Exercises/ Reported speech

Exercises

Reported speech exercises

Practise reporting what clients, colleagues and partners said – also called indirect speech. Choose or type the right form: does the verb move one step back into the past, or stay the same? Contractions (she’d, they’ve) and full forms are both accepted.

Need a refresher? Review the rules in 6 Reported speech and 5 Future from the past in our Verb Tenses in Business guide.

Said or says?
One step back
Reporting to your team
Still true now?
Mixed review

1. Said or says?

After ‘said’, the verb usually moves one step back. After ‘says’, it stays the same.

Rules: 6 Reported speech

1“We’re reviewing your proposal.” → The client says that they our proposal.

are reviewingwere reviewing

2“We’re reviewing your proposal.” → Yesterday the client said that they our proposal.

are reviewingwere reviewing

3“I work in the HR department.” → He says that he (work) in the HR department.

4“I work in the HR department.” → He said that he (work) in the HR department.

5“The figures are ready.” → Our analyst said that the figures ready.

arewere

2. One step back

Present → past, present perfect → past perfect, will → would.

Rules: 6 Reported speech

1“I’m working on a new product.” → He said that he (work) on a new product.

2“I worked at Google in 2010.” → He said that he (work) at Google in 2010.

3“I’ve finished the report.” → She said that she (finish) the report.

4“I’ve been working on the proposal over the last week.” → She said that she (work) on the proposal over the last week.

5“We’ll send the contract on Monday.” → They said that they the contract on Monday.

will sendwould sendsent

6“I’m going to work late on Monday.” → He said that he late on Monday.

is going to workwas going to workhad worked

3. Reporting to your team

Passing on what clients, investors and suppliers told you.

Rules: 6 Reported speech

1“We’re not happy with the delivery times.” → The client told us that they (not / be) happy with the delivery times.

2“We have never worked with a European partner before.” → The investors said that they (never / work) with a European partner before.

3“Our budget is frozen until January.” → Their procurement manager said that their budget frozen until January.

iswashad been

4“We’ll get back to you by Friday.” → They promised that they (get) back to us by Friday.

5“We signed the deal last week.” → Our partner said that they the deal the week before.

signedhad signedhave signed

4. Still true now?

When the information is still true now, we often use ‘says’ – and keep the tense.

Rules: 6 Reported speech

1Anna, on the phone a minute ago: “I’m working from home today.” → Anna that she is working from home today.

saidsays

2Anna, on the phone a minute ago: “I’m working from home today.” → Anna says that she from home today.

is workingwas working

3At last month’s meeting, the CFO said: “We’re hiring two analysts.” → The CFO said that they two analysts.

are hiringwere hiring

4“I have been talking to clients all day.” → She says that she (talk) to clients all day.

5“I worked at Google in 2010.” → He says that he (work) at Google in 2010.

5. Mixed review

All the rules together.

Rules: 6 Reported speech

1“We are expanding into Poland.” → At the conference, the CEO announced that we (expand) into Poland.

2“I’ve already sent the invoice.” → The supplier told us that they the invoice.

already senthad already senthave already sent

3“Our team will finish the audit by June.” → The auditors said that their team (finish) the audit by June.

4“I don’t know the answer.” → He said that he the answer.

doesn’t knowdidn’t knowhadn’t known

5“We’ve been negotiating for months.” → They said that they (negotiate) for months.

Check a section to see your score here.

More practice

The lesson6 Reported speechDiagrams for every tense Related exercisesFuture from the past‘They said that they would…’The guideVerb Tenses in BusinessDiagrams and explanations

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