Reported speech: separate answers

Complete the student work first. Open tasks have model answers; other natural, relevant answers may be correct.

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Worksheet 1: answers and reasons

A. Report the statements

Mala said that she was tired.
Change I to she; change am to was. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Nimal said that he worked there.
Change I to he; change work to worked. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Anu said that she could swim.
Change I to she; change can to could. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Ravi said that he would help.
Change I to he; change will to would. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Saman said that he had finished.
Change I to he; change have finished to had finished. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Nila said that she was studying.
Change I to she; change am studying to was studying. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Kamal said that he liked tea.
Change I to he; change like to liked. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Sara said that she had seen the film.
Change I to she; change saw to had seen. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Lal said that he had to leave.
Change I to he; change must to had to. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Rani said that she did not drive.
Change I to she; change do not to did not. Here becomes there when the place changes.

B. Complete the reported verb

was
For this later report, am changes to was.
worked
For this later report, work changes to worked.
could
For this later report, can changes to could.
would
For this later report, will changes to would.
had finished
For this later report, have finished changes to had finished.
was studying
For this later report, am studying changes to was studying.
liked
For this later report, like changes to liked.
had seen
For this later report, saw changes to had seen.
had to
For this later report, must changes to had to.
did not
For this later report, do not changes to did not.

C. Report questions and requests

Anu asked me if I was ready.
Use if/whether and statement order.
Nimal asked me if I worked.
Remove do; backshift work to worked.
Mala asked me where I lived.
Keep where, then use statement order.
Ravi asked me what I was doing.
Do not invert I and was.
Sara asked me if I could help.
Can becomes could in this past report.
Nimal asked me to open the door.
Use asked + person + to + verb.
Anu asked me to wait.
Use asked + person + to + verb.
Mala told me not to shout.
Use told + person + not to + verb.
Ravi asked me to sit down.
Use asked + person + to + verb.
Sara told me not to run.
Put not before to.

D. Correct the reporting sentence

Mala told me that she was tired.
Tell takes a person directly; say does not.
Nimal said that he worked there.
Say can introduce a clause without an object person.
Anu asked me where I lived.
Reported questions use statement order.
Ravi asked me if I was ready.
Put the subject before was.
Sara asked me not to run.
Use asked + person + not to + verb.
Mala said that she was tired.
Use backshift as required in this exercise.
Nimal said that he would help.
Will becomes would in this exercise.
Anu said that she could swim.
Can becomes could in this exercise.
Ravi told me to open the door.
A reported command needs to + verb.
Sara asked me where I lived.
An indirect statement reporting a question ends with a full stop.

E. Explain your choices aloud

Model: Mala said that she was tired.
For example: I becomes she, and am becomes was. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Nimal said that he worked there.
For example: I becomes he, and work becomes worked. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Anu said that she could swim.
For example: I becomes she, and can becomes could. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Ravi said that he would help.
For example: I becomes he, and will becomes would. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Saman said that he had finished.
For example: I becomes he, and have finished becomes had finished. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Nila said that she was studying.
For example: I becomes she, and am studying becomes was studying. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Kamal said that he liked tea.
For example: I becomes he, and like becomes liked. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Sara said that she had seen the film.
For example: I becomes she, and saw becomes had seen. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Lal said that he had to leave.
For example: I becomes he, and must becomes had to. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Rani said that she did not drive.
For example: I becomes she, and do not becomes did not. Accept another accurate explanation.

Worksheet 2: answers and reasons

A. Report the statements

Mala said that she was hungry.
Change I to she; change am to was. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Nimal said that he lived there.
Change I to he; change live to lived. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Anu said that she could cook.
Change I to she; change can to could. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Ravi said that he would wait.
Change I to he; change will to would. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Saman said that he had eaten.
Change I to he; change have eaten to had eaten. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Nila said that she was reading.
Change I to she; change am reading to was reading. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Kamal said that he needed help.
Change I to he; change need to needed. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Sara said that she had bought a book.
Change I to she; change bought to had bought. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Lal said that he had to study.
Change I to he; change must to had to. Here becomes there when the place changes.
Rani said that she did not smoke.
Change I to she; change do not to did not. Here becomes there when the place changes.

B. Complete the reported verb

was
For this later report, am changes to was.
lived
For this later report, live changes to lived.
could
For this later report, can changes to could.
would
For this later report, will changes to would.
had eaten
For this later report, have eaten changes to had eaten.
was reading
For this later report, am reading changes to was reading.
needed
For this later report, need changes to needed.
had bought
For this later report, bought changes to had bought.
had to
For this later report, must changes to had to.
did not
For this later report, do not changes to did not.

C. Report questions and requests

Anu asked me if I was busy.
Use if/whether and statement order.
Nimal asked me if I drove.
Remove do and backshift drive to drove.
Mala asked me where I studied.
Keep where, then use statement order.
Ravi asked me what I was reading.
Do not invert I and was.
Sara asked me if I could wait.
Can becomes could in this past report.
Nimal asked me to close the window.
Use asked + person + to + verb.
Anu asked me to speak slowly.
Use asked + person + to + verb.
Mala told me not to touch it.
Use told + person + not to + verb.
Ravi asked me to call him.
Change me to him because Ravi was the original speaker.
Sara told me not to be late.
Put not before to.

D. Correct the reporting sentence

Mala told me that she was hungry.
Tell takes a person directly.
Nimal said that he lived there.
Say can introduce a clause without an object person.
Anu asked me where I studied.
Use statement order.
Ravi asked me if I was busy.
Put the subject before was.
Sara told me not to run.
Use not to + verb.
Mala said that she was hungry.
Use the requested backshift.
Nimal said that he would wait.
Will becomes would.
Anu said that she could cook.
Can becomes could.
Ravi asked me to close the window.
A reported request needs to + verb.
Sara asked me what I was reading.
The reporting statement ends with a full stop.

E. Explain your choices aloud

Model: Mala said that she was hungry.
For example: I becomes she, and am becomes was. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Nimal said that he lived there.
For example: I becomes he, and live becomes lived. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Anu said that she could cook.
For example: I becomes she, and can becomes could. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Ravi said that he would wait.
For example: I becomes he, and will becomes would. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Saman said that he had eaten.
For example: I becomes he, and have eaten becomes had eaten. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Nila said that she was reading.
For example: I becomes she, and am reading becomes was reading. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Kamal said that he needed help.
For example: I becomes he, and need becomes needed. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Sara said that she had bought a book.
For example: I becomes she, and bought becomes had bought. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Lal said that he had to study.
For example: I becomes he, and must becomes had to. Accept another accurate explanation.
Model: Rani said that she did not smoke.
For example: I becomes she, and do not becomes did not. Accept another accurate explanation.