reported speech modals exercises pdf

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Reported speech

Exercises: modal verbs.

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Indirect Questions Exercise 3

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Modal Verbs

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Direct and indirect speech exercises PDF

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Direct and indirect speech

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Direct and indirect speech exercises

Reported speech exercises PDF

• Learn how to change tenses, pronouns, expressions of time and place in the reported speech.

Reported questions + commands exercises PDF

• Practise the difference between the direct and indirect speech in questions, commands and requests.

Online exercises with answers:

Direct - indirect speech exercise 1 Rewrite sentences in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 2 Report a short dialogue in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 3 Find and correct mistakes in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 4 Choose correct answers in a multiple choice test.

Indirect - direct speech exercise 5 Rewrite sentences from the reported speech to direct speech.

Reported questions, commands and requests:

Reported questions exercise 6 Change the reported questions and orders into direct questions and orders.

Reported questions exercise 7 Change direct questions into reported questions.

Reported commands exercise 8 Make reported commands and requests.

Grammar rules PDF:

Reported speech rules PDF Changes of tenses, pronouns, time and place in reported statements, questions and commands.

English grammar PDF All PDF rules with examples on e-grammar.org.

Direct + indirect speech

See also: Reported questions + commands

The direct and indirect speech are used to say what other people said, thought or felt. "I like it," he said. - He said that he liked it. "Dan will come," she hoped. - She hoped Dan would come.

The reported (indirect) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. in the past tense. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at the seaside.

If these verbs are in the past tense, we change the following: a) verb tenses and verb forms b) pronouns c) the adverbs of time and place

A) Verb tenses

We change the tenses in the following way:

• Present - past "I never understand you," she told me. - She told me she never understood me. "We are doing exercises," he explained. - He explained that they were doing exercises.
• Present perfect - past perfect "I have broken the window," he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window. "I have been waiting since the morning," he complained. - He complained that he had been waiting since the morning.
• Past - past perfect "She went to Rome," I thought. - I thought that she had gone to Rome. "He was thinking of buying a new car," she said. - She said he had been thinking of buying a new car.
• Will - conditional Will changes into the conditional. I will come on Sunday," he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on Sunday.

As you can see, both the past tense and the present perfect change into the past perfect.

Notes 1. I shall, we shall usually become would . "I shall appreciate it," he said. - He said he would appreciate it. 2. I should, we should usually change into would . "We should be really glad," she told us. - She told us they would be really glad. 3. May becomes might . "I may write to him," she promised. - She promised that she might write to him.

The verb forms remain the same in the following cases:

• If we use the past perfect tense. Eva: "I had never seen him." - Eva claimed that she had never seen him.
• If the reporting verb is in the present tense. Bill: "I am enjoying my holiday." - Bill says he is enjoying his holiday. Sandy: "I will never go to work." - Sandy says she will never go to work.
• When we report something that is still true. Dan: "Asia is the largest continent." - Dan said Asia is the largest continent. Emma: "People in Africa are starving." - Emma said people in Africa are starving.
• When a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true. Michael: "I am thirsty." - Michael said he is thirsty.
• With modal verbs would, might, could, should, ought to, used to. George: "I would try it." - George said he would try it. Mimi: "I might come." - Mimi said she might come. Steve: "I could fail." - Steve said he could fail. Linda: "He should/ought to stay in bed." - Linda said he should/ought to stay in bed. Mel: "I used to have a car." - Mel said he used to have a car.
• After wish, would rather, had better, it is time. Margo: "I wish they were in Greece." - Margo said she wished they were in Greece. Matt: "I would rather fly." - Matt said he would rather fly. Betty: "They had better go." - Betty said they had better go. Paul: "It is time I got up." - Paul said it was time he got up.
• In if-clauses. Martha: "If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy." - Martha said that if she tidied her room, her dad would be happy.
• In time clauses. Joe: "When I was staying in Madrid I met my best friend." - He said that when he was staying in Madrid he met his best friend.
• We do not change the past tense in spoken English if it is clear from the situation when the action happened. "She did it on Sunday," I said. - I said she did it on Sunday. We must change it, however, in the following sentence, otherwise it will not be clear whether we are talking about the present or past feelings. "I hated her," he said. - He said he had hated her.
• We do not usually change the modal verbs must and needn't . But must can become had to or would have to and needn't can become didn't have to or wouldn't have to if we want to express an obligation. Would/wouldn't have to are used to talk about future obligations. "I must wash up." - He said he must wash up/he had to wash up. "I needn't be at school today." - He said he needn't be/didn't have to be at school that day. "We must do it in June." - He said they would have to do it in June. If the modal verb must does not express obligation, we do not change it. "We must relax for a while." (suggestion) - He said they must relax for a while. "You must be tired after such a trip." (certainty) - He said we must be tired after such a trip.

