ago? (want to know)
B: I don’t know anyone called Sam. (tell)
A: Wait, I think I saw you on a bus last week. (say)
B: I never take the bus. (tell)
A: I know! We went to the same school ten years ago! (realise)
B: I still don’t remember you. Sorry. (say)
I met my husband in the funniest way. It was about five years ago. He walked up to me in a café and asked me …
ANSWER KEY
Task 1.
1. She told to me that recycling waste was very important to her.
2. He told me that he met a group of activists.
3. He said that Maja had called him.
4. They told us that they will meet us。
5. They told her that we hadn't received your application。
6. She told Matt that she will see him at the party。
7. He said that he already sent an email explaining the situation。
8. She told to her manager that she could collect the documents。
Task 2.
1. if/whether he could tell them his
2. (that) he ran a small company, (that) he had been looking
3. (that) interviewees should always switch their phones off
4. (that) he had recently interviewed, (that) he didn’t think she had been
5. (that) she had interviewed somebody that morning and had offered
6. (that) they had time for one more caller, to tell them her
Task 3.
I met my husband in the funniest way. It was about five years ago. He walked up to me in a café and asked me if we’d (we had) met before. I replied (that) I wasn’t sure. He wanted to know if I’d (I had) been at Sam’s party a few weeks before, but I told him (that) I didn’t know anyone called Sam. Then he said (that) he thought he’d (he had) seen me on a bus the previous week / week before, but I told him (that) I never took/take the bus. Finally, he realised (that) we had gone to the same school ten years before, but I said (that) I was sorry, but I still didn’t remember him.