Reported Speech Worksheet
20 exam-style questions across three sections — fill-in-the-blank, error correction, and sentence transformation. Reveal each answer as you go, then download the full PDF for offline practice.
Prof. Amirul Khan — amirulkhan.in
Reported Speech Worksheet — 20 Exam-Style Questions
Section A — Fill in the Blank (10 Questions)
1.She said, 'I am busy.' → She said that she ___ (be) busy.
Answer: was
Present simple backshifts to past simple after a past reporting verb.
2.He said to me, 'I will help you.' → He ___ (say/tell) me that he would help me.
Answer: told
'Said to + person' always becomes 'told + person' in reported speech.
3.She said, 'I will finish it tomorrow.' → She said she would finish it ___ (tomorrow).
Answer: the next day
'Tomorrow' shifts to 'the next day' when the reporting context has moved on.
4.He asked, 'Are you ready?' → He asked ___ I was ready.
Answer: whether
Yes/No questions are reported using 'if' or 'whether', with statement word order.
5.The teacher said, 'Sit quietly.' → The teacher told the students ___ (sit) quietly.
Answer: to sit
Commands convert to 'told + object + to-infinitive'.
6.The teacher said, 'The earth moves around the sun.' → The teacher said that the earth ___ (move) around the sun.
Answer: moves
Universal truths retain the present tense even after a past reporting verb.
7.They said, 'Let's start early.' → They ___ (suggest) starting early.
Answer: suggested
'Let's' suggestions are reported with 'suggested' or 'proposed', not 'said/told'.
8.He said, 'May I leave now?' → He asked for ___ to leave then.
Answer: permission
'May I...?' converts to 'asked for permission to'.
9.She said, 'I must finish this by tonight' (obligation). → She said that she ___ (must) finish it by that night.
Answer: had to
'Must' expressing obligation backshifts to 'had to' in reported speech.
10.He said, 'I could swim well as a child.' → He said that he ___ (could) swim well as a child.
Answer: could
'Could' already expressing past ability does not shift further back.
Section B — Spot and Correct the Error (5 Questions)
11.Find and correct the error: 'She asked where was he going.'
Answer: She asked where he was going.
Reported wh-questions use statement word order, never inversion.
12.Find and correct the error: 'He said to her that he would call later.'
Answer: He told her that he would call later.
'Said to + person' must become 'told + person'.
13.Find and correct the error: 'She exclaimed how beautiful was the painting.'
Answer: She exclaimed that the painting was very beautiful.
Reported exclamations use statement order and 'very' instead of 'how'.
14.Find and correct the error: 'She said that if she had been rich, she would have travelled the world.' (originally: 'If I were rich, I would travel.')
Answer: She said that if she were rich, she would travel the world.
Type 2 conditionals are already hypothetical and must not be backshifted further.
15.Find and correct the error: 'They said that they should start the meeting early.' (originally: 'Let's start the meeting early.')
Answer: They suggested starting the meeting early.
'Let's' suggestions require 'suggested/proposed', not 'said...should'.
Section C — Sentence Transformation (5 Questions)
16.Convert to indirect speech: He said, 'I am tired and I will rest after this.'
Answer: He said that he was tired and that he would rest after that.
Every clause in a compound sentence needs its own backshift.
17.Convert to indirect speech: She said, 'Why don't you take a break?'
Answer: She suggested that he take a break.
A negative question used as a suggestion is reported with 'suggested', not a literal question conversion.
18.Convert to indirect speech: He said, 'Please send me the report.'
Answer: He requested her to send him the report.
'Please' signals a polite request, reported with a softened verb like 'requested'.
19.Convert to indirect speech: She said, 'Shall I carry your bag?'
Answer: She offered to carry his bag.
'Shall I...?' expressing an offer converts to 'offered to + base verb'.
20.Convert to indirect speech: He said, 'I met the manager here yesterday.' (reported today)
Answer: He said that he had met the manager there the day before.
Time and place words (here → there, yesterday → the day before) and the verb (met → had met) all shift together.