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Institute of English Speech and Drama Sri Lanka crest
Institute of English Speech
and Drama Sri Lanka

Reported speech: watch, practise and check

Intermediate practice · Original video by English Lessons with Kate

Watch Kate’s original lesson

These are original EWS topic companions. They practise the stated topic; they do not reproduce the video transcript or its quiz.

Complete each worksheet before opening its separate answers. Then say your answers aloud and revise any mistake.

වැඩපත්‍රය කර අවසන් වූ පසු වෙනම පිළිතුරු පත්‍රය බලන්න.

Read the worksheets online

The same tasks are below. Answers stay on a separate page.

Open separate online answers
Worksheet 1: all 50 tasks

A. Report the statements

Report later, from a different place. Use tense backshift.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said, "I am tired."
  2. Nimal said, "I work here."
  3. Anu said, "I can swim."
  4. Ravi said, "I will help."
  5. Saman said, "I have finished."
  6. Nila said, "I am studying."
  7. Kamal said, "I like tea."
  8. Sara said, "I saw the film."
  9. Lal said, "I must leave."
  10. Rani said, "I do not drive."

B. Complete the reported verb

Use the backshifted form shown by the direct speech.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala: "I am tired." Report: Mala said that she ___ tired.
  2. Nimal: "I work here." Report: Nimal said that he ___ there.
  3. Anu: "I can swim." Report: Anu said that she ___ swim.
  4. Ravi: "I will help." Report: Ravi said that he ___ help.
  5. Saman: "I have finished." Report: Saman said that he ___.
  6. Nila: "I am studying." Report: Nila said that she ___.
  7. Kamal: "I like tea." Report: Kamal said that he ___ tea.
  8. Sara: "I saw the film." Report: Sara said that she ___ the film.
  9. Lal: "I must leave." Report: Lal said that he ___ leave.
  10. Rani: "I do not drive." Report: Rani said that she ___ drive.

C. Report questions and requests

Report later. Use statement order or (not) to + verb.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Anu asked me, "Are you ready?"
  2. Nimal asked me, "Do you work?"
  3. Mala asked me, "Where do you live?"
  4. Ravi asked me, "What are you doing?"
  5. Sara asked me, "Can you help?"
  6. Nimal said to me, "Please open the door."
  7. Anu said to me, "Please wait."
  8. Mala said to me, "Do not shout."
  9. Ravi said to me, "Please sit down."
  10. Sara said to me, "Do not run."

D. Correct the reporting sentence

Use backshift. Repair grammar or punctuation as needed.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said me that she was tired.
  2. Nimal told that he worked there.
  3. Anu asked me where did I live.
  4. Ravi asked me if was I ready.
  5. Sara asked me not run.
  6. Mala said that she is tired.
  7. Nimal said that he will help.
  8. Anu said that she can swim.
  9. Ravi told me open the door.
  10. Sara asked me where I lived?

E. Explain your choices aloud

Report the statement, then explain one grammar change.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said, "I am tired." Explain a change.
  2. Nimal said, "I work here." Explain a change.
  3. Anu said, "I can swim." Explain a change.
  4. Ravi said, "I will help." Explain a change.
  5. Saman said, "I have finished." Explain a change.
  6. Nila said, "I am studying." Explain a change.
  7. Kamal said, "I like tea." Explain a change.
  8. Sara said, "I saw the film." Explain a change.
  9. Lal said, "I must leave." Explain a change.
  10. Rani said, "I do not drive." Explain a change.
Worksheet 2: all 50 tasks

A. Report the statements

Report later, from a different place. Use tense backshift.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said, "I am hungry."
  2. Nimal said, "I live here."
  3. Anu said, "I can cook."
  4. Ravi said, "I will wait."
  5. Saman said, "I have eaten."
  6. Nila said, "I am reading."
  7. Kamal said, "I need help."
  8. Sara said, "I bought a book."
  9. Lal said, "I must study."
  10. Rani said, "I do not smoke."

B. Complete the reported verb

Use the backshifted form shown by the direct speech.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala: "I am hungry." Report: Mala said that she ___ hungry.
  2. Nimal: "I live here." Report: Nimal said that he ___ there.
  3. Anu: "I can cook." Report: Anu said that she ___ cook.
  4. Ravi: "I will wait." Report: Ravi said that he ___ wait.
  5. Saman: "I have eaten." Report: Saman said that he ___.
  6. Nila: "I am reading." Report: Nila said that she ___.
  7. Kamal: "I need help." Report: Kamal said that he ___ help.
  8. Sara: "I bought a book." Report: Sara said that she ___ a book.
  9. Lal: "I must study." Report: Lal said that he ___ study.
  10. Rani: "I do not smoke." Report: Rani said that she ___ smoke.

C. Report questions and requests

Report later. Use statement order or (not) to + verb.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Anu asked me, "Are you busy?"
  2. Nimal asked me, "Do you drive?"
  3. Mala asked me, "Where do you study?"
  4. Ravi asked me, "What are you reading?"
  5. Sara asked me, "Can you wait?"
  6. Nimal said to me, "Please close the window."
  7. Anu said to me, "Please speak slowly."
  8. Mala said to me, "Do not touch it."
  9. Ravi said to me, "Please call me."
  10. Sara said to me, "Do not be late."

D. Correct the reporting sentence

Use backshift. Repair grammar or punctuation as needed.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said me that she was hungry.
  2. Nimal told that he lived there.
  3. Anu asked me where did I study.
  4. Ravi asked me if was I busy.
  5. Sara told me not run.
  6. Mala said that she is hungry.
  7. Nimal said that he will wait.
  8. Anu said that she can cook.
  9. Ravi asked me close the window.
  10. Sara asked me what I was reading?

E. Explain your choices aloud

Report the statement, then explain one grammar change.

උදාහරණය තේරුම්ගෙන ඔබේ පිළිතුර ලියන්න.

  1. Mala said, "I am hungry." Explain a change.
  2. Nimal said, "I live here." Explain a change.
  3. Anu said, "I can cook." Explain a change.
  4. Ravi said, "I will wait." Explain a change.
  5. Saman said, "I have eaten." Explain a change.
  6. Nila said, "I am reading." Explain a change.
  7. Kamal said, "I need help." Explain a change.
  8. Sara said, "I bought a book." Explain a change.
  9. Lal said, "I must study." Explain a change.
  10. Rani said, "I do not smoke." Explain a change.