Fill in the blanks. This grammar exercise tests your ability to use reported speech correctly.
1. He asked me what …………………..
In reported questions, the auxiliary verb goes after the subject.
2. The stranger enquired where ………………
In reported questions we do not use do, does or did.
3. He asked them ………………… they would listen to such a man.
We can use if or whether to report Yes/No questions.
4. The policeman ordered us ……………..
We use infinitives to report imperative sentences.
5. She said that she ..................... me.
Past tenses are used after a past reporting verb.
6. The king asked the philosopher whom he ………………….. the happiest man living.
Past tenses are used after a past reporting verb.
7. I told them …………………
We report imperatives with infinitives.
8. Alladin asked the magician what ………………….. to deserve such a severe punishment.
9. They asked who ..................... and what ……………….
In reported questions, the subject goes before the auxiliary verb.
10. He told me to wait until he ……………….
We use past tenses after past reporting verbs.
11. The king was deeply grieved and asked his wife what ………………….. do for her.
A past reporting verb is followed by verbs in the past tense.
12. He proposed that …………….. wait for the news.
Answers
1. He asked me what I was doing.
2. The stranger enquired where I lived.
3. He asked them if / whether they would listen to such a man.
4. The policeman ordered us to go away.
5. She said that she didn’t believe me.
6. The king asked the philosopher whom he considered the happiest man living.
7. I told them to be quiet.
8. Alladin asked the magician what he had done to deserve such a severe punishment.
9. They asked who we were and what we wanted.
10. He told me to wait until he came.
11. The king was deeply grieved and asked his wife what he could do for her.
12. He proposed that they should wait for the news.
