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Indirect speech exercise

January 25, 2012 B1pdf

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word or phrase.

Progress 0 of 10 answered
1Jane said that she was quite sure that she ............... in time.
Wrong!
In reported speech after a past reporting verb, "would return" is the correct backshift of "will return".
2He ............... his friend.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "said goodbye to" and the formal "bade goodbye to" correctly report a farewell; we do not say "told goodbye to".
3My mother ............... me home.
Wrong!
The past simple verb "welcomed" correctly reports how she greeted someone home.
4The boy ............... me for my help.
Wrong!
The reporting verb "thanked" is followed by the person thanked and the reason.
5He expressed his hope that I ............... well.
Wrong!
After the past reporting phrase, "was" is the normal backshift of "am" here.
6The accused ............... not guilty.
Wrong!
The legal reporting verb "pleaded" is used with "not guilty".
7I advised him ............... his parents.
Wrong!
After "advised him", the infinitive phrase "to obey" is the correct pattern.
8The mother asked her daughter if she knew where the keys ...............
Wrong!
The plural noun "keys" needs the plural past verb "were" in this reported question.
9James asked me if I ............... spare some money for him.
Wrong!
In reported speech after "asked", "could" is the correct backshift of "can".
10Viola asked Rosalind where she ...............
Wrong!
In the reported question, "was going" is the correct backshift of "are going".

Exercise complete

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Answers

  1. Jane said that she was quite sure that she would return in time.
  2. He said goodbye to / bade goodbye to his friend.
  3. My mother welcomed me home.
  4. The boy thanked me for my help.
  5. He expressed his hope that I was well.
  6. The accused pleaded not guilty.
  7. I advised him to obey his parents.
  8. The mother asked her daughter if she knew where the keys were.
  9. James asked me if I could spare some money for him.
  10. Viola asked Rosalind where she was going.

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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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