Step 3 Reported statements in

the present
Task 1 - Complete the table with the
suitable words.

Task 2 - Make indirect sentences in

the present. Look at the examples on
the bottom of the page.

1)

that / those

1)

2)

that night

3)

the next day, the

following day

4)

two days before

5)

that (week)

6)

two days before

7)

take

ago

8)

come

9)

here

10)

last (month)

11)

next (year)

12)

now

13)

the day after

tomorrow

14)

today

15)

yesterday

16)

Direct speech

Reported speech

DONT FORGET Change the pronouns: X says to Y

In reported speech you have to change I, me, my,
mine, myself, / we, us, our, ours, ourselves if X
(speaker) isnt I or we. YOU HAVE TO CONFORM I
OR WE TO X.
Lets see two examples:
Mary says to Peter she is a student.
Mary says to Peter they are friends.
In reported speech you have to change you, your,
yours, yourself and yourselves if Y (receiver) isnt you.
YOU HAVE TO CONFORM YOU TO Y.
Lets see an example:

Mary says to Peter he is a teacher.

Ive forgotten to pack my passport. Sam

to the officer
___________________________________
_________________________________
2) Your new novel is my favourite one. Linda
to the writer
___________________________________
_________________________________
3) I dont like talking about unnecessary
things. The boss to Mr Grey
___________________________________
_________________________________
4) He explained me the mechanism of my
car. Tina to her mum
___________________________________
_________________________________
5) I would like to forget this terrible
memory. Sylvie to the psychologist
___________________________________
_________________________________
6) Your unbelievable stories are the best in
this class. The teacher to Jack
___________________________________
_________________________________
7) My hobbies dont need much energy.
Mike to Sam
___________________________________
_________________________________
8) You broke my beautiful vase when you ran
out of the room. Mum to Paul
___________________________________
_________________________________
9) These apples are for your grandchildren.
The greengrocer to Mrs Hill
___________________________________
_________________________________
10) Tomorrow well visit our new friends in
New Castle. Dad to the children
___________________________________
_________________________________

Task 3 - Make indirect sentences in the

present. Now the receiver (Y) is given in
the direct sentence.
1) Mom: Children, you are so nice.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
2) Greg: Mother, this soup is really delicious.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
3) Mrs Drill: Philip, your composition isnt on my
desk.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
4) Ms Stone: Margaret, your mother is waiting for
you outside the house.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
5) Grandma: Sam and Peter, your sandwiches are
ready.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
6) Mrs Farrell: Mr Kyle, your car is standing in
front of my garage.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
7) Mr Marvel: Mrs Lodge, your son is my best
student in this class.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
8) Daisy: Lana, I need your help.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
9) Doug: Daddy, I got a five in Physics.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________
10) Tom: Peggy, I have lost your telephone number.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________

By Zsuzsapszi

Task 4 Connect the sentences using

indirect speech in the present.

1) Yesterday Marty met Kyra. They went

to the cinema. The film was very
exciting. Tom to Peter
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
____________________________
2) Ralph is my friend. He is 13 years old. He
likes history. Frank to me
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
____________________________
3) Laura and I are sisters. We live in
Houston. Our favourite free time
activity is dancing. Anne to me
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
___________________________
4) This soup tastes delicious. You must try
it. I have never eaten such a good soup
before. Donna to Luke
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
___________________________

Solution
Task 1
Direct speech

Reported speech

1) this / these

that / those

2) tonight

that night

3) tomorrow

the next day, the following day

4) the day before yesterday / two days

ago

two days before

5) this (week)

that (week)

6) the day before yesterday / two days

ago

two days before

7) bring

take

ago

8) before

come

9) go

here

10) there

last (month)

11) the (month) before, the previous

(month)

next (year)

12) the next (year), the following (year)

now

13) then

the day after tomorrow

14) in two days time

today

15) that day

yesterday

16) the day before / the previous day

Task 2

1) Sam says to the officer (that) he has forgotten to pack his passport.
2) Linda says to the writer (that) his / her new novel is her favourite one.
3) The boss says to Mr Grey (that) he doesnt like talking about unnecessary things.
4) Tina says to her mum (that) he explained her the mechanism of her car.
5) Sylvie says to the psychologist (that) she would like to forget that terrible memory.
6) The teacher says to Jack (that) his unbelievable stories are the best in that class.
7) Mike says to Sam (that) his hobbies dont need much energy.
8) Mum says to Paul he broke her beautiful vase when he ran out of the room.
9) The greengrocer says to Mrs Hill (that) those apples are for her grandchildren.
10) Dad says to the children (that) theyll visit their new friends in New Castle the next
day / the following day.

Task 3

Mom says to the children (that) they are so nice.

2) Greg says to (his) mother that soup is really delicious.
3) Mrs Drill says to Philip (that) his composition isnt on her desk.
4) Ms Stone says to Margaret (that) her mother is waiting for her outside the house.
1)

5) Grandma says to Sam and Peter (that) their sandwiches are ready.
6) Mrs Farrell says to Mr Kyle (that) his car is standing in front of her garage.

7) Mr Marvel says to Mrs Lodge (that) her son is his best student in this class.
8) Daisy says to Lana (that) she needs her help.

9) Doug says to Daddy (that) he got a five in Physics.

10) Tom says to Peggy (that) he has lost her telephone number.

Task 4 - There are more possible solutions to this exercise. But here you can
find an example.

1) Tom says to Peter (that) Marty met Kyra the day before then they went to
the cinema and he added (that) the film was very exciting.
2) Frank says to me (that) Ralph is his friend adding that he is 13 years old and
he likes history.
3) Anne says to me (that) Laura and she are sisters then she added that they live
in Houston and their favourite free time activity is dancing.
4) Donna says to Luke that soup tastes delicious and he has to / must try it
adding that she has never eaten such a good soup before.