B) Pronouns

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence. "We are the best students," he said. - He said they were the best students. "They called us," he said. - He said they had called them. "I like your jeans," she said. - She said she liked my jeans. "I can lend you my car," he said. - He said he could lend me his car.

Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing. "He killed them," Kevin said. - Kevin said that the man had killed them. If we only make mechanical changes (Kevin said he had killed them) , the new sentence can have a different meaning - Kevin himself killed them.

This and these are usually substituted. "They will finish it this year," he said. - He said they would finish it that year. "I brought you this book," she said. - She said she had brought me the book. "We want these flowers," they said. - They said they wanted the flowers.

C) Time and place

Let's suppose that we talked to our friend Mary on Friday. And she said: "Greg came yesterday."  It means that Greg came on Thursday. If we report Mary's sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following: Mary: "Greg came yesterday." - Mary said that Greg had come the day before. If we say: Mary said Greg had come yesterday , it is not correct, because it means that he came on Saturday.

The time expressions change as follows. now - then, today - that day, tomorrow - the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time, yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday - two days before, next week/month - the following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago - a year before/the previous year

Bill: "She will leave tomorrow." - Bill said she would leave the next day. Sam: "She arrived last week." - Sam said she had arrived the previous week. Julie: "He moved a year ago." - Julie said he had moved a year before.

Note If something is said and reported at the same time, the time expressions can remain the same. "I will go on holiday tomorrow," he told me today. - He told me today he would go on holiday tomorrow. "We painted the hall last weekend," she told me this week. - She told me this week they had painted the hall last weekend. On the other hand, if something is reported later, the time expressions are different in the indirect speech. Last week Jim said: "I'm playing next week." If we say his sentence a week later, we will say: Jim said he was playing this week.

Here usually becomes there . But sometimes we make different adjustments. At school: "I'll be here at 10 o'clock," he said. - He said he would be there at 10 o'clock. In Baker Street: "We'll meet here." - He said they would meet in Baker Street.

• All PDF exercises and grammar rules from this website.

Grammar Exercises - Advanced Level

• Conditionals, Inversion, Tenses, Causative, Comparatives/Superlatives
• Page Two - this page
• Reported Speech, Future Continuous, Used To, Modal Verbs, Modals of Deduction
• Quantifiers, Articles, Despite/Although, Relative Pronouns, Gerund or Infinitive, Purpose/Reason/Result, Miscellaneous

Reported Speech

Grammar Reference >>> Reported Speech Reported Questions

Say / Tell Error Correction Don't get your "tell somebody something" confused with your "say something to somebody"! Exercise Number: 4G10

Reporting Verbs Exercise Choose from reporting verbs such as tell, suggest and warn to complete each sentence. Exercise Number: 4G11

'Say' and 'Tell' Gap Fill Exercise Sentences and expressions using 'say' and 'tell'. Exercise Number: 4G17

Reported Questions, Extra Word Exercise Find the extra word in each of these reported questions sentences. Exercise Number: 4G30

Reported Questions Error Correction Look at these reported question sentences. Are they correct or wrong? Exercise Number: 4G29

Reported Questions Re-Ordering Put the words into the correct order to make sentences with reported questions. Exercise Number: 4G25

Reported Speech Re-Ordering Exercise Re-order the words to make sentences using reported speech. Exercise Number: 3G91

Direct To Reported Speech Gap Fill Transform the direct speech to reported speech. Exercise Number: 4G47

