Indirect Speech

Exercise 71. Changes of person. Put in the pronouns (I, you etc.)

1. Susan (to you): ‘I feel really fed up with my job.’

You (to Wayne): Susan says ___________ feels really fed up with her job.

2. Laura (to you): ‘How is Louise?’

You (to Louise): Laura asked how ____________ are.

3. Phil (to you): ‘I haven’t got any money.’

You (to Gary): Phil says ______________ hasn’t got any money.

4. Joanna (to you): ‘Kevin never speaks to me.’

You (to Kevin): Joanna says ___________ never speaks to ____________.

Exercise 72. Changes of place and time. Put in: here, that day, the day before, the next day, the week before.

1. Angela (a week ago): ‘Terry and I are going to a concert tomorrow.’

You (today): Angela said she and Terry were going to a concert ________________________

2. Jan (two day ago): ‘I’ve only been in England since yesterday.’

You (today): Jan said he had only been in England since ______________________________

3. Neil (a week ago): ‘I’m meeting my friend at the airport today.’

You (today): Neil said he was meeting his friend at the airport later _____________________

4. Max (in the street): ‘I’ll see you at the coffee bar.’

You (at the coffee bar): Max said he would see me __________________________________

5. Paul (a month ago): ‘The festival was last week.’

You (today): Paul told me the festival had been _____________________________________

Exercise 73. The choice of tense. Put in is or was (Sometimes both are possible.) Is the statement still true (is) or out of date (was)?

Example: I heard today that the block of flats where I live is for sale. I wonder who is going to buy it?

I saw Martin yesterday. He said he was on his way to visit his sister.

1. This wallet is made of plastic not leather. Why did you tell me it ________ leather?

2. We had to hurry yesterday morning. Just as we arrived at the station, we heard an announcement that the train __________ about to leave.

3. What did Barbara said just now? — She said her tooth __________ still aching.

4. I was going to get a cup of coffee, but Mike just told me the machine ___________ out of order. It’s going to be fixed tomorrow.

5. I’m surprised Emma lost her match against Sheila. I thought she __________ a much better player than Sheila.

6. It said on the radio that the Queen ____________ coming here next month. Isn’t that exciting?

7. When he spoke to reporters yesterday, the Chairman said that the company ___________ now in a much better financial position.

8. The advertisement said that the swimming-pool ___________ free, but when we got here, we found we had to pay.

Exercise 74. The tense change. Reply to the statements. The speakers are all saying something different to what they told you before.

Example: ‘I’m going out with Ingrid.’

But you said you weren’t going out with her.

‘I prefer pop music to classical music.’

You told me you preferred classical music.

1. ‘I haven’t finished my project.’

I thought you said ___________________________________________________________

2. ‘I’m better at tennis than golf.’

But you told me _____________________________________________________________

3. ‘I enjoy parties.’

I remember you saying ________________________________________________________

4. ‘I’ve got a video recorder.’

But you said yesterday ________________________________________________________

5. ‘I’m applying for the job.’

I thought you told me _________________________________________________________

6. ‘I like Indian food more than Chinese.’

But you said ________________________________________________________________

Exercise 75. The tense change. A comedy show called “Don’t Look Now!” has just closed after five years at the theatre in London’s West End. It was the most popular comedy for a long time. This is what the critics said when it opened five years ago.

* ‘It’s a marvelous show.’ The Daily Mail.

* ‘You’ll love it.’ The Guardian.

1. ‘The production is brilliant.’ The Sunday Times.

2. ‘I can’t remember a funnier show.’ Stephen Devine.

3. ‘It made me laugh.’ Ben Walsh.

4. ‘You must see it.’ The Evening News.

5. ‘It will be a great success.’ The Telegraph.

6. ‘You might die laughing.’ The Daily Express.

7. ‘It’s the funniest show I have ever seen.’ Joan Proctor.

8. ‘You shouldn’t miss it.’ Time Out.

Now report what critics said.

Example: The Daily Mail said it was a marvelous show.

The Guardian said people would love it.

1. The Sunday Times said ________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________________

6. ___________________________________________________________________________

7. ___________________________________________________________________________

8. ___________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 76. Read the interviews and then complete the newspaper report below. The first one has been done for you.

Interviewer: As Minister of Education, what do you think of the teachers’ demand for a ten per cent rise?

Minister: (1) Frankly, I have little sympathy for the teachers. (2) They are extremely lucky to have a short working day and long holidays. (3) The Government is not prepared to pay them more for doing nothing. (4) The Teachers’ Union must accept that fact. (5) If they go on strike, they will be acting totally irresponsibly.

Reporter: As leader of the Teachers’ Union (TU), what if your reaction to the Minister’s remarks?

Leader of TU: (6) I am extremely angry at the Minister’s remarks. (7) Teachers are hard-working, responsible people. (8) When they go home, they cannot relax because they have to mark books and prepare lessons. (9) I have been teaching for twenty years, and during that time the pay and conditions have gone down. (10) The Minister has no idea what he’s talking about and should resign!