Grammar Exercises

Exercises 1. Translate the following sentences.

1 We did not know where our friends went eve™ evening. 2 We did not know where our friends had gone. 3 She said that her best friend was a doctor. 4 She said that her best friend had been a doctor. 5 I didn't know that you worked at the Hermitage». 6 I didn't know that you had worked at the Her­mitage. 7 I knew that you were ill. 8 I knew that you had been ill. 9 We found that she left home at flight o'clock every morning. 10 We found that she had left home at eight o'clock that morning. 11 When he learnt that his son always received excellent marks in all the subjects at school, he was very pleased. 12 When he learnt that his son had re­ceived an excellent mark at school, he was very pleased.

Exercises 2. Put down the following sentences into the Past Tense forms.

1 My uncle says he has just come back from the Caucasus. 2 He says he has spent a fortnight in the Caucasus. 3 He says it did him a lot of good. 4 He lays he feels better now. 5 He says his wife and he spent most of their time on the beach. 6 He says they did a lot of sightseeing. 7 He says he has a good Camera. 8 He says he took many photographs while travelling in the Caucasus. 9 He says he will come to see us next Sunday. 10 He says he will bring and show us the photographs he took during his stay in the Caucasus.

Exercises 3. Put down the following sentences into the Past Tense forms.

1 Mike says he is sure Ann and Kate will be excellent guides. 2 He says they have made good progress in English. 3 Oleg says that in a day or two several English students will come to pay a visit to their school and he will probably have to act as an interpreter. 4 Ann says she has just met Boris in the street. 5 She says Boris told her a lot of interesting things about his travels in the south. 6 Nick says he is going to the hotel to see his friends, who have just arrived in St Petersburg burg from the United States of America. 7 He says they have not been in their beloved city for a long time. 8 He says they were friends at school. 9 He says he will take them to the theatre on Sun day. 10 They say they will write him a letter when they return home.

Exercises 4. Choose the right variant. Translate the following sentences.

1 My friend asked me who (is playing, was playing) the piano in the sitting room. 2 He said he (will come, would come) to the station to see me off. 3 I was sure he (posted, had posted) the letter. 4 I think the weather (will be, would be) fine next week. I hope it (will not change, would not change) for the worse. 5 I knew that he (is, was) a very clever man. 6 I want to know what he (has bought, had bought) for her birthday. 7 I asked my sister to tell me what she (has seen, had seen) at the museum 8 He said he (is staying, was staying) at the Ritz Hotel. 9 They realized that they (lost, had lost) their way in the dark. 10. He asked me where I (study, studied). 11 I thought that I (shall finish, should finish) my work at that time. 12 He says he (works, worked) at school two years ago. 13 Victor said he (is, was) very busy.

Exercises 5. Open the brackets and use the proper tense.

1 I knew they (to wait) for me at the metro sta-1.1 on and I decided to hurry. 2 I didn't know that you already (to wind) up the clock. 3 I was afraid that the little girl (not to be) able to unlock the front door and (to go) upstairs to help her. 4 He says that he (to know) the laws of the country. 5 Sarie un­derstood why Lanny (not to come) the previous evening. 6 о She asked me whether I (to remember) (the legend about a faithful lion. 7 He understood that the soldiers (to arrest) him. 8 He could not Understand why people (not to want) to take water from that well. 9 I suppose they (to send) a dog after the burglar immediately. 10 He said he (to leave) tomorrow morning. 11. She says she already (to find) the book. 12 He stopped and listened: the clock (to strike) five. 13 She said she (can) not tell me the right time, her watch (to be) wrong. 14 I asked my neighbour if he ever (to travel) by air before. 15 The policeman asked George where he (to run) so early. 16 The delegates were told that the guide just (to go) out and (to be) back in ten minutes.

Косвенная речь При переводе предложений в косвенную речь не забывайте заменять обстоятельства времени, как указано в таблице:
Direct speech	Indirect speech
today	that day
yesterday	the day before
tomorrow	the next day
... ago	... before
this ...	that ...
these ...	those ...
here	there
last year	the year before
last month	the month before
last ...	the ... before
next...	the following ...

Exercises 6. Change the following into indirect speech.

1 I have something to tell you," I said to her. 2 "I met her for the first time on a warm sunny morning last spring," he said. 3 "I am going to call again tomorrow, mother," she said. 4 "I've been to Turkey twice, but so far I haven't had time to visit Istanbul," said Robert. 5 "It will be very difficult to persuade her to take care of herself, doctor," I replied. 6 "The president is to come to Madrid the day after tomorrow," said the BBC announcer. 7 "We have a lift but very often it doesn't work," they said. 8 "We have bought a new flat. But we don't like it so much as our last one," said my cousin. 9 "I have left a message for him, but he hasn't phoned yet," she said. 10. "I've no idea who has done it but I'll find it out," said Peggy. 11 He said, "My mother has just been operated on." 12 "I'll come with you as soon as I’m ready," she replied to me. 13 "I have a French lesson this evening and I haven't done my homework yet," said the small boy. 14 "She has been sitting in the garden since the police came," I said to the officer. 15 "You haven't closed the window and have forgotten to turn off the light," he pointed out.

