Sequence of Tenses/Indirect Speech

(Budai László (1990) Angol nyelvtani gyakorlatok. Bp., Tankönyvkiadó, 58–62)

1. Turn the following sentences into the indirect speech; introduce them with He says, He
has told me, He will tell me or any other suitable verb in one of the present tenses or
future tenses:
1. I want to speak to you. 2. We have finished our work. 3. I am very late. 4. I have been
shopping all morning. 5. She has written me a long letter. 6. They are waiting outside. 7. She is
ready to help us. 8. He has done his homework well. 9. I met him last year. 10. I have just been
to the butcher’s. 11. We haven’t heard the news. 12. They will be here soon. 13. I can come
next week. 14. I will leave the book on the table. 15. I will talk to her mother as soon as I can.
16. I have never been here before. 17. He hasn’t done his homework. 18. I was very ill
yesterday. 19. My father lives in Oxford. 20. This pen isn’t mine. 21. What have you done
today? 22. We are living in another house now. 23. He is sitting over there. 24. Last year he
visited us in Budapest. 25. He likes Hungary very much.
2. Turn the following sentences in to the indirect speech form: introduce them with He said,
He told me or any other suitable verb in one of the past tenses:
1. They went away last month. 2. They will be coming back soon. 3. They must return to
London next week. 4. I am free tonight. 5. You don’t work hard enough. 6. He arrived in
Hungary last week. 7. We shall see you at your place tomorrow. 8. I feel ill today. 9. He is going
to become a doctor. 10. I buy several newspapers every day. 11. She is an excellent cook. 12.
We learnt all this a long time ago. 13. He has studied here for two years. 14. They aren’t
dancing now. 15. It was snowing hard when I got up this morning. 16. I shall come if I am free.
17. I should come if I were free. 18. I should have come If I had been free. 19. I was sleeping
when they opened the door. 20. Actions speak louder than words. 21. This school was built in
1911. 22. I couldn’t find them at home. 23. We had to get up very early yesterday. 24. You may
go away. 25. I wasn’t allowed to stay with them.

3. Turn the following questions into indirect speech: introduce them with a verb in one of
the present or future tenses (e.g. He asks, I don’t know, I wonder, I’ll ask him, etc.):
1. What is that hotel like? 2. Where is the post-office? 3. How old is that castle? 4. What colour
is your car? 5. What are you drawing now? 6. How many English lessons do you have a week? 7.
What will you do tomorrow afternoon? 8. What do you want to become? 9. Who has been
using my computer? 10. How did you get into the house? 11. Do you like learning languages?
12. Have you ever been abroad? 13. Did you sleep well? 14. Would you like to go to London?
15. Are there any letters for me? 16. Did you enjoy the film last night? 17. Who do you want to
speak to? 18. Why were you laughing when you saw him? 19. What would you do if you had
more time? 20. What are you repairing? 21. Have you seen this play? 22. What were you doing
at nine last night? 23. How long are you going to stay in the country? 24. Will you be angry with
me? 25. Could you change £1?
4. Turn the following questions into indirect speech, introducing them with a verb in one of
the past tenses:
1. Who do you want to speak to? 2. How long does it take to get to Edinburgh by coach? 3.
How much do you think it will cost? 4. Who did you give the money to? 5. How long have you
been learning German? 6. Do you want to see the museum? 7. Would you like to come with us?
8. Is this seat taken? 9. Can you tell me why le left university? 10. Will it be all right if I come in a
little later tonight? 11. Where can I park my car? 12. Would you like a lift? 13. Which way are
you going? 14. What are you going to do with your old car? 15. Does anyone want tickets for
the boxing match? 16. Do you grow your own vegetables? 17. What train are you going to get?
18. How many sleeping pills have you taken? 19. Have you seen my new hat? 20. Will the taxi
be here at 10 o’clock? 21. Did you have to wait for her? 22. Were you allowed to read the
letter? 23. Were you able to find them? 24. What would happen if you didn’t meet him? 25.
Who will you turn to?

5. Put the following into indirect speech, with the introductory verbs in the past tense:
1. Where do you live? 2. Have you been to town today? 3. It is cold in here. 4. Do you think it
will rain? 5. Where shall we be tomorrow? 6. I must write some letters now. 7. My watch has
stopped. 8. Can you tell me where I can find Mr Smith? 9. Do you know the way to the station?
10. The dog has eaten the meat. 11. You are late home. What have you been doing? 12. I have
read this book before. Have you got something else I can read? 13. May I take an apple? They
look so nice. 14. Where did you leave your coat? 15. Why didn’t you get up earlier? 16. Have
you always lived in that place? 17. Did you answer all the questions? 18. Will they let us know
tomorrow? 19. May I use your telephone? 20. Are you enjoying yourself? 21. I am sorry I can’t
finish it at once. 22. You must go home at once. 23. They had to go away last month. 24. I don’t
know what he will say. 25. I tis the first time I have been in this town.

6. Translate into English paying attention to the sequence of tenses: (Budai: English
Grammar, p. 135)
1. Azt mondja, hogy minden nap busszal megy haza. 2. Azt kérdezi, hány óra van. 3. Azt
mondta, hogy tegnap egész nap horgászott. 4. Azt kérdeztem tőle, hogy otthon lesznek-e ma
este? 5. Azt írta, hogy nagyon jól érzik magukat. 6. Azt gondoltam, hogy alszik. 7. Azt szerettem
volna tudni, hogy megérkeztek-e már. 8. Azt kérdezte, hogy tudom-e, mikor indul a vonat. 9.
Azt mondta a szüleinek, hogy kirándulni mennek. 10. Azt mondta neki, hogy nem találkoztatok.
11. Azt írta, hogy öt napja nagyon beteg. 12. Azt kérdeztem tőle, mióta vár a buszra. 13. Azt
gondoltam, hogy kimegyünk a hegyekbe a jövő héten, ha jó idő lesz. 14. Azt kérdezte, hogy
segítenék-e neki, ha megkérne rá. 15. Azt mondta, hogy holnapra megjavítja az órámat. 16. Azt
írta, hogy három órát vártak, mire megérkezett a repülő. 17. Azt kérdezték, hogy mit csináltam,
amíg a városban tartózkodtam. 18. Azt kérdezte, hogy tetszett-e a film, és én azt válaszoltam,
hogy nem. 19. Azt kérdezte, hogy szeretlek-e, és én azt válaszoltam, hogy igen. 20. Amikor azt
kérdeztem tőle, hogy hol van a pénze, azt felelte, hogy elvesztette. 21. Amikor a tanár
megkérdezte tőlem, hogy miért nem készítettem el a házi feladatomat, azt mondtam neki, hogy
egész héten beteg voltam. 22. Azt kérdeztem tőle, honnan vette azt a sok pénzt, de ő csak
hallgatott. 23. Azt írta, hogy pénteken elhozza nekem mind a két könyvet, de azóta sem hozta.
24. Azt mondta, hogy segítene, ha tudna. 25. Azt kérdezte, hogy megcsináltam volna-e, ha több
időm lett volna. 26. Azt szeretném tudni, hogy ha megtanuljátok-e a függő beszéd szabályait,
tudjátok-e majd alkalmazni?