Reported speech – worksheet

Name and index no. Milena Ristic, 496/16

Note: Type your answers in CAPITALS or different color.

I Report what the assistant said to you in each shop when you were hunting for a particular piece
of computer software.

Example: John Brown's Software Store: 'I've never heard of that particular product. I'm not sure it
exists.' In John Brown's Software Store the man said he'd never heard of the product, adding that he
wasn't sure it existed.

 Softly Softly: 'We don't actually stock what you want but there is a shop down the road that
does.'
 People from Softly Softly said to the man that they didn’t stock what he wanted, but the
shop down the road did.
 Disk Jockey: 'We normally keep them but we've had a run on them and I'm afraid we've sold
out. We're expecting some in sometime next week.'
 People from Disk Jockey said that they kept them but they had had a run on them and they
were afraid that they had sold out, but they were expecting some in sometime in a week.
 Apple Core: 'We only deal with Apple Mac, so we won't be able to help you.'
 People from Apple Core said that they only dealt with Apple Mac so they would not be able
to help me.
 Surf'n Byte: 'We've got something very similar but I can't guarantee that it will do what you
want it to do.'
 People from Surf’n Byte said that they had got something very similar but they couldn’t
guarantee that it would do what I wanted it to do.
 Graphics Unlimited: 'I think there's a place not far from here where they may be able to help
you. A friend of mine bought something similar from them last week.'
 People from Graphics Unlimited said that there was a place not far from there and where
they might be able to help me because a friend of theirs had bought something similar from
them last week.
 Softly Softly: 'You were here a few hours ago. We still don't stock them.'
 People from Softly Softly said that I had been there a few hours ago and that they still didn’t
stock them.

II Rewrite each sentence in two ways, a and b. You will need to use that-clauses, wh-clauses,
infinitive clauses or —ing clauses.

Example: 'I've done nothing to be ashamed of,' she sobbed. a) She denied having done anything to
be ashamed of. b) She refused to admit that she had been in any way responsible.
  'I'll be there with you lot before you can blink,' the sergeant told them.
 The sergeant said ___ next to no time.
 The sergeant promised that it would last for a matter of minutes.
 'I don't think employees should be forced to work overtime,' he said.
 He disapproved _of empleyees being made to work overtime.
 He was opposed ___ obligatory.
 'Either you hand over those photos, or I'll tell the Tax Office everything.' B J said to her.
 B J threatened that he would tell everything if I did not hand over photographs.
 B J said that he would tell everything if he didn’t have the photos.
 `Do I really need to stay?' she said.
 She enquired whether she needed to stay.
 She asked to be excused to leave.
 'I have been unfairly treated,' the number nine complained.
 The number nine felt like being unfailry treated.
 The number nine claimed to unfair treatment.

III Find five to seven examples of reported speech in Remains of the Day and type the example
sentences here.

1. Mr Faradday let it be known that he would not be taking up immediate residence here,
but would spend a further four months concluding matters in the United States.
2.