Complete the following sentences using appropriate direct or indirect speech forms.
1I didn’t ask him ............... it.
Wrong!
After "ask someone", use the infinitive "to do" for a requested action.
2The officer asked us ............... our identity cards.
Wrong!
After "ask someone", use the infinitive "to show" for a requested action.
3She asked me if I ............... finished the work.
Wrong!
In reported speech after a past reporting verb, present perfect usually backshifts to "had" plus past participle.
4The officer asked us ............... for duty on time.
Wrong!
After "ask someone", use the infinitive "to report" for a requested action.
5She asked me if she ............... leave.
Wrong!
In reported speech after a past reporting verb, "can" usually changes to "could".
6They asked me ............... doing there.
Wrong!
An indirect question uses the question word and statement word order, so "what I was" is correct.
7He threatened ............... me if I didn’t obey his orders.
Wrong!
After "threaten", use the infinitive "to kill" for the threatened action.
8She said that no one ............... the meeting last week.
Wrong!
In reported speech after a past reporting verb, present perfect usually backshifts to "had attended".
9She told me ............... she was going.
Wrong!
Use "that" after "told me" to introduce a reported statement.
Answers
- I didn’t ask him to do it.
- The officer asked us to show our identity cards.
- She asked me if I had finished the work.
- The officer asked us to report for duty on time.
- She asked me if she could leave.
- They asked me what I was doing there.
- He threatened to kill me if I didn’t obey his orders.
- She said that no one had attended the meeting last week.
- She told me that she was going.