Future Continuous

Grammar Reference >>> Future Continuous Structure Future Continuous Use

Future Continuous / Future Perfect Look at Jack's itinerary for tomorrow and complete the sentences using either Future Continuous or Future Perfect. Exercise Number: 4G9

Future Continuous Error Correction Are these sentences that contain the Future Continuous correct or not? Exercise Number: 4G19

Future Continuous Re-Ordering Quiz Put the words into the correct order to make sentences using the future continuous. Exercise Number: 4G18

'At The Station' Future Continuous Matching Quiz I will be waiting for you at the station. What will I be wearing? What will I be doing? Exercise Number: 4G40

Grammar Reference >>> Used To Be Used To

Used To / Be Used To The difference between these two can often be confusing. This exercise looks at the difference. Exercise Number: 4G68

Used To / Be Used To Error Correction Are theses sentences that use "used to" and "be used to" correct or wrong? Exercise Number: 4G16

Be Used To Re-Ordering Exercise Put the words in the correct order to make "be used to" sentences. Exercise Number: 3G92

Modal Verbs

Past Modal Verb Matching Exercise An exercise to practice using 'should', shouldn't', 'have to' and 'didn't have to'. Exercise Number: 4G89

Open Cloze Exercises

The Last 'Snoopy' Cartoon - Open Close Exercise Read this text about the final Snoopy cartoon and fill in the gaps. Exercise Number: 4G94

Modals of Deductions

Grammar Reference >>> Modals of Deduction

Modal Verbs of Deduction Practice using modal verb structures such as "she must be married" and "he can't have gone to work". Exercise Number: 4G3

Past Modals Exercise Choose from "must have", "can't have", "should have" or "might have" to complete each sentence. Exercise Number: 4G66

Past Modals Of Deduction - The Titanic Read the sentences about the construction and only voyage of the Titanic ship. Which of the sentences contain errors in the use of past modals of deduction? Exercise Number: 4G90

Modal Verbs of Deduction Re-Ordering Quiz Put the words into the correct order to make sentences using modal verbs of deduction. Exercise Number: 4G44

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Reported Speech Exercises (With Printable PDF)

| Candace Osmond

| Grammar , Quizzes

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

In English grammar, reported speech is used to tell someone what another person said. It takes another person’s words (direct speech) to create a report of what they said (indirect speech.) With the following direct and indirect speech exercises, it will be easier to understand how reported speech works.

Reported Speech Exercise #1

Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

Reported Speech Exercise #2

Fill in the gaps below with the correct pronouns required in reported speech. Ex. Mary said: “I love my new dress!” Sentence: Mary said ____ love ____ new dress. Answer: she, her

Reported Speech Exercise #3

Choose the correct reported speech phrase to fill in the sentences below.

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Modal Verbs In Reported Speech Exercises – Modals Exercises PDF

When there is a modal verb in the original statement, suggestion, etc., this sometimes changes when we report what was said. The changes are summarised in below table.

1. We sometimes use a modal verb in a report when there is no modal verb in the original:

• ‘You’re not allowed to smoke here’ → she told me that I mustn’t smoke there.

2. The verbs could, would, should, might, ought to, and used to don’t change in the report:

• ‘I could meet you at the airport.’ → He said that he  could  meet us at the airport.
• ‘We might  drop in if we have time.’ →They said they might  drop in if they have time.

3.  Will  usually changes to would, can to  could, may  to  might.  However, if the situation we are reporting still exists or is still in the future and the verb in the reporting clause is in a present tense,  we prefer  will, can,  and  may  in the reported clause. Compare :

• ‘Careful! You’ ll  fall through the ice!’ → I warned him he would fall through the ice.
• ‘I ‘ll be in Paris at Christmas.’ → She tells me she’ ll be in Paris at Christmas.

If the situation we are reporting still exists or is still in the future and the verb in the reporting clause is in a past tense, then we can use either  would  or will , can  or  could,  and  may  or  might  in the reported clause:

• ‘ The problem can be solved.’ → They  said  the problem can/could be solved.

