REPORTED SPEECH (INDIRECT SPEECH) EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
B1–B2 · IntermediateUseful for:✓ IELTS✓ Cambridge B2/C1
Practice reported speech (indirect speech) with 20 multiple-choice questions about everyday situations. Choose the correct verb form to report statements and requests. This B1/B2 exercise uses standard tense backshift, such as will changing to would. Check your answers when you finish.
Need a refresher? Review the grammar ↓
Change each sentence into reported speech. Use standard tense backshift for statements and the infinitive for requests.
Example: 'We will go to the concert.' → They said that they would go to the concert.
1. "He will come tomorrow." → She told me that he ________ tomorrow.
Correct answer: would come
2. "I see the clouds." → He told me that he ________ the clouds.
Correct answer: saw
3. "My mother is taking the bus to work tomorrow." → He told me that his mother ________ the bus to work tomorrow.
Correct answer: was taking
4. "I will call you." → I told her that I ________ her.
Correct answer: would call
5. "I have been there." → She told me that she ________ there.
Correct answer: had been
6. "I will be studying tomorrow." → I told him that I ________ tomorrow.
Correct answer: would be studying
7. "Open the window!" → He asked me ________ the window.
Correct answer: to open
8. "I am happy." → She told me that she ________ happy.
Correct answer: was
9. "I have seen that movie." → He told me that he ________ that movie.
Correct answer: had seen
10. "I am flying to France tomorrow." → He told me that he ________ to France tomorrow.
Correct answer: was flying
11. "I use an AI tool to practice English." → Maya told me that she ________ an AI tool to practice English.
Correct answer: used
12. "We are recording a podcast." → They said that they ________ a podcast.
Correct answer: were recording
13. "I have bought a used phone online." → Leo told me that he ________ a used phone online.
Correct answer: had bought
14. "I will share the video link." → Nina said that she ________ the video link.
Correct answer: would share
15. "I can repair electric bikes." → Sam told me that he ________ electric bikes.
Correct answer: could repair
16. "I am not using that fitness app anymore." → Ella said that she ________ that fitness app anymore.
Correct answer: wasn't using
17. "We finished the online course." → They told me that they ________ the online course.
Correct answer: had finished
18. "I have been editing my cooking video." → Ava said that she ________ her cooking video.
Correct answer: had been editing
19. "Turn off your microphone, please." → The teacher asked me ________ my microphone.
Correct answer: to turn off
20. "I will be working from home tomorrow." → Ben said that he ________ from home the next day.
Correct answer: would be working
Next exercise: Reported Speech — Mixed – Exercise 2 →
Grammar review
Reported speech — tense backshift patterns
When we report what someone said in the past, the verb tenses in the original statement typically shift one step further back. This is called tense backshift, and it happens because the reporting verb (said, told) is in the past.
The general pattern:
Present tenses in the original statement shift to their past equivalents in reported speech. Future forms also shift. The exact shift depends on which tense was used in the original — each present or future tense has a corresponding backshifted form.
What this exercise tests:
Each question gives you an original direct speech sentence and asks you to complete its reported speech equivalent. The key skill is recognizing which tense the original uses, then applying the correct backshift.
Two useful questions to ask for each sentence:
1. What tense is the original statement using?
2. What does that tense shift to in reported speech?
Watch out for cases where backshift is optional:
If the situation described is still true at the time of reporting, keeping the original tense is sometimes acceptable. The exercise uses standard backshifted forms throughout.
When we report what someone said in the past, the verb tenses in the original statement typically shift one step further back. This is called tense backshift, and it happens because the reporting verb (said, told) is in the past.
The general pattern:
Present tenses in the original statement shift to their past equivalents in reported speech. Future forms also shift. The exact shift depends on which tense was used in the original — each present or future tense has a corresponding backshifted form.
What this exercise tests:
Each question gives you an original direct speech sentence and asks you to complete its reported speech equivalent. The key skill is recognizing which tense the original uses, then applying the correct backshift.
Two useful questions to ask for each sentence:
1. What tense is the original statement using?
2. What does that tense shift to in reported speech?
Watch out for cases where backshift is optional:
If the situation described is still true at the time of reporting, keeping the original tense is sometimes acceptable. The exercise uses standard backshifted forms throughout.
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