reported speech exercises with answers liveworksheets

Reported Speech – Free Exercise

Write the following sentences in indirect speech. Pay attention to backshift and the changes to pronouns, time, and place.

• Two weeks ago, he said, “I visited this museum last week.” → Two weeks ago, he said that   . I → he simple past → past perfect this → that last …→ the … before
• She claimed, “I am the best for this job.” → She claimed that   . I → she simple present→ simple past this→ that
• Last year, the minister said, “The crisis will be overcome next year.” → Last year, the minister said that   . will → would next …→ the following …
• My riding teacher said, “Nobody has ever fallen off a horse here.” → My riding teacher said that   . present perfect → past perfect here→ there
• Last month, the boss explained, “None of my co-workers has to work overtime now.” → Last month, the boss explained that   . my → his/her simple present→ simple past now→ then

Rewrite the question sentences in indirect speech.

• She asked, “What did he say?” → She asked   . The subject comes directly after the question word. simple past → past perfect
• He asked her, “Do you want to dance?” → He asked her   . The subject comes directly after whether/if you → she simple present → simple past
• I asked him, “How old are you?” → I asked him   . The subject comes directly after the question word + the corresponding adjective (how old) you→ he simple present → simple past
• The tourists asked me, “Can you show us the way?” → The tourists asked me   . The subject comes directly after whether/if you→ I us→ them
• The shop assistant asked the woman, “Which jacket have you already tried on?” → The shop assistant asked the woman   . The subject comes directly after the question word you→ she present perfect → past perfect

Rewrite the demands/requests in indirect speech.

• The passenger said, “Stop the car.” → The passenger asked the taxi driver   . to + same wording as in direct speech
• The mother told her son, “Don’t be so loud.” → The mother told her son   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
• The policeman told us, “Please keep moving.” → The policeman told us   . to + same wording as in direct speech ( please can be left off)
• She told me, “Don’t worry.” → She told me   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t
• The zookeeper told the children, “Don’t feed the animals.” → The zookeeper told the children   . not to + same wording as in direct speech, but remove don’t

How good is your English?

Find out with Lingolia’s free grammar test

Take the test!

Maybe later

Reported Speech Exercises

Perfect english grammar.

Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site:

( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech )

Reported Statements:

• Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Past Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Present Perfect Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Future Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Statement Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• 'Say' and 'Tell' (quite easy) (in PDF here)

Reported Questions:

• Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)

Reported Orders and Requests:

• Reported Requests and Orders Exercise (intermediate) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 1 (difficult) (in PDF here)
• Reported Speech Mixed Exercise 2 (difficult) (in PDF here)

Hello! I'm Seonaid! I'm here to help you understand grammar and speak correct, fluent English.

Read more about our learning method

English Grammar Online Exercises and Downloadable Worksheets

Online exercises.

• Reported Speech

Levels of Difficulty : Elementary Intermediate Advanced

• RS012 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS011 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS010 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS009 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS008 - Reporting Verbs Advanced
• RS007 - Reporting Verbs Intermediate
• RS006 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS005 - Reported Speech - Introductory Verbs Advanced
• RS004 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS003 - Reporting Verbs Intermediate
• RS002 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• RS001 - Reported Speech Intermediate
• Gerund - Infinitive
• Adjective - Adverb
• Modal Verbs
• Passive Voice
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Prepositions
• Connectives and Linking Words
• Quantifiers
• Question and Negations
• Relative Pronouns
• Indefinite Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Phrasal Verbs
• Common Mistakes
• Missing Word Cloze
• Word Formation
• Multiple Choice Cloze
• Prefixes and Suffixes
• Key Word Transformation
• Editing - One Word Too Many
• Collocations
• General Vocabulary
• Adjectives - Adverbs
• Gerund and Infinitive
• Conjunctions and Linking Words
• Question and Negation
• Error Analysis
• Translation Sentences
• Multiple Choice
• Banked Gap Fill
• Open Gap Fill
• General Vocabulary Exercises
• Argumentative Essays
• Letters and Emails
• English News Articles
• Privacy Policy

Reported Speech Exercises – Reported Speech Worksheet

Strengthening your understanding of reported speech is key to effective communication in English. Our specially designed worksheet provides a thorough exploration of reported speech, featuring a variety of exercises that will help you practice and master the concept of relaying information as it was spoken by others.