4. When  shall  is used in the original to talk about the future, we use would  in the report:

• ‘I  shall (I’ ll ) call you on Monday.’ → She told me she would call me on Monday.

However, when  shall  is used in offers, requests for advice and confirmation, etc. then we can use  should  in the report, but not shall.

• ‘Where shall I put this box?’ → He asked where he should put the box.

5. When  must  is used in the original to say that it is necessary to do something, we can usually use either  must  or had to  in the report, although  must is less common:

• ‘You must be home by 9 o’clock’ → she said I  must/had  to be home by 9 o’clock.

However, when  must  is used in the original to conclude that something (has) happened or that something is true, then we  must,  not  had to,  in the report:

• ‘I keep forgetting things. I must be getting old.’ → Neil said he  must  be getting old.

If  mustn’t  is used in the original, we can use mustn’t in the report but not didn’t have to:

• ‘You mustn’t tell my brother.’ → He warned me that I mustn’t tell his brother.

Modal Verbs In Reported Speech Exercises with Answers

Report what was said using a sentence with a that-clause. Use an appropriate modal verb in  that- clause.

• ‘It’s important for you to be at the theatre on time.’ →  She said that I had to/ must be at the theatre on time.
• ‘My advice is to look for a new job now.’ → She said (that) I should/ought to look for a new job now.
• ‘It’s possible that I’ll have to leave early.’ → She said (that) she may/might have to leave early.
• ‘You should have used brighter wallpaper for the bedroom.’ → She said (that) I should have/ought to have used brighter wallpaper for the bedroom.
• ‘I’ll be disappointed if I don’t get the job.’ → She said (that) she would/will be disappointed if she didn’t/doesn’t get the job.
• ‘I’d recommended that you take the jumper back to the shop.’ → She said (that) I should/ought to take the jumper back to the shop.
• ‘It’s okay if you want to borrow my guitar.’ → She said (that) I could/can borrow her guitar.
• ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t come to visit you last summer.’ → She said that she was sorry she couldn’t come to visit me/us last summer.

Underline the more likely or more appropriate verb. If both are possible, underline them both.

• Bill tells me that he will /would be leaving work early tonight.
• They thought that Bob would /will get a good job, but they were wrong.
• They said that a decision would/will be made soon.
• When I phoned Liz this morning I told her I may/might be late.
• She says that she could/ can see us any time we are free.
• He explained that people will/would still need a key to get in.
• Kathy understands that we won’t /wouldn’t be able to visit her this week.
• Jim told us that we could/can stay in his house when he’s on holiday.

Complete the sentences to report what was said.

• ‘Who shall I deliver the parcel to?’ → He asked who he should (or ought to) deliver the parcel to.
• ‘I shall be extremely interested to see the results.’ → He said (that) he would be extremely interested to see the results.
• ‘What shall I do next?’ → He asked what he should (or ought to) do next.
• ‘You mustn’t forget your membership card.’ → He told me (that) I mustn’t forget my membership card. (‘He told me not to forget my membership card.’ might also be used here.’)
• ‘You must collect more data.’ → He told me (that) I must/ had to/ have to collect more data.
• ‘I shall always remember her kindness.’ → He said (that) he would always remember her kindness.
• ‘The baby’s crying. You must have woken her.’ → He said I must have woken the baby (or her).

Report what was said using a that-clause with a modal verb.

• ‘We’ll organise the Christmas party.’ → They promised that they would organise the Christmas party.
• ‘You’re right. I can’t remember where I’ve left the car.’ → He admitted that he couldn’t remember where he had left the car. (No alternative with a to-infinitive clause.)
• We will turn back the invaders or die fighting.’ → The army leaders vowed that they would turn back the invaders or die fighting. (‘The army leaders vowed to turn back the invaders or die fighting.’ is also possible.’)
• ‘I’m pretty sure I’ll be finished by this evening.’ → He expects that he will be finished by this evening. (‘He expects to finish..’ are also possible.)
• ‘I can show you the way.’ → She said that she can/could show me the way. (No alternative with a to-infinitive clause.)

All the best for your upcoming exam!

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Reported Statements with Modal Verbs

Florencia Segovia Aguirre

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