Reporting

(Reported Speech)

In direct speech we report what someone says by repeating the exact/original words used by
the speaker, (He said, ‘I’m sorry.’). When we don’t want to repeat the exact/actual speech of
the speaker, we can use the indirect speech. In this way we give the exact meaning of the
speech without necessarily using the speaker’s exact words (He said that he was sorry.) or we
can use a summary report (He apologized.)

1. Direct Speech
Direct speech is usually put in quotation marks (inverted commas) after reporting verbs such
as answer, reply, ask or tell.
 John said: ‘I appreciate your work.’ ( ‘John said’ is the main or reporting clause,
and ‘I appreciate your work.’ is the reported clause)
We can put either a colon or a comma between the main and the reported clauses but when
the main clause follows the reported clause, only the comma is used.
Quotation marks are doubled in American English (He said, “I need your help.”)
The reporting verb can be put with its subject after the direct speech or in the middle of two
parts.
 ‘This is a good work’, she said
 ‘Hello,’ she began, ‘I would like to know,’ she continued, ‘if you can lend me your
house this summer.’
After direct speech, the reporting verb is sometimes put before its subject in the reporting
clause, but not when the subject is a pronoun.
 ‘We won’t give up,’ shouted the riots / the riots shouted.
 ‘Where is Tom?’ he asks. ( not asks he)
We can use quotation marks when we want to report exactly a specific word, phrase or title.
 There was a sign with ‘No entry’ printed in big letters.
 Have you read ‘Hard Times’?

2. Indirect Speech
In indirect / reported speech, we report the meaning of what was said by the speaker rather
than repeat the exact words.
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We put the indirect speech in a noun clause beginning with that or a wh-word or if/ whether.
That is omitted in informal uses.
 ‘He is a strange person.’ – He said that he was a strange person.’
 ‘Where do you go?’ – He asks where she goes.
 ‘Did you finish your work?’ – The teacher asked us if / whether we finished our work.

2.1. Necessary Changes:

Changes from the direct to the indirect speech depend on the situation, i.e., who speaks and to
whom, who reports and to whom. Here are some typical changes.

Person (pronouns /adjectives)

I  he / she
my  his /her

Adverbs of place
here  there, at the theatre, at the corner, etc.

adverbs and adverbial phrases of time

today  that day
yesterday  the day before
the day before yesterday two days before
tomorrow  the next / following day
this week / year, etc  that week / year, etc
last week / year  the previous week / year, the week /year before
next week / year, etc  the following week /year, etc
a year / an hour ago  a year / an hour before/ earlier, the previous year /hour

2.2. Tense Changes in Indirect Speech

a. Introductory Verb in Present Tenses
Indirect speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense when we are:
 Reporting a conversation which is still going on.
 Reading a letter/ an e-mail and reporting what it says.
 Reading instructions and reporting them.

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  Reporting a statement that someone makes very often.

Therefore, when the introductory verb is in the present simple, present perfect or future, we
do not change the tense of the verb(s) in the statement (reported clause).
 ‘I’m going to sleep’ He says that he is going to sleep.

b. Introductory Verb in the Past Simple

The introductory verb is mostly used in the past simple tense. In this case, we change the
tense of the in the statement (reported clause) shifting from a present to a past tense and from
a past tense to a past perfect. It should be noted that the form of the tense doesn’t change; i.e.,
simple, continuous and perfect remain the same, except from the past simple to the past
perfect. There are examples in the following table:
Direct speech Indirect speech
Present Past
‘Ali works in a bank.’ She said that Ali worked in a bank.
‘Ali is working.’ She said that Ali was working.
‘Ali has finished his work.’ She said that Ali had finished his work.
‘Ali has been working.’ She said that Ali had been working.
past Past perfect
‘Ali worked in a bank.’ She said that Ali had worked in a bank.
‘Ali was working in a bank.’ She said that Ali had been working in a bank.