Remember to go back and study the articles mentioned below to better your knowledge of reported speech

• Direct Speech
• Direct and Indirect Speech
• No Change in Verb Tenses
• Changes in Time and Place
• Introductory Verbs
• Pronouns in Reported Speech
• Reported Questions
• Reported Commands & Requests

Reported Speech Worksheet

Reported Speech Exercises

Reported speech exercise 1: converting direct speech to reported speech.

• “I am going to the market,” said John.
• “We have finished our homework,” the students said.
• “Will you join us for dinner?” she asked.
• “I can’t drive you to the airport tomorrow,” he told her.
• “I saw a strange animal in the forest,” the hiker reported.
• “I will help you with your project,” Tom promised.
• “I don’t like spicy food,” she admitted.
• “I didn’t hear the doorbell,” he explained.
• “I’ll be moving to a new city next month,” Anna announced.
• “We won’t be able to attend the meeting,” the delegates stated.
• “I have been feeling unwell since yesterday,” the patient told the doctor.
• “I used to live in Spain,” he mentioned.
• “I may start a new course in September,” she pondered.
• “I must finish this assignment by tomorrow,” the student realized.
• “I can meet you at 3 PM,” she offered.
• “We should have taken a different route,” the driver suggested.
• “I would like to visit Japan one day,” he dreamed.
• “I have never seen such a beautiful sunset,” she exclaimed.
• “I might go for a hike if the weather is nice,” he thought aloud.
• “We did not understand the instructions,” they complained.
• John said that he was going to the market.
• The students said that they had finished their homework.
• She asked if I/you/he/she would join them for dinner.
• He told her that he couldn’t drive her to the airport the next day/tomorrow.
• The hiker reported that he had seen a strange animal in the forest.
• Tom promised that he would help me/you/us with my/your/our project.
• She admitted that she didn’t like spicy food.
• He explained that he hadn’t heard the doorbell.
• Anna announced that she would be moving to a new city the following month.
• The delegates stated that they wouldn’t be able to attend the meeting.
• The patient told the doctor that he had been feeling unwell since the day before.
• He mentioned that he used to live in Spain.
• She pondered starting a new course in September.
• The student realized that he must finish his assignment by the next day.
• She offered to meet me/you at 3 PM.
• The driver suggested that they should have taken a different route.
• He dreamed that he would like to visit Japan one day.
• She exclaimed that she had never seen such a beautiful sunset.
• He thought aloud that he might go for a hike if the weather was nice.
• They complained that they had not understood the instructions.

Reported Speech Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct pronouns

• Sarah said, “I am going to the store.” Sarah said that ___ was going to the store.
• Mike told me, “You can come over tomorrow.” Mike told me that ___ could come over the next day.
• “He doesn’t like the movie,” said Jane. Jane said that ___ didn’t like the movie.
• The teacher told the class, “You must submit your homework.” The teacher told the class that ___ must submit ___ homework.
• “We will finish the project on time,” the group leader announced. The group leader announced that ___ would finish the project on time.
• “She will be here soon,” Tom thought to himself. Tom thought to himself that ___ would be there soon.
• “It’s not my book,” said the boy. The boy said that it was not ___ book.
• “They have been to the new museum,” Emily told her mother. Emily told her mother that ___ had been to the new museum.
• “I don’t want to go outside,” the child told her father. The child told her father that ___ didn’t want to go outside.
• “You should wait here,” the officer told the citizens. The officer told the citizens that ___ should wait there.
• “I will handle the situation,” Mark promised. Mark promised that ___ would handle the situation.
• “You need to finish your assignment,” the tutor said to Jake. The tutor told Jake that ___ needed to finish ___ assignment.
• “We are not ready to present,” the students admitted to the professor. The students admitted to the professor that ___ were not ready to present.
• “She can join us for dinner,” they insisted. They insisted that ___ could join them for dinner.
• “I have seen that movie several times,” she mentioned. She mentioned that ___ had seen that movie several times.
• “You must apologize to your sister,” Mom instructed. Mom instructed that ___ must apologize to ___ sister.
• “They won’t be able to come to the party,” John said. John said that ___ wouldn’t be able to come to the party.
• “It might rain later,” the weatherman predicted. The weatherman predicted that ___ might rain later.
• “I’m feeling very tired today,” the athlete confessed. The athlete confessed that ___ was feeling very tired that day.
• “You shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet,” the teacher warned the students. The teacher warned the students that ___ shouldn’t believe everything ___ read on the internet.