Exercises 7. Change the following general questions into indirect speech. Begin your sentences with the words I/ he wondered, we/they asked, she/he wanted to know, etc.

Example: Did she go shopping?? – He asked if/ whether she had gone shopping.

1 Are your children still skiing? 2 Have they ha breakfast yet? 3 Is Mike still taking an exam? 4 Did she take part in the performance? 5 Had they already left by the time you went to the station? 6 Do they regularly go to the swimming pool? 7 Will she buy a new Hoover? 8 Will she be training at 10 tomorrow? 9 Does he usually go to the Caribbeans for his holiday? 10 Did she learn to play the guitar? 11 Has the decision been already taken? 12 Do you know when the results will be out? 13 Does he know your new address? 14 Have you known each other for a long time? l5 Did he begin smoking a pipe?

Exercises 8. Change the following special questions into indirect speech. Begin your sentences with the words I/he wondered, we/they asked, she/he wanted to know, etc.

Example: When did she go shopping? – He asked when she had gone shopping.

1 Why did he decide to go to Ethiopia? 2 When was she sent on business? 3 Who will fulfil this task? 4 How long has she been staying here? 5 Who was he speaking to when I came up to him? 6 Who will play the role of Hamlet? 7 What is shown in this diagram? 8 What Is he going to do on Sunday? 9 How long have they been developing this project? 10 Who was this book written by?

Exercises 9. Imagine that you have come to study to a foreign country and students are asking you questions. Report these questions later to your friend.

Example: “What country do you come from?” asked Bill. – Bill asked what country I came from.

“Do you often go to the swimming-pool?” asked Pete. – Pete asked if I often went to the swimming-pool.

1 “How long have you been here?” said Ann. 2 “Are you working as well as studying?” asked Peter. 3 “Have you got a work permit?” Bill wanted to know. 4 “What are you going to study?” asked Ann. 5 "Have you enrolled for more than one class?” said Peter. 6 “Do you want to buy any second-hand books?” said Bill. 7 “Have you seen the library?” asked Ann. 8 “Do you play rugby?” said Peter. 9 “Will you have time to play regularly?” he went on. 10 “Did you play for your school team?” asked Bill. 11 “Are you interested in acting?” asked Ann. 12 “Would you like to join our drama group?” she asked. 13 “What do you think of our canteen?” asked Pete.

Exercises 10. Change commands, requests, recommenda­tions into indirect speech.

Example: “Close the door,” she asked me. – She asked me to close the door.

1 “Open the safe!” the raiders ordered the bank clerk. 2 “Please do as I say,” he begged me. 3 “Help your mother, Peter,” Mr. Pitt said. 4 “Don't make too much noise, children,” he said. 5 “Do whatever you like,” she said to us. 6 “Don't miss your train,” she warned them. 7 “Read the document before you sign it,” the lawyer said to his client. 8 “Fill in the blank again,” he said. 9 “Buy a new car,” I advised him. 10 “Don't drive too fast,” she begged him. 11 “Don't put your bicycle near my window,” said the shopkeeper to me. 12 “Come to the cinema with me,” he asked her. 13 “Cook it in butter,” I advised her. 14 “Send for the fire brigade,” the manager said to the porter. 15 ”Please pay at the desk,” said the shop assistant to her. 16 “Don't argue with me,” said the teacher to the boy. 17 "Pull as hard as you can," he said to her. 18 “Don’t lend anything to her,” he advised us. 19 “Stand clear off the door," a voice warned the people. 20 "Put down that gun. It's loaded,” she warned him.

Exercises 11. Translate into English paying attention to the sequence of tenses.

1 Я знал, что она еще не прочитала письмо. 2 Она считала, что ананасы растут на деревьях. .3 Он сказал нам, что расплатился с долгами (pay one’s debts) боль­ше месяца назад. 4 Она сказала, что пишет это сочинение (composition) уже три часа. 5 Она не знала, успеш­но ли закончилась (be a success) операция. 6 Том позвонил в полицию и сказал, что все его вещи украдены. 7 Капитан приказал всем подняться на борт (get aboard). 8 Они не знали, будут ли опубликованы результаты их исследований. 9 Я думал, что он работает, и не вошел в комнату. 10 Он попросил, чтобы она не беспокоилась. 11 Я не знаю, когда он приедет в Москву. 12 Они поинтересовались, бывал ли я когда-ни­будь заграницей (abroad). 13 Он сказал им, что они не должны говорить об этом сейчас. 14 Наш гид (guide) рассказал нам, что замок (castle) был возведен в 14-ом веке. 15 Я надеюсь, что новый мост будет построен в следующем году.

Keys

1 I knew she had not read the letter yet. 2 She thought that pineapples grew on the trees. 3 He told us he had paid his debts more than a month before. 4 She said she had been writing the composition for more than three hours. 5 She did not know if the operation had been a success. 6 Tom phoned the police and said that all his things had been stolen. 7 The captain ordered everybody to get aboard. 8 They did not know if the results of their research would be published. 9 I thought he was working and had not come into the room. 10 He asked her not to worry. 11 I don't know when he will come to Moscow. 12 They wondered if I had ever been abroad . 13 He told us they must not speak about it now. 14 Our guide told us that the castle had been built in the 14^th century. 15 I hope a new bridge will be built next year.