Exercises: Reported Speech vs. Direct Speech

Stand

Von Autor/in Heidrun Legner-Hackney, Sarah Klein-Adolph

Exercise A

Changing direct speech into reported speech: Rewrite each sentence in reported speech.

Exercise B

Fill in the correct pronouns and adverbs of time. Pay attention to who is speaking and who is being talked about.

1 Emma: “I stayed near Bondi Beach last week.”


2 Noah: “We visited the Blue Mountains yesterday.”


3 Chloe: “I saw a kangaroo at the wildlife park.”


4 Lucas and Mia: “We are taking a boat tour today.”


5 Olivia: “I like my hostel near Darling Harbour.”


6 Ethan: “I will take photos of the Harbour Bridge tomorrow.”


7 Zoe and Liam: “We can help you carry your luggage.”


8 Isabella: “I visited my friend at the Sydney Observatory.”


Exercise C

Write a short text reporting what Emma and Tom said. Use reported speech.

Exercise D

Complete the sentences with reported speech: Fill in the gaps using the correct form of the verb, pronouns, or time expressions.

Mr Collins is suspected of having robbed a tourist in Sydney. After his arrest, Ms Taylor from a hostel near Bondi Beach is questioned as a witness. Mr Harris, the police officer in charge, showed the witness a photograph and asked her if she (1) ______ (see) the man before. She answered that she (2) ______ (see) him several times at the hostel. When the officer asked whether she (3) ______ (be) completely sure, Ms Taylor replied that she (4) ______ (not believe) she (5) ______ (be) wrong.


Mr Harris then wanted to know why she (6) ______ (not report) anything suspicious when the man (7) ______ (leave) the hostel late that night. The witness explained that she (8) ______ (not realize) at the time that he (9) ______ (act) strangely. However, she now (10) _______ (remember) that earlier that evening Mr Collins (11) ______ (ask) her where the nearest bus stop (12) _______ (be).


She added that she (13) ______ (not think) much of it then, because many guests (14) _______ (ask) similar questions before. When the officer asked whether she (15) _______ (feel) confident that she (16) ______ (be able to identify) the man from a group of suspects, Ms Taylor replied that she (17) ______ (help) the police in any way she (18) ______ (can).


But she then wanted to know if this (19) ______ (be) possible without being seen herself. The officer assured her that they (20) ______ (put) her in a room with dim lighting so that the man (21) ______ (could not recognize) her.


Exercise E

Correct the Errors: Below are sentences in reported speech. Each sentence contains one or more mistakes. Identify and correct the mistakes. Pay attention to verb tense, pronouns, time expressions, and place references.

Stand
Autor/in
Heidrun Legner-Hackney
Sarah Klein-Adolph