Reported speech – Simple Present – Sentences – Exercise
Task no. 2331.
Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.
Abigail, "Isabella hates fish." Abigail said (that)
Abigail said (that) Isabella hated fish .
Do you need help?
Reported speech
- Helen, "I speak English and Spanish." Helen said (that) .
- Ken, "Joy often reads comics." Ken said (that) .
- Harry and Marie, "We go swimming in the lake." Harry and Marie told me (that) .
- Madison, "I'm tired." Madison remarked (that) .
- Amy, "The boys always wear jeans." Amy told me (that) .
- Oliver and Noah, "Our smartphones don't work." Oliver and Noah mentioned (that) .
- Lisa, "Alan sometimes meets friends." Lisa said (that) .
- Andrew, "I really love my moped." Andrew said (that) .
- Nick, "You have a fast car." Nick remarked (that) .
- Josie, "Your dogs are cute." Josie told me (that) .
- You are here:
- Grammar Exercises
- Reported Speech
Reported speech - 1
Reported speech - 2
Reported speech - 3
Worksheets - handouts
Exercises: indirect speech
- Reported speech - present
- Reported speech - past
- Reported speech - questions
- Reported questions - write
- Reported speech - imperatives
- Reported speech - modals
- Indirect speech - tenses 1
- Indirect speech - tenses 2
- Indirect speech - write 1
- Indirect speech - write 2
- Indirect speech - quiz
- Reported speech - tenses
- Indirect speech – reported speech
- Reported speech – indirect speech
- All topics A-Z
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Speaking
- Reading
- Listening
- Writing
- Pronunciation
- Virtual Classroom
- Worksheets by season
- 600 Creative Writing Prompts
- Warmers, fillers & ice-breakers
- Coloring pages to print
- Flashcards
- Classroom management worksheets
- Emergency worksheets
- Revision worksheets
- Resources we recommend
- Copyright 2007-2021 пїЅ
- Submit a worksheet
- Mobile version
Reported Speech
Perfect english grammar.
Reported Statements
Here's how it works:
We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:
- Direct speech: I like ice cream.
- Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)
But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
- Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.
* doesn't change.
- Direct speech: The sky is blue.
- Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.
Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.
Reported Questions
So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?
- Direct speech: Where do you live?
- Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
- Direct speech: Where is Julie?
- Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
- Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
- Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.
Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests
There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:
- Direct speech: Close the window, please
- Or: Could you close the window please?
- Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
- Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
- Direct speech: Please don't be late.
- Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.
Reported Orders
- Direct speech: Sit down!
- Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
- Click here for an exercise to practise reported requests and orders.
- Click here for an exercise about using 'say' and 'tell'.
- Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.
Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.
Read more about our learning method
Search form
- B1-B2 grammar
Reported speech
Daisy has just had an interview for a summer job.
Instructions
As you watch the video, look at the examples of reported speech. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, reported speech correctly.
Sophie: Mmm, it’s so nice to be chilling out at home after all that running around.
Ollie: Oh, yeah, travelling to glamorous places for a living must be such a drag!
Ollie: Mum, you can be so childish sometimes. Hey, I wonder how Daisy’s getting on in her job interview.
Sophie: Oh, yes, she said she was having it at four o’clock, so it’ll have finished by now. That’ll be her ... yes. Hi, love. How did it go?
Daisy: Well, good I think, but I don’t really know. They said they’d phone later and let me know.
Sophie: What kind of thing did they ask you?
Daisy: They asked if I had any experience with people, so I told them about helping at the school fair and visiting old people at the home, that sort of stuff. But I think they meant work experience.
Sophie: I’m sure what you said was impressive. They can’t expect you to have had much work experience at your age.
Daisy: And then they asked me what acting I had done, so I told them that I’d had a main part in the school play, and I showed them a bit of the video, so that was cool.
Sophie: Great!
Daisy: Oh, and they also asked if I spoke any foreign languages.
Sophie: Languages?
Daisy: Yeah, because I might have to talk to tourists, you know.
Sophie: Oh, right, of course.
Daisy: So that was it really. They showed me the costume I’ll be wearing if I get the job. Sending it over ...
Ollie: Hey, sis, I heard that Brad Pitt started out as a giant chicken too! This could be your big break!
Daisy: Ha, ha, very funny.
Sophie: Take no notice, darling. I’m sure you’ll be a marvellous chicken.
We use reported speech when we want to tell someone what someone said. We usually use a reporting verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then change the tense of what was actually said in direct speech.
So, direct speech is what someone actually says? Like 'I want to know about reported speech'?
Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb.
He said he wanted to know about reported speech.
I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted .
Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could ; will changes to would ; etc.
She said she was having the interview at four o’clock. (Direct speech: ' I’m having the interview at four o’clock.') They said they’d phone later and let me know. (Direct speech: ' We’ll phone later and let you know.')
OK, in that last example, you changed you to me too.
Yes, apart from changing the tense of the verb, you also have to think about changing other things, like pronouns and adverbs of time and place.
'We went yesterday.' > She said they had been the day before. 'I’ll come tomorrow.' > He said he’d come the next day.
I see, but what if you’re reporting something on the same day, like 'We went yesterday'?
Well, then you would leave the time reference as 'yesterday'. You have to use your common sense. For example, if someone is saying something which is true now or always, you wouldn’t change the tense.
'Dogs can’t eat chocolate.' > She said that dogs can’t eat chocolate. 'My hair grows really slowly.' > He told me that his hair grows really slowly.
What about reporting questions?
We often use ask + if/whether , then change the tenses as with statements. In reported questions we don’t use question forms after the reporting verb.
'Do you have any experience working with people?' They asked if I had any experience working with people. 'What acting have you done?' They asked me what acting I had done .
Is there anything else I need to know about reported speech?
