Reported Speech: Grammar Exercises

This page contains exercises about reported speech with answer keys.

Indirect Speech: Commands and Request

 ‘Told someone to do something’ is an indirect imperative. 

Reported Speech: Questions

Observe and remember indirect speech and sequence of tenses: general and special questions.
The general rules are as follows:

1. Normal word order is used in reported questions: ‘subject + verb’
2. The rules for sequence of tenses compulsory when the verb in the main clause is in the one of the Past Tenses.
3. Indirect question is preceded by a clause containing a verb like ask (somebody), tell (me) or (I) wonder.

Sequence of Tenses and Reported Speech: Statements

Observe and remember indirect speech and sequence of tenses: reported statements.

Key examples:

• I live in London. → He said (that) he lived in London.
• I am not feeling well. → Sam told me he wasn’t feeling well.
• It happened three days ago. → He told me it had happened three days before.
• I’ll telephone this evening. → Sam said he would telephone that evening.