Formative Assessment Reported Speech

“I need to see Sarah this weekend.” George said that

• he needed to see Sarah this weekend

• he was needing to see Sarah that weekend

• he needed to see Sarah that weekend

Answer explanation

Present simple (direct speech) ⇒ past simple (reported speech).
➪ this ⇒ that

“I'm reading now.” Sally told me

• that she was reading at that moment

• that she read now

• that she was reading now

Answer explanation

Present continuous (direct speech) ⇒ past continuous (reported speech).
➪ now ⇒ then/at that moment

I haven't seen Barbara since last year. Brendan told me

• he didn't see Barbara since last year

• he hadn't seen Barbara since the year before

• he hadn't seen Barbara since last year

Answer explanation

Present perfect (direct speech) ⇒ past perfect (reported speech).
➪ last month/year, etc. ⇒ the month/year, etc. before or the previous month/year, etc.

“Have you signed the contract?” Suzan

• told me if I had signed the contract

• asked me whether I had signed the contract

• said if I signed the contract

Answer explanation

Yes/No question (direct speech) ⇒ asked me if/whether + subject + verb ... (reported speech).
➪ Present perfect (direct speech) ⇒ past perfect (reported speech).

“Where did you eat?” Sam asked me

• where I had eaten

• where had I eaten

• where did I eat

Answer explanation

Question with what, when, where, etc. (direct speech) ⇒ asked me + what, when, etc. + subject + verb (reported speech).
➪ Past simple (direct speech) ⇒ past perfect (reported speech).

“Where are you going tomorrow?” Sandra asked me

• where was I going tomorrow

• where was I going the next day

• where I was going the following day

Answer explanation

Question with what, when, where, etc. (direct speech) ⇒ asked me + what, when, etc. + subject + verb (reported speech).
➪ Present continuous (direct speech) ⇒ past continuous (reported speech).
➪ tomorrow ⇒ the next day/the following day 

“May I smoke in this room?” Micky asked me

• if he may smoke in this room

• if he might smoke in that room

• whether he smoked in that room

Answer explanation

Yes/No question (direct speech) ⇒ asked me if/whether + subject + verb … (reported speech).
➪ may (direct speech) ⇒ might (reported speech).
➪ This ⇒ that

“I'm living in Australia.” Sarah told me

(Choose TWO correct options)

• she is living in Australia

• she had lived in Australia

• she was living in Australia

Answer explanation

If the situation has not changed, we can change the verb to the past, or leave it in the present. If the situation has changed, we must change the verb to the past.

• She said that she is living in Australia. (=She is still living in Australia now.)

• She said that she was living in Australia. (=Maybe she is still living in Australia or maybe not.)

➪ If Sarah is not living in Australia any more, we must use the past: She said that she was living in Australia.

“Please, sit here.” She

• asked me to sit there

• said to sit there

• told me to sit here

Answer explanation

Orders or requests (direct speech) ⇒  told me / asked me + to infinitive (reported speech).
➪ here ⇒ there

“Can you give me a hand with the boxes?” Peter asked me ______ with the boxes.

• if I could give me a hand

• whether I could give him a hand

• if could I give him a hand

Answer explanation

Yes/No question (direct speech) ⇒ asked me if/whether + subject + verb … (reported speech).
➪ can (direct speech) ⇒ could (reported speech).