1. If the statement in the reported clause is still up to date or exists when we report, then we
can either change the tense or keep it unchanged.
 ‘The jacket suits you.’ She told me that the jacket suits / suited me.
 ‘I don’t like this type of music.’ He said that he doesn’t / didn’t like that kind of
music.
 ‘My parents are going for pilgrimage in August.’ She said that her parents are
/were going for pilgrimage in August. (We are still in April).
 ‘Inflation is rising more and more.’ They noted that inflation is / was rising more
and more.
2. If the statement in the reported clause is no longer up to date, then we change the tense.
- ‘I don’t like music.’ I remember a month ago he told he didn’t like music. (Now he

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is listening to music).
- ‘My parents are going for pilgrimage in august.’ She said that her parents were
going for pilgrimage. (We are in October, now they have returned).
- ‘We were thinking of buying the house but we decided not to.’ He said that they had
been thinking of buying the house but had decided not to.

3. If we doubt whether the statement is true or untrue, then we change the tense.
- ‘We have a yacht’. She once said that they had a yacht. (So why do they want to
lend yours.)
-‘The prime minister claimed that the government had made the right decision.

4. When the past continuous refers to an action that was completed before another in the past
simple or present perfect, then the past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.
-‘We were planning to buy a new house but we have decided not to.’
He said that they had been planning to buy a new house but had decided not to.

5. In written English past tenses usually do change to past perfect. But there are the following
exceptions:
a. Past / past continuous tenses used in time clauses normally do not change.
He said, ‘When I was watering/ watered the garden…’
He said that when he was watering / watered the garden…
The main verb in time clauses can either remain unchanged or change to the past perfect.
He said, ‘When I was watering the garden, I found a coin.’
He said that when he was watering the garden, he found / had found a coin.
b. Unreal past tenses (subjunctives) after wish, would rather/ sooner and it is (high) time
don’t change.
‘We wish we didn’t have to take exams’, said the students.
The students said they wished they didn’t have to take exams.
She said, ‘It’s (high) time we started changing our bad habits’.
She said that it was (high) time they started changing their bad habits.
c. Conditional sentences type 2, 3 remain unchanged.
-‘If I knew, I would tell her,’ said Tom. Tom said that if he knew, he would tell her.

c. Modals:

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When reporting with a verb in the past simple, some modals change but others remain
unchanged as it is shown in the table:
Direct Indirect
Will Would
Can Could
May Might
shall Would (prediction)
Should (offers, requests
and suggestions)
Would, could, might, should, ought to, would, could, might, should, ought to,
needn’t, used to needn’t, used to
Must (obligation) Must/had to
Must (deduction) must

-‘People will love it.’ He said that people would love it.
-‘When shall I leave?’ She asked where she should leave. (request)
-‘We shall visit you soon?’ He said that they would visit us soon. (future/prediction)
-‘You must stop smoking.’ The doctor told me that I had to/ must stop smoking.
(obligation/necessity)

2.3. Reporting Verbs:

a. Reporting Verbs with that-clauses.
Some reporting verbs are followed by that- clauses in indirect speech and the introduction of
an object (hearer) after the reporting verb depends on which verb is used.
1. Reporting verbs such as tell, assure, convince, inform, notify, persuade, remind and warn,
necessitate the inclusion of an object.
 ‘They will leave early.’ He told me that they would leave early.(He told that they...)
 ‘You should not play with wire.’ He wanted her that she shouldn’t play with wire.
 ‘I changed my address’ I notified the bank that I had changed my address.
 ‘I’ll come back early’ I assured my mother that I would come back early
(I assured that I……)
* We use tell without an object only with the expressions tell the truth, tell a lie, tell a story,
tell the time, tell you so.

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2. Reporting verbs such as say, admit, confess, mention, propose, report, announce, complain,
explained, indicate, suggest and recommend can be followed by an object but proceeded by to
(to + object).
- ‘I’ve done my job.’ He said (to us) that he had done his job.
- ‘I’m guilty.’ He confessed (to me) that he was guilty.

3. Reporting verbs such as agree, disagree, argue, check and confirm can be followed by an
object but proceeded by with (with + object).
- He disagreed (with me) that you were wrong.
- She checked (with me) that the machine was not defective.

