1.

Reported Statements with no change

of tense
· When the reporting verb is Present Pres. Perf. Future there is no change
of tense in the reported sentence.

“I am not going”

He says ( that ) he is not going.

He will say ( that ) he is not going.

He has said ( that ) he is not going.

A) Write the sentences in indirect speech, using the words given.

1. “I haven’t done my homework”, she says.

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2. “I’ve seen that film before”, he says.

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3. “I want to go home”, she has said.

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4. “I haven’t seen my mother for years”, she says.

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5. “I don’t know how much it costs”, he says.

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6. “I don’t like going to crowded parties”, she has told me.

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7. “I need the money to visit my parents”, he’ll say.

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2. Reported Statements with a change of
tense
· When the reporting verb is in the Past tense the tense in the reported sentence
changes.

“I am not going”. He said ( that) he was not going.

“My name is Lisa”. She said ( that ) her name was Lisa.

B) Write these sentences in indirect speech, using the words given.

1. “My name is Tom”, he said.

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2. “I’m writing a letter”, she said.

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3. “I don’t like the idea”, he said.

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4. “We are waiting for Julia”, they said.

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5. “The car isn’t at my house”, Tom said.

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6. “My washing machine is broken”, he told me.

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7. “I’m working”, Sara said.

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8. “We’re worried about Peter”, John and Mary said.

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9. “I don’t smoke”, Paul said.

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10. “I’m waiting for my exam results”, Megan said.

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11. “I work for an American company”, Mrs. Johnson said.
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12. “I feel ill”, the little boy said.

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13. “I’m watching television now”, Peter said.

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14. “We like the new house”, Sam and Peter said.

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15.“I will wash the car tomorrow”, Paula said.

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16. “I haven’t got any money”, Peter told

me...............................................................................

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17. “I work in a hospital”, the man said.

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18. “We’ve never been to Berlin”, they said.

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19. “We can’t come next Tuesday”, they told Mary.

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20. “I’m going to visit Canada this year”, the President announced.

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21. “I can’t stand classical music”, Sara told me.

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22. “The plane will take off in half a hour”, the pilot announced.

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23. “We stayed in a hotel for a few weeks”, they said

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24. “I´ve already met Sara´s parents”, he said.

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25. “I must go home to make the dinner”, Peter told her.
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26. “I spoke to Janet last week”, he said to me.

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27. “I saw her at the cinema yesterday”, he said.

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28. “I met her three months ago”, he said.

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29. “My parents are arriving tomorrow”, he said.

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30. “ We will go to the museum next week”, they said.

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31. “ I see the children quite often”, Mary said.

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32. “I haven´t been waiting long”, she told me.

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33. “I´m listening to the radio”, the mother said to her son.

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34. “I´ll tell them the news on Saturday”, she said.

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35. “I walked home after the party”, he said.

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36. “I don´t like this film”, she said.

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37. “Peter and Sue are getting married tomorrow”, she said.

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38. “I´ll see Mary on Sunday”, he told me.

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39. “I´m trying to listen to the news”, he said.

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40. “I must go out to post a letter”, he told me.

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3. Reported Speech: say // tell

· tell is followed by a personal direct object: me, him, her, her teacher, the
boy, ….

· tell needn’t take a per. dir. obj. in some phrases: tell the truth, tell a lie, tell lies,
tell the time, tell a story.

· tell is not used before questions: we cannot say: He told me,

“Have we met before?” .

“It is too late”, she

told them.

She told me she

was going to buy a new car.

She told the meal

was very nice.

· say takes a personal object with to.

She said she was

going to buy a new car.

“It is too late”, she

said to them.

“I don’t like them

very much”, she said to me quietly.

Why did he say that

to you?

She said the meal

was very nice.
A) Use the correct form of say or tell in these sentences.

1. She ………………. me she didn’t agree.

2. “I think I’ve met you before”, he ……………… .

3. I ……………… them I wasn’t happy with their work.

4. She ………………. me a story about her parents.

5. He ……………. , “Are you feeling OK”?

6. She smiled, and ……………. to me, “I’m very pleased to meet you”.

7. I didn’t hear; what did she …………….?

8. Could you ……………. me the time, please?

9. They ……………. me they were going to a meeting.

10. I …………… the policeman by address.

11. I ……………. I wanted to buy a magazine.

12. He ………. He wasn’t interested in politics.

13. Could you …………….. me your name again, please?

14. Do you think he’s ………….. the truth?

15. Would you ………….. them to come early tomorrow?

16. If he ................that again, there´ll be trouble.

17. I ………. them it was dangerous to swim there.

18. Did you …………. anything to him about your problems at work?

19. ……………. me what happened.

20. I think he’s ……………. lies.

B) Circle the correct verb, say or tell.

1. They say / tell that they’re going to London to see John.

2. Mark said / told us all about his holiday in Jamaica.

3. Did you say / tell Lisa is coming with us?

4. The teacher said / told the class a funny story.

5. “Don’t say / tell lies!” said / told James angrily.

6. How old were you when you learned to say / tell the time?

7. I can’t understand what they’re saying / telling to each other.

8. I hate speaking in public. I never know what to say / tell.

9. Jane always says / tells me her secrets.

10. “Do you think anyone saw us?” she said / told nervously.