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Exercise
3 Indirect speech: questions
Student
See
note to Exercise 1.
Put
the following questions into indirect speech.
1
‘Who has been using my typewriter?’ said my mother.
2
‘Do you want to see the
cathedral?’ said the guide.
3
‘Do you mind working on the night
shifts?’ he asked.
4
‘Would you like to come with us?’
they said.
5
‘Who did you give the money to?’
asked Ann.
6
‘How long does it take to get to
Edinburgh by coach?’ asked the tourist.
7
‘How much do you think it will
cost?’ he said.
8
‘What did you miss most when you
were in prison?’ Mary asked the ex-convict.
9
Another passenger came in and said,
‘Is this seat taken?’
10
‘How do you get on with your
mother-in-law?’ said Paul.
11
‘How did you get into the house?’
they asked him.
12
‘What were you doing with these
skeleton keys?’ said Mr Jones. ‘Were you trying to get at the
secret files?’
13
‘Did you sleep well?’ asked my
hostess.
14
‘Have you been here long?’ the
other students asked him.
15
‘Can you tell me why Paul left the
university without taking his degree?’ Paul’s sister asked.
16
‘How many people know the
combination of the safe?’ said the detective.
17
‘Are there any letters for me?’
said Mary.
18
‘How long have you been learning
English?’ the examiner said.
19
‘Why aren’t you taking the
exams?’ said Paul.
20
‘Are these free-range eggs?’
said the customer.
21
‘Where are you going for your
summer holidays?’ I asked them.
22
‘Will it be all right if I come in
a little later tonight?’ asked the au pair girl.
23
‘Have you ever seen a flying
saucer?’ said the man.
24
‘Where can I park my caravan?’
she asked the policeman.
25
‘Would you like a lift?’ said
Ann.
‘Which
way are you going?’ I said.
26
‘Who do you want to speak to?’
said the telephonist.
27
‘Does anyone want tickets for the
boxing match?’ said Charles.
28
‘What are you going to do with
your old car?’ I asked him.
29
‘Do you grow your own vegetables?’
I asked.
30
‘What train are you going to get?’
my friend inquired.
31
‘Could you change a five-pound
note? I’m afraid I haven’t got anything smaller,’ said the
passenger to the conductor.
32
‘How many sleeping pills have you
taken?’ said the night sister.
‘I
have no idea,’ said Mr Jones sleepily.
33
‘Could we speak to the manager,
please?’ said the two men.
‘Have
you an appointment?’ said the secretary.
34
‘Do you think you could live
entirely on your own for six months,’ said Tom, ‘or would you get
bored?’
35
‘Did any of you actually see the
accident happen?’ said the policeman.
36
‘Could I see Commander Smith?’
the lady asked.
‘I’m
afraid he’s in orbit,’ I said. ‘Would you like to leave a
message?’
Exercise 4 Indirect speech: questions, advice, requests,
invitations, suggestions
‘What
about’ often introduces a suggestion
and is then reported by suggest:
‘What
about flying?’ he said.
He
suggested flying.
‘I
can’t come at 1.00,’ said Ann. ‘Then what about 2.00?’ said
Tom.
Ann
said she couldn’t come at 1.00, so Tom suggested 2.00.
‘Why
don’t you’ often introduces
suggestions or advice and is then reported by suggest or advise:
‘I
wonder if Tom is coming,’ said Ann.
‘Why
don’t you ask him?’ I said.
Ann
wondered if Tom was coming. I advised her to ask him or I suggested
(her) asking him.
‘Could
I have’ is normally reported by ask
for:
‘Could
I have a cup of coffee?’ she said.
She
asked (me) for a cup of coffee.
‘Could
you’ used for requests is reported by
ask + object + infinitive:
‘Could
you sign the book, please?’ he said.
He
asked me to sign the book.
But
when ‘Could you’ introduces an ordinary question the verb
is reported unchanged:
‘Could
you live entirely on you own?’ he said.
He
asked if I could live entirely on my own.