4. With some reporting verbs such as expect, believe, feel, intend, plan, think, suppose, want,
to report a negative sentence, the reporting verb is made negative.
- ‘I expect she won’t tell the truth.’/ ‘I don’t expect she will tell the truth.’ The
judge didn’t expect her to tell the truth.
-‘He won’t come on time.’ She didn’t think he will come on time. (Rather than
She thought he wouldn’t come on time)

b. Reporting Verbs with Infinitives and Gerunds.

1. Reporting verbs such as ask, invite, encourage, urge, order, expect, remind and warn are
used with objects followed by infinitives. (object + to infinitive) .
- ‘You can go with me?’ He invited me to go with him.
- ‘Don’t touch that wire.’ He warned us not to touch that wire.

2. Reporting verbs such as offer, apply, decide, decline, demand, refuse and volunteer do not
require an object before the infinitive.
- ‘I’ll help you.’ He volunteered to help us.
- ‘I don’t want to quit.’ He refused to quit.
- ‘I won’t go.’ He decided not to go.

3. Reporting verbs such as promise, agree, claim, hope, propose, threaten, vow, think,
acknowledge, expect, assume, declare and report can be followed by an infinitive or a
that-clause.

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 - ‘We’ll call you.’ They promised to call me.
They promised that they would call me.
-‘Shall we rewrite it?’ He proposed to rewrite it.
He proposed that we should rewrite it.

4. Reporting verbs such as deny, suggest, admit, mention, report, propose and recommend can
be followed by a gerund or a that-clause.
- ‘You should leave early.’ He recommended leaving early.
He recommended that we should leave early.
-‘I didn’t take it.’ He denied taking it.
He denied that he had taken it.
-‘Shall we do the work again.’ She proposed doing the work again.
She proposed that we should do the work
again.
-‘No, I’ll pay for the meal.’ He insisted on paying for the meal.

c. Reporting Verbs in Summary Reports.

1. In summary reports we summarize what was said using some reporting verbs such as
confess, apologize, and threaten. The verbs speak, talk and thank are used only in summary
reports (not in direct and indirect speech).
- ‘Don’t think to escape or I call the police.’ He threatened us.
- ‘Excuse me for what I did.’ He apologised.
- ‘What I said was true.’ He confessed.
- He said, ‘I’ve a problem.’ He talked to me about the problem.
- She said, ‘Thank you.’ She thanked me.
- She spoke briefly to reporters.
2. In summary report we use some verbs with about such as boast, lie, complain, inquire,
joke, protest, speak and write.
- He complained about his living conditions.
- She inquired about the time of leaving.
- He joked about my new clothes.
- He boasted about his win.

2.4. Reporting questions.

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1. We often report questions with verbs such as ask, wonder, and want to know. Wh-questions
are reported with the wh-word and the statement and yes- no questions are reported with if or
whether and the statement. When reporting questions, the subject and the verb take their
places as in the statement. The question mark is omitted.
-‘Where are you going?’ She asked me where I was going.
-‘Is your father a doctor?’ She wanted to know if / whether my father was a
doctor.
2. We can report some wh-questions with should (about the right thing to do) by using an
infinitive.
- ‘What should I bring with me?’ She asked me what to bring with her.
3. Only whether is used after the verb question, after a preposition and before an infinitive.
- ‘Are you terrified?’ The man questioned whether they were terrified.
- ‘Are history books available?’ He inquired about whether history books were
available.
- ‘Should I wait for you?’ She wondered whether to wait for me.
-‘Did you switch off the computer or not?’ He wondered whether or not you
switched off the computer or if /whether you switched off the computer or not.

