Exercises B2 : practise Reported speech in English (answers)

These exercises are based on the course on reported speech at B2 level. Practise transforming direct speech into reported speech by applying backshift rules, pronoun changes, and time expression shifts.

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Exercice 1 — Verb Backshift in Reported Speech

Complete each sentence with the correct backshifted verb form to turn the direct speech into reported speech.

1. Direct: 'I work from home every day.' → She said she ___ (work) from home every day.
2. Direct: 'We are planning a trip.' → They told us they ___ (plan) a trip.
3. Direct: 'He has already sent the report.' → She said he ___ (send) the report already.
4. Direct: 'I will call you tomorrow.' → He promised he ___ (call) me the following day.

Correction

1. She said she worked from home every day.
2. They told us they were planning a trip.
3. She said he had already sent the report.
4. He promised he would call me the following day.

Exercice 2 — Full Reported Speech Transformation

Rewrite each sentence in reported speech. Make sure to backshift the verb, change the pronouns, and shift the time expressions where necessary.

1. Direct speech: 'I saw your sister here yesterday.' (He told me…)
2. Direct speech: 'We can't come to the meeting today.' (They said…)
3. Direct speech: 'I have been waiting for two hours.' (She complained…)
4. Direct speech: 'You must submit your application now.' (The manager told us…)

Correction

1. He told me he had seen my sister there the day before.
2. They said they couldn't come to the meeting that day.
3. She complained that she had been waiting for two hours.
4. The manager told us we had to submit our application then.

Exercice 3 — Spot and Correct the Errors

Each sentence contains one error related to reported speech (backshift, pronoun, or time expression). Identify the mistake and rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. She said she will finish the project tomorrow.
2. He told me that he sees me here yesterday.
3. They said they have already left when we arrived.
4. My boss told me that I must to send the email now.

Correction

1. She said she would finish the project the following day.
2. He told me that he had seen me there the day before.
3. They said they had already left when we arrived.
4. My boss told me that I had to send the email then.