B2 Grammar

FIRST

4C Reported speech — Can you believe it?

Aim Adaptation and extension
to practise using reported speech • To focus on reported questions, ask students to use
the question cards rather than the statement cards in
Activity type step 4 of the activity. Student A asks the question.
Student B reports the question and answers the
a speaking activity where students need to change
question, whispering both to Student C. Student C
statements and questions into reported speech
then reports both the question and Student B’s answer.
Student D reports the question and answer back to
Classroom dynamics the group and they say whether they agree or not with
groups of four Student B’s answer.
• To extend the activity and avoid possible repetition of
Time taken some of the cards, you could ask students to write their
15 minutes own statements for step 4.

Preparation B2
FIRST Grammar
You will need one copy of the activity sheet for each group,
cut into cards. 4C Reported speech — Can you believe it?

Procedure I went to England on

My bike was stolen yesterday.
holiday last summer.
1 Divide the students into groups of four and give each
group a set of cards, laying them face down on the table.
2 Tell students they are going to play a game where they My neighbours are going to
We’ve got a new dog.
must whisper sentences. Appoint students in each group, go to Australia next year.

clockwise, as Student A, B, C and D. Explain that Student

A takes a card and whispers the sentence that is on
the card to Student B. Student B must then change the This morning I was eating an apple
when I saw an insect inside it.
There was a mouse in my
neighbour’s kitchen yesterday.
sentence they heard into reported speech and whisper it
to Student C. Student C must then change the sentence
back into direct speech and whisper it to Student My parents won some money I’m going to buy a
D. Student D then once more changes the sentence on the lottery at the weekend. new phone this month.

back into reported speech and reports the sentence

back to the group. The group then checks to see if the
When was the last time
information reported back to them is the same as in the you went to the cinema?
Have you read a good book recently?

original sentence on the card. It is then Student B’s turn

to start with the next card, and so on. Allow four minutes
for this stage. How often do you read e-books?
If you had a choice, would you
rather read a book or watch a film?
3 Monitor and help as necessary with any grammar issues.
4 For the next stage, ask students to separate the statement
cards into a pile and put the question cards aside. Explain What’s your favourite What’s the most interesting
type of TV programme? story someone has told you?
that for this part of the activity, students still need to
whisper as before, but after the first student each student
repeats what they say in reported speech and changes PHOTOCOPIABLE © Pearson Education Limited 2020 18

one detail. If you think it is necessary, give an example,

e.g. say and write on the board: My dad has got a new
job and he starts tomorrow. Elicit the reported speech
from the class: She said that her dad had got a new job
and he starts tomorrow. Then elicit ways a student might
change one of the details each time: She said that her
dad had got a new job as an astronaut. She said that her
pet rabbit had got a new job as an astronaut. Ask Student
A to start and allow five minutes for this stage.
5 If time allows, take whole-class feedback and ask some
groups to tell you the funniest or most interesting
sentences that they heard.

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