REPORTED SPEECH (INDIRECT SPEECH) EXERCISE 1 (ESL)
level: Intermediate (B1/B2)
✓ Useful for IELTS
✓ Useful for Cambridge B2/C1
Reported speech requires more than just removing quotation marks — when the reporting verb is in the past, tenses shift back one step (backshift), pronouns change, and time expressions often need updating too. This exercise practices all of these changes together.
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.
Convert each direct speech sentence into reported speech using the correct tense.
1. "He will come tomorrow." She told me that he ________ tomorrow.
Correct answer: would come
2. "I see the clouds." He told me that she ________ 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
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER REPORTED SPEECH EXERCISES:
Reported speech (mixed tenses) 1 (I)
Reported speech (mixed tenses) 2 (I)
Reported speech (mixed tenses) 3 (I)
Reported speech (commands) 1 (I)
Reported speech (simple past) 1 (I)
Reported speech grammar hub
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Reported speech (mixed tenses) 1 (I)
Reported speech (mixed tenses) 2 (I)
Reported speech (mixed tenses) 3 (I)
Reported speech (commands) 1 (I)
Reported speech (simple past) 1 (I)
Reported speech grammar hub
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