Reported Speech Exercise 3: Multiple Choices

Reported Speech Exercise

Choose the correct reported speech form for each sentence.

1. He said, “I am watching a movie.”

• A) He said he was watching a movie.
• B) He said I am watching a movie.
• C) He said he is watching a movie.

2. She said, “I will call you tomorrow.”

• A) She said she would call me tomorrow.
• B) She said she will call you the next day.
• C) She said she would call you the next day.

3. “I have finished my homework,” he told her.

• A) He told her he had finished his homework.
• B) He told her he finished his homework.
• C) He told her he has finished his homework.

4. They said, “We are going to the market.”

• A) They said they were going to the market.
• B) They said they are going to the market.
• C) They said they go to the market.

5. “Do you like pizza?” she asked him.

• A) She asked him if he liked pizza.
• B) She asked him does he like pizza.
• C) She asked him if he likes pizza.

6. “Why did you go out last night?” the mother asked.

• A) The mother asked why had he gone out last night.
• B) The mother asked why he had gone out the night before.
• C) The mother asked why did he go out last night.

7. “Can you help me with my project?” he asked his friend.

• A) He asked his friend if he could help him with his project.
• B) He asked his friend can you help me with my project.
• C) He asked his friend if he can help him with his project.

8. “I might visit France this summer,” she mentioned.

• A) She mentioned that she might visit France this summer.
• B) She mentioned that she might visit France the coming summer.
• C) She mentioned that she may visit France that summer.

9. “We have been waiting here for over an hour!” they exclaimed.

• A) They exclaimed that they have been waiting there for over an hour.
• B) They exclaimed that they had been waiting there for over an hour.
• C) They exclaimed that they were waiting there for over an hour.

10. “Don’t touch that!” he warned.

• A) He warned not to touch that.
• B) He warned to not touch that.
• C) He warned not to touch it.

11. “I have lost my keys,” she said.

• A) She said she had lost her keys.
• B) She said she has lost her keys.
• C) She said she lost her keys.

12. “We didn’t go to school yesterday,” the boys said.

• A) The boys said they didn’t go to school the day before.
• B) The boys said they hadn’t gone to school yesterday.
• C) The boys said they hadn’t gone to school the day before.

13. “I will be traveling to Japan next year,” he told his colleagues.

• A) He told his colleagues he will be traveling to Japan next year.
• B) He told his colleagues he would be traveling to Japan the following year.
• C) He told his colleagues he would be traveling to Japan next year.

14. “You should try the new restaurant,” she suggested.

• A) She suggested that I should try the new restaurant.
• B) She suggested that you should try the new restaurant.
• C) She suggested that you tried the new restaurant.

15. “I can’t attend the meeting tomorrow,” John informed his boss.

• A) John informed his boss that he can’t attend the meeting tomorrow.
• B) John informed his boss that he couldn’t attend the meeting the next day.
• C) John informed his boss that he could not attend the meeting tomorrow.

• Latest Posts

• Active vs. Passive Voice Exercises – Active vs. Passive Voice Worksheet - December 25, 2023
• Phrase Exercises – Phrase Worksheet - December 23, 2023
• Sentence Exercises – Sentence Worksheet - December 23, 2023

Reported speech - statements

Reported speech (statements) with the backshift of tenses (said).

Loading ad...

• Google Classroom
• Microsoft Teams
• Download PDF

Reported speech - 1

Reported speech - 2

Reported speech - 3

Worksheets - handouts

Exercises: indirect speech

• Reported speech - present
• Reported speech - past
• Reported speech - questions
• Reported questions - write
• Reported speech - imperatives
• Reported speech - modals
• Indirect speech - tenses 1
• Indirect speech - tenses 2
• Indirect speech - write 1
• Indirect speech - write 2
• Indirect speech - quiz
• Reported speech - tenses
• Indirect speech – reported speech
• Reported speech – indirect speech