B1 Reported Speech: Exercise 1
Rephrase the sentences using the reporting verbs provided. Watch your tenses!
"I stole the expensive phone," the boy admitted to us.
The boy admitted to us
Correct: that he had stolen the phone.
"We will announce the winners tomorrow," the judge said excitedly.
The judge said excitedly
Correct: that they would announce the winners the following day / the next day.
"Did you confirm the flight details yesterday?" the manager asked.
The manager asked
Correct: if (or whether) I had confirmed the flight details the day before / the previous day.
"I didn't deny taking the money," the suspect claimed loudly.
The suspect claimed loudly
Correct: that he hadn't denied taking the money.
"The inhabitants are prone to gossip continuously," he pointed out.
He pointed out
Correct: that the inhabitants were prone to gossip continuously.
"Will you agree to help us?" she whispered softly tonight.
She whispered softly
Correct: if (or whether) I would agree to help them that night.
"I won't eat this undercooked meat," he complained bitterly today.
He complained bitterly
Correct: that he wouldn't eat that undercooked meat that day.
"Why are you shouting at the top of your voice? He/she asked."
He/She asked
Correct: why I was shouting at the top of my voice.
"The report is ready now," the secretary informed the boss.
The secretary informed the boss
Correct: that the report was ready then.
"He is an unreliable witness," the lawyer argued quite fiercely.
The lawyer argued quite fiercely
Correct: that he was an unreliable witness.
"I refuse to talk to that antisocial man," she muttered.
She muttered
Correct: that she refused to talk to that antisocial man.
"Are they quarreling fiercely again?" the neighbor asked her husband.
The neighbor asked her husband
Correct: if (or whether) they were quarreling fiercely again.
"I can speak five languages," he boasted proudly to everyone.
He boasted proudly to everyone
Correct: that he could speak five languages.
"Did you whistle out of tune on purpose?" she asked.
She asked
Correct: if (or whether) I (or he/she) had whistled out of tune on purpose.
"You must finish the work today," the teacher insisted firmly.
The teacher insisted firmly
Correct: that I (or he/she/we) had to finish the work that day.