One thing that sometimes causes problems is imperative sentences.
You mean like 'Sit down, please' or 'Don’t go!'?
Exactly. Sentences that start with a verb in direct speech need a to + infinitive in reported speech.
She told him to be good. (Direct speech: 'Be good!') He told them not to forget. (Direct speech: 'Please don’t forget.')
OK. Can I also say 'He asked me to sit down'?
Yes. You could say 'He told me to …' or 'He asked me to …' depending on how it was said.
OK, I see. Are there any more reporting verbs?
Yes, there are lots of other reporting verbs like promise , remind , warn , advise , recommend , encourage which you can choose, depending on the situation. But say , tell and ask are the most common.
Great. I understand! My teacher said reported speech was difficult.
And I told you not to worry!
Check your grammar: matching
Check your grammar: error correction, check your grammar: gap fill, worksheets and downloads.
What was the most memorable conversation you had yesterday? Who were you talking to and what did they say to you?
Sign up to our newsletter for LearnEnglish Teens
We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.
- Reported Speech — Present Simple — Exercise 1
Reported Speech — Present Simple — Exercise 2
Task: Change the direct speech into reported speech.
Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 1
Task: Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Pay special attention to changing pronouns and time phrases where necessary.
Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 2
Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 3
Task: Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Pay special attention to changing pronouns where necessary.
Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 4
Reported Speech present simple
Loading ad...
Ficha para practicar el reported speech de presente simple a pasado simple.
- Google Classroom
- Microsoft Teams
- Download PDF
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Lisa, "Alan sometimes meets friends." Lisa said (that) . Andrew, "I really love my moped." Andrew said (that) . Nick, "You have a fast car." Nick remarked (that) . Josie, "Your dogs are cute." Josie told me (that) . Sentences in Reported speech in the Simple Present in English in an Online Exercise.
Perfect English Grammar. Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site: ( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech ) Reported Statements: Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy)
ESL Reporting Modal Verbs Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Identifying, Matching, Gap-fill, Rewriting Sentences, Writing a Paragraph - Intermediate (B1) - 30 minutes. In this useful reported speech worksheet, students learn the indirect form of four modal verbs and practice using them in reported speech. First, students read a short dialogue and ...
Worksheets; Explanations; Pinterest; we regularly publish fresh content Hey, Engblocks users! We are celebrating a milestone of 1000 FREE worksheets and online exercises. you can support our website here Reported Speech — Present Simple — Exercise 1. Next Change the direct speech into reported speech. ...
Reported speech 2. Reported requests and orders. Reported speech exercise. Reported questions - worksheet. Indirect speech - worksheet. Worksheets pdf - print. Grammar worksheets - handouts. Grammar - lessons. Reported speech - grammar notes.
Exercises: indirect speech. Reported speech - present. Reported speech - past. Reported speech - questions. Reported questions - write. Reported speech - imperatives. Reported speech - modals. Indirect speech - tenses 1. Indirect speech - tenses 2.
Reported Speech Card Games. For some students, the best way to learn Reported Speech is by reading the statements they have to report. This is why we often write them on the board. Try these card games instead! For the first game, prepare a set of index card each with a direct speech statement on one side and the indirect statement on the other.
14 Reported speech SIMPLE PRESENT English ESL worksheets pdf & doc. SORT BY. Most popular. TIME PERIOD. All-time. ladygargara. Reported Speech. Reported Speech in S. 577 uses. PATRIALUSITANA. ... Activities to practi. 193 uses. Zmarques. Reported Speech. It consists of seven. 101828 uses. MHALM. tense_revision and r. Tenses: Past Perfect. 128 uses.
English grammar exercise about reported speech with the present simple tense. Login Contact Courses Membership Speaking Explanations Exercises Method. Reported Speech Exercise 12. Perfect English Grammar. This reported speech exercise looks at statements using the present simple tense.
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Language: English (en) ID: 68227. 24/03/2020. Country code: ES. Country: Spain. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) Reported Speech with Present Simple. Other contents: Present Simple.
For example, present simple becomes past simple. Do all time expressions remain the same in indirect speech? No, time expressions usually change, e.g., "now" becomes "then," "today" becomes "that day." What's the reporting verb? The verb that introduces indirect speech can be things like, "said," "told," "asked."
Reporting Stupid Quotes. Reported (indirect) speech practice. A variety of reporting verbs are used in the answers. Useful for Trinity GESE grade 8. 20144 uses. A selection of English ESL reported speech (indirect speech) printables.
Yes, and you report it with a reporting verb. He said he wanted to know about reported speech. I said, I want and you changed it to he wanted. Exactly. Verbs in the present simple change to the past simple; the present continuous changes to the past continuous; the present perfect changes to the past perfect; can changes to could; will changes ...
Try this worksheet online. Reported Speech — Present Simple — Exercise 1. English Grammar Worksheet - Reported Speech — Present Simple — Exercise 1|Change the direct speech into reported speech.
Reported Speech. It consists of seventeen statements to rewrite in the reported speech. All the statements are in the Present Simple. An answer key is provided. 101821 uses. Zmarques.
20/11/2021. Country code: MX. Country: Mexico. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) From worksheet author: REPORTED SPEECH. Other contents: INDIRECT SPEECH.
ID: 150121. 03/05/2020. Country code: PL. Country: Poland. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech Reported statements (1087232) Reported Speech Basic Easy.
Country: Colombia. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) From worksheet author: De:Zaray Corredor García. Other contents: present simple,present continuos, repoting verbs. Worksheet description: Objective Explanation: This worksheet aims to help students practice reported speech in ...
19/04/2020. Country code: ES. Country: Spain. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Grammar (2013241) Ficha para practicar el reported speech de presente simple a pasado simple. Other contents: Vocabulary.