MORE EXERCISES ON REPORTED SPEECH

I. Write each of the following sentences in reported speech, using “advise, beg, introduce, invite,
offer, order, promise, remind, tell, warn”

1. “Remember to write to me soon,” she said to me.

2. “You’d better spend more time learning to write,” I said to the boy.

3. “Would you like to have dinner with us tonight?” Mike said.

4. “Please, please switch off the TV, John,” said Tom.

5. “Don’t lean your bicycles against my windows, boys,” said the shopkeeper.

6. “Open the safe”, the robber said to the bank clerk.

7. “Leave this space clear,” the notice said.

8. “Mr. Brown, this is Miss White, “he said.

9. “Shall I open the door for you?” he said.

10. “I’ll wait for you. I promise,” he said to me.

II. Finish the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one beginning with the
given words or phrases.

1. “Don’t touch that switch, Peter,” I said.

I warned …………………………………………………………….

2. “Read it before you sign it,” he said to his client.

He advised ………………………………………………………….

3. “Will you help me, please? she said, “I can’t reach the top shelf”

She asked …………………………………………………………..

4. “Please do as I say,” he said to me.

He begged …………………………………………………………..

5. “Don’t forget to prune the roses,” said to my aunt.

My aunt reminded me ……………………………………………………

6. “Would you like me to help you with the cooking, Tom?” Laura said.

Laura offered ………………………………………………………………

7. “If you don’t pay the ransom, we’ll kill the boy,” said the kidnapper.

The kidnapper threatened ………………………………………………..

8. “I won’t answer any questions,” said the suspect.

The suspect refused ………………………………………………………..

9. “All right. I’ll wait a week.” Paul said.

Paul agreed …………………………………………………………………

10. “Would you like to go camping with us next weekend?” said Minh to Phong.

Minh invited ………………………………………………………………..

III. Finish the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one beginning with the
given words or phrases.

1. “Why don’t you organize an English competition for our students?” said Mrs Lien.

Mrs Lien ………………………………………………………………………..

2. “I’m sorry I’m late.” said Mr Thanh.

Mr Thanh apologized …………………………………………………………….

3. “Me? No, I didn’t take Sue’s calculator, “ said Bob.

Bob denied ………………………………………………………………………..

4.“You were cheating,” said David to Henry.

David accused………………………………………………………………………..

5. “I must see the manager,” he cried.

He insisted …………………………………………………………….

6. “If you wanted to take my bike, you should have asked me first,” said Mike to his brother.

Mike criticized ………………………………………………………..

7. “You won the scholarship. Congratulations.” Mary told me.

Mary congratulated ……………………………………………………….

8. “ It was kind of you to help me with my homework,” Lan said to Hue.

He proposed ……………………………………………………………….
9. “Shall we walk there? It’s not far,” he said.

He proposed ………………………………………………………………

10. “Turn off the computer. You are not allowed to play the game now,” Dick’s mother said.

Dick’s mother prevented …………………………………………………

IV. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning
to the original sentence. Use the word given and other words as necessary

1. “I’m sorry that I broke the glass,” said Peter. (APOLOGISE)

…………………………………………………………………………….

2. “You should have waited for us,” the team leader said to John. (CRITICIZED)

……………………………………………………………………………….

3. “Let’s invite Mr Brown to the party next weekend ,”he said. (SUGGEST)

…………………………………………………………………………………..

4. “You stole the jewels” the inspector said to him. (ACCUSE)

……………………………………………………………………………………

5. “I only borrowed your car for some hours,” the man said. (ADMITTED)

……………………………………………………………………………………
Key:

I.

1. She reminded me to write to her soon.

2. I advised the boy to spend more time learning to write.

3. Mike invited me to have dinner with them that night.

4. Tom begged John to turn off the TV.

5. The shopkeeper warned boys not to lean their bicycles against his windows.

6. The robber ordered the bank clerk to open the safe.

7. The notice told me to leave that space clear.

8. He introduced Miss White to Mr. Brown.

9. He offered to open the door for me.

10. He promised to wait for me.

II.

I warned Peter not to touch that switch.

2. He advised his client to read it before he signed it.

3. She asked me to help her because (as) she couldn't reach the top shelf.

4. He begged me to do as he said.

5. My aunt reminded me to prune the roses.

6. Laura offered Tom to help with her cooking.

7. The kidnapper threatened to kill the boy if he/she/they didn't pay the ransom.

8. The suspect refused to answer any question.

9. Paul agreed to wait a week.

10. Minh invited Phong to go camping with them nextweekend.