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Reported speech exercise

June 14, 2011 B1pdf

Fill in the blanks.

Progress 0 of 10 answered
1He asked her what she ...............
Wrong!
In reported speech, present simple often changes to past simple, so "wanted" is correct.
2He asked me how my father ...............
Wrong!
In reported speech, "is" often changes to "was" after a past reporting verb.
3He asked me ............... I was going home with him.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Use "if" or "whether" to introduce a reported yes/no question.
4He asked us why we ............... all sitting there doing nothing.
Wrong!
In reported speech, "are" often changes to "were" after a past reporting verb.
5The prince asked the young girl ............... she really came from China.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Use "if" or "whether" to introduce a reported yes/no question.
6I asked him whether he ............... the way home.
Wrong!
In reported speech, present simple often changes to past simple, so "didn't know" is correct.
7The boy asked his dad what the proper way to answer that question ...............
Wrong!
In reported speech, "is" often changes to "was" after a past reporting verb.
8The boy asked his master what he ............... to deserve so severe a blow.
Wrong!
A past action before the reporting verb is usually reported with the past perfect, so "had done" is correct.
9They asked me who ...............
Wrong!
Reported questions use statement word order, so "I was" is correct.
10The traveler asked the boy if he ............... him a glass of water.
Wrong!
In reported speech, "will get" often changes to "would get" after a past reporting verb.

Exercise complete

0/ out of 10 correct answers
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Answers

  1. He asked her what she wanted.
  2. He asked me how my father was.
  3. He asked me if / whether I was going home with him.
  4. He asked us why we were all sitting there doing nothing.
  5. The prince asked the young girl if / whether she really came from China.
  6. I asked him whether he didn’t know the way home.
  7. The boy asked his dad what the proper way to answer that question was.
  8. The boy asked his master what he had done to deserve so severe a blow.
  9. They asked me who I was.
  10. The traveler asked the boy if he would get him a glass of water.

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Related lesson in the course Reported statements: say, tell and backshift Module 08: Clauses & reporting · Lesson 5

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