‘Would
you mind waiting/signing’ etc. can be
reported:
He
asked me to wait/sign etc. or
He
asked iff would mind waiting/signing etc.
offer
can be used in two constructions:
‘Would
you like a drink?’
He
offered me a drink.
‘Shall
I wait for you? I’ll wait for you if you like.’
He
offered to wait for me.
When
the infinitive is used it must be placed directly after offer.
The person addressed is not mentioned in this construction.
Put
the following into indirect speech.
1
‘Shall we have dinner somewhere
after the theatre?’ said Peter.
‘Yes,
let’s,’ said Ann. ‘What about going to that place Jack is
always talking about?’ (For
Yes, let’s put
Ann agreed.)
2
‘Jack’s parents have asked me
to supper tomorrow night,’ said Ann.
‘What
shall I wear?’
‘I
should wear something warm, dear,’ said her mother. ‘It’s a
terribly cold house.’
3
‘I’m broke,’ said Jack.
‘Shall
I lend you some money?’ said Peter.
4
‘It will take a little time to
look up your file,’ said the clerk.
‘Is
it worth waiting,’ said Ann, ‘or shall I go away and come back
later?’
5
‘Shall I have to do the whole
exam again if I fail in one paper?’ said the student.
‘Yes,’
said the teacher.
6
'Where will you be tomorrow,’ I
said, ,‘in case I have to ring you?’
‘I
shall be in my office till six,’ said the old man, ‘and after
that at my flat. I shan’t be
going to the club.’
7
‘What shall I do with this
cracked cup?’ Mary asked.
‘You’d
better throw it away,’ said her mother.
8
‘Shall I ever see him again?’
she wondered.
9
‘Would you mind getting out of
the car?’ said the driver. ‘I have to change a wheel.’
‘Shall
I help you?’ I said.
10
‘I’ve run out of petrol,’ said
the man.
‘Could
you possibly give me a lift to the next village?’
11
‘Shall we go for a walk?’ said
Peter.
‘I
like walking,’ said Ann, ‘but at the moment my only comfortable
walking shoes
are being mended. What about going for a drive instead?’
12
You’ve got a lot of parcels,’ he
said.
‘Shall
I carry some of them for you?’
13
‘Shall we be in time?’ muttered
Tom, looking at his watch. (Use wonder.)
14
‘What shall I do with all this
foreign money?’ said Peter.
‘Why
don’t you take it to the bank and get it changed?’ said Mary.
15
‘Would you like a cigarette?’
said Peter.
‘No,
thanks,’ said Jack. ‘I don’t smoke.’
16
‘Would you like to come with us?’
they said. ‘There’s plenty of room in the car.’
‘I’d
love to,’ said Ann.
17
Ann (on phone): Could you do without
me today, Mr Jones? I’ve got an awful cold
and I think it might be better if I stayed at home.
Mr
Jones: I should certainly stay at home, Ann. And you’d better take
tomorrow off
too if you aren’t better.
18
Mary (on phone): Paul, I’ve just
come back to my flat to find a complete stranger asleep
in my chair. He’s still here, and still asleep! What shall I do?
Paul:
Why don’t you wake him up and ask him who he is? There’s probably
some quite
simple explanation.
19
‘I’m not quite ready,’ said
Peter. ‘Could you wait a few minutes?’
‘I
can’t wait long,’ said Jack. ‘The train goes at ten.’
20
‘Would you mind taking off your
hat?’ I said to the woman in front of me.
‘But
the theatre’s almost empty!’ she said. ‘Why don’t you move
along a bit?’
21
‘I often see lights in the empty
house across the road,’ said Albert.
‘Do
you think I should report it?’
22
‘If this house was yours what
changes would you make?’ I said.
‘I’d
pull it down and build a modern one on the same site,’ said the
window-cleaner.
‘The site’s all right.’
23
‘Could I have your name and
address, please?’ said the travel agent.
24
‘Shall I send it round to your
hotel, sir?’ the shop assistant asked the tourist.
‘I’m
not staying in the town,’ said the tourist. ‘I’ll take it with
me.’
