UNIT 39 Reported speech
Note!
The Past simple and Past perfect after to wish do not change. I wish I were rich. → She told us she wished she were rich. Questions How old are you? → I asked how old she was. Have you finished? → She wondered if / whether he had finished. Reporting short answers A Do you like skiing? B Yes, I do. → I asked him if he liked skiing and he replied that he did. A Will you be leaving the office at 5 o’clock? B No. → I wanted to know if he would be leaving the office at 5 o’clock and he replied that he wouldn’t.
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Rewrite the following statements in reported speech. Use the verbs in brackets in the Past simple.
1 Stay here! (order) ________________________________________________ He ordered me to stay here. 2 Don’t leave the windows open! (remind) ________________________________________________ . 3 Don’t say a word! (order) ________________________________________________ . 4 Please, sit down. (ask) ________________________________________________ . 5 Come in and have a seat. (invite) ________________________________________________ .
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6 Walk more quickly. (urge) ________________________________________________ . 7 Never talk to strangers! (warn) ________________________________________________ . 8 Change your money in a bank. (suggest) ________________________________________________ . 9 Don’t answer me like that! (warn) ________________________________________________ . 10 Enjoy your holiday! (tell) ________________________________________________ .
Rewrite the following sentences in direct speech.
1 He told her not to go. Don’t go! ________________________________________________ 2 He wanted to know if anybody was coming to the pool. ________________________________________________ . 3 I asked her which dress I should buy. ________________________________________________ . 4 He offered to carry her luggage. ________________________________________________ .
5 The dentist warned me not to eat sweets. ________________________________________________ . 6 The teacher said that the work would be less difficult soon. ________________________________________________ . 7 My mother advised me not to worry. ________________________________________________ . 8 She said I had to leave immediately. ________________________________________________ .
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