📝 Daily Practice
🎯 Lesson Goal
This review quiz will help you check your understanding of reported speech, reported questions, and common reporting verbs. You will practise changing direct speech into reported speech in everyday situations, using correct verb forms and word order. The lesson is designed to reinforce your knowledge from previous courses and prepare you to use these structures confidently in work, study, and social communication.
🧠 Grammar Focus
Reported speech tells someone what another person said without repeating the exact words. After a past reporting verb, the tense often moves back: ‘I am busy’ becomes ‘She said that she was busy.’ Use ‘say’ without a person directly after it, but ‘tell’ normally takes an object: ‘She told me that…’ Reported questions use statement word order: ‘Where are you going?’ becomes ‘He asked where I was going.’ Yes/no questions normally use ‘if’ or ‘whether’. Reporting verbs such as ‘explain’, ‘recommend’, ‘warn’, and ‘advise’ have their own patterns, so pay attention to the structure that follows each verb.
📖 Short Reading
Last week, Maria told me that she had started a new job. She explained that her boss had asked if she could finish the report by Friday. Later, she said that her colleague had recommended a training course to improve skills. When I asked if the course was difficult, she said that it wasn’t too hard but required regular practice. Maria told me that she planned to attend every session. She also mentioned that the manager had said the team needed to improve communication. Maria explained that she had already suggested new ideas during the last meeting. She said the manager asked whether she could prepare a presentation about these ideas soon. Finally, Maria told me that she was confident about the project’s success and that everyone would support her.
✏️ Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks
1. Maria said that she ____ a new project report last week. (finished / finish / had finished)
2. The manager asked whether the team ____ more training. (needs / needed / will need)
3. She explained that the courses ____ regular attendance. (require / required / has required)
4. Maria told me that her colleague ____ the new software to improve efficiency. (recommend / recommended / recommends)
5. He asked if she ____ prepare a presentation about the project ideas. (could / can / was able)
6. They said that the meeting ____ postponed until next week. (was / is / will be)
7. She mentioned that she ____ to attend all the training sessions. (planned / plans / is planning)
8. Maria explained she ____ confident about the success of the project. (was / is / were)
🔗 Exercise 2 – Matching
1. Reporting verb
2. Reported question
3. Suggested
4. Asked if
5. Reported speech
6. Could
7. Manager
8. Colleague
✅ Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice
1. Which sentence correctly reports this question: ‘Are you coming to the meeting?’
2. Choose the correct reporting verb to complete: He ____ that he had completed the task.
3. How do you report the question: ‘What time does the train leave?’
4. Complete with the correct verb: She ____ that the project was delayed.
5. Which sentence is correct for reporting a yes/no question?
6. Choose the correct reported speech: She said, ‘I can help with the presentation.’
7. What is the correct way to report this question: ‘Why are you late?’
8. Which is the correct match for this sentence? ‘They suggested going to the workshop.’
📝 Writing Practice
1. Write 3-5 sentences describing a time when you reported information to someone. Include who you reported to, what you said, and any questions you asked or answered.
📚 Key Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| reporting verb | a verb used to describe what someone else said |
| express | to say or show an idea or feeling |
| recommend | to suggest something as good |
| colleague | a person you work with |
| manager | a person who is in charge at work |
| plan | to decide and arrange what to do |
| presentation | a talk to explain something |
| ask whether | to question if something is true or possible |
| confident | sure about something |
| improve | to make something better |
| finish | to complete something |
| require | to need or demand |
| support | to help or agree with |
| suggest | to mention an idea for consideration |
🔎 Answer Key
- exercise_1_fill_blanks: 1. had finished 2. needed 3. required 4. recommended 5. could 6. was 7. planned 8. was
- exercise_2_matching: 1-Used to introduce reported speech 2-Changes word order from direct question 3-A reporting verb meaning to give advice or a plan 4-Used to report yes/no questions politely 5-When you repeat what someone else said 6-Used to report permission or ability in past to future 7-A person who supervises a team 8-A person who works with you
- exercise_3_multiple_choice: 1-She asked if I was coming to the meeting. 2-said 3-He asked what time the train left. 4-explained 5-He asked if she would attend the conference. 6-She said that she could help with the presentation. 7-He asked why I was late. 8-It is a reporting verb expressing advice.
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