25
‘How long will you go on looking
for them?’I asked one of the search party.
‘We
don’t search at night. We’ll stop when it gets dark and start
again at first light tomorrow.’
26
‘We can’t discuss this over the
phone. Shall we meet here in my flat tomorrow?’ I said.
‘I’d
rather you came to my office,’ he said. ‘Could you get here in
half an hour?’
27
‘Could I have 40p, please?’ said
the boy. ‘I want to buy an ice-cream.’
28
‘Would you like to sleep on the
floor of my flat?’ he asked us.
‘Or
would you rather go to a hotel?’
29
‘Could you help me with my
luggage, please?’ she said. ‘If you take the two big ones
I’ll take the small one.’
‘It’s
ridiculous to take three suitcases for a weekend,’ I said.
‘Couldn’t you manage
with two?’
‘No,’
she said.
30
‘I couldn’t come on Monday,’
said Ann.
‘Then
what about Tuesday?’ said Peter.
‘All
right,’ said Ann.
Student
Exercise
5 Indirect speech: commands, requests, invitations,
advice
Put
the following sentences into indirect speech, using
tell/order/urge/ask/beg/invite/advise/warn/remind + object +
infinitive, or ask (+ object) + for, or, in some cases, ask +
infinitive.
1
‘Don’t put sticky things in
your pockets,’ said his mother.
2
‘Please, please don’t do
anything dangerous,’ said his wife.
3
‘Go on—apply for the job,’
said my friend. ‘It would just suit you.’
4
‘I should say nothing about it if
I were you,’ said my brother.
5
‘Would you please wait in the
lounge till your flight number is called?’ she said.
6
‘Don’t lend Harry any money,’
I said to Ann. ‘He never pays his debts.’
7
‘Could you please ring back in
half an hour?’ said the secretary.
8
‘Would you mind moving your
case?’ said the other passenger. ‘It’s blocking the door.’
9
‘Remember to book a table,’
said Ann.
10
‘Get into the right lane,’ said
the driving instructor.
11
‘Avoid Marble Arch,’ said the
policeman. ‘There’s going to be a big demonstration
there.’
12
‘Hold the ladder,’ he said.
‘It’s rather unsteady.’
‘Why
don’t you tie it at the top?’ I said. ‘It’s much safer than
way.’
13
‘Read the questions twice,’ said
the teacher, ‘and don’t write in the margin.’
14
‘You’d better not leave your
money lying about,’ said one of the students.
15
‘Why don’t you open a bank
account?’ said another. (Use advise.)
16
‘Would you like to have lunch with
me today?’ said Tom.
‘I’m
afraid I couldn’t; I can’t leave the office,’ said the girl.
17
‘Don’t take more than two of
these at once,’ said the doctor, handing me a bottle of
pills.
18
‘Could I speak to Albert, please?’
I said.
‘He’s
still asleep,’ said his mother.
‘Then
please wake him,’ I said. ‘I have news for him.’
19
‘I’d buy the big tin if I were
you,’ said the grocer.
20
‘You’re being exploited,’ said
the other au pair girls. ‘You ought to leave your job.’
21
‘Fasten your seat belts; there may
be a little turbulence,’ said the air hostess.
22
‘Don’t drive through fog with
only a fog light on,’ he said, ‘or oncoming drivers may
take you for a motorcycle.’
23
‘Could I see your driving
licence?’ said the policeman.
24
‘You’d better sweep up that
broken glass,’ I said.
25
‘The bathroom’s empty now,’
she said. ‘Will you put the light out when you’ve finished?’
26
‘Remember to insure your luggage,’
my father said.
27
‘Please don’t drink any more,’
said his wife. ‘Don’t forget that we have to drive home.’
28
‘Do go to a dentist, Tom, before
your toothache gets any worse,’ I said.
29
‘Why don’t you cut your hair?’
he said. ‘You’d find it much easier to get a job if you
looked tidy.’
30
‘Could I have some more pudding,
please?’ said the boy.
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