2.5. Reporting Orders, Requests, Advice and Opinions.

* Orders:
1. To report orders we usually use tell with an object and an infinitive.
- ‘Don’t touch this object.’ He told us not to touch that object.
( Or: He told us that we must not /didn’t have to touch
that object.)
- ‘Start with the first list.’ She ordered everyone to start with the first list.
2. Orders can be reported with have to, must or subjunctive in more formal situations with
demand and insist.
- ‘Stop talking.’ The teacher told us that we must / had to stop talking.
Or The teacher told us to stop talking.
- ‘Do it yourself.’ He insisted that we had to/must do it ourselves.
Or He insisted that we do it ourselves.
*Requests:
We report requests mainly using ask with an object and the infinitive. Other verbs are: beg,
plead to and request.

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 - ‘Could you stop smoking, please?’ He asked me to stop smoking.
Or She asked (me) if I could stop smoking.
- ‘Please help me.’ The old man asked me if I could / would help him.
- ‘May I lend your book?’ He asked to lend him my book. (The object is not
mentioned because we report request by the speaker about his own action)

*Advice:
1. The verb advise can be used to report advice with an object and an infinitive or with a
that-clause or a gerund.
-‘Take care of your mother.’ He advised her to take care of her mother.
He advised (her) that she should take care of her mother.
He advised taking care of her mother.

2. We can use recommend or suggest to report advice with a that-clause with should or a
subjunctive. We can also use a gerund when we don’t want to mention who will perform the
action.
-‘You should go by train.’ He suggested that we should go by train.
He suggested that we go by train.
He suggested going by train.

*Opinions:
1. Opinions are reported using verbs such as: think, believe, expect, feel, imagine, reckon,
suppose and suspect with a that-clause.
- It’s a nice room.’ He thought that it was a nice room.
- ‘My daughter will succeed the exam.’ She believed that her daughter would
succeed the exam.

2. We can use tell and say in continuous tenses to report opinions in informal situations.
- The students are saying that the exam was too difficult.

*The use of the different reporting verbs either with a that-clause, an infinitive or a gerund is
summarised in the following table.

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 Examples of Reporting Verbs
+ that-clause + Verb infinitive + Gerund
deny, suggest, admit,
tell, assure, convince, inform, ask, invite, urge, encourage,
mention, report, propose,
notify, persuade, remind, order, expect, remind, warm
recommend, apologize (for).
warm (+ obj) (+obj+inf)
(+ gerund/that-clause)
say, admit, confess, propose, offer, apply, decide, refuse,
report, mention, announce, demand, volunteer
complain, explain, suggest, (+ obj)
recommend
(+ to obj)
promise, agree, hope, claim,
agree, disagree, argue, check,
propose, threaten, vow.
confirm (+with obj)
(inf / that- clause)

N.B.: Complain, inquire, joke and boast (+ about + NP)

Exercises:
Ex1: In your notebook, rewrite the sentences in reported speech.
1. ‘I’ll come and see you on Friday if that’s all right.’
She said …………………………………………………………………………………
2. ‘The conference will be spending a considerable time dicussing the world debt crisis.’
The statement said ……………………………………………………………………….
3. ‘The shop’s closing in half an hour.’
She explained ……………………………………………………………………………
4. ‘He’s planning to set up his own business.’
Gareth tells me ……………………………………………………………………………
5. ‘We’re going to have to make quite a few cutbacks.’
The managing director said ……………………………………………………………….
6. ‘The police have been investigating new allegtions of fraud.’
A spokesperson said ……………………………………………………………………
7. ‘When the project first started, there was a lot of interest in it.’

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 She explained …………………………………………………………………………..
8. ‘It’s pouring with rain down here.’
She told me …………………………………………………………………………….
9. ‘I’ll have finished writing the report by the time you get here.’
She promised me ……………………………………………………………………….
10. ‘My new computer has made a lot of difference to me.’
She says ……………………………………………………………………………….
11. ‘The 8.45 train from Waterloo will be arriving in approximately five minutes.’
The station announcer has just said ……………………………………………………
12. ‘When we were setting up the organisation, we had very little money.’
They told me …………………………………………………………………………..
13. ‘The club lost quite a lot of money last month.’
The treasurer told the the meeting …………………………………………………….
14. ‘It will be a very difficult time for all of us.’
He agreed ……………………………………………………………………………..
15. ‘You work too hard. You should take more time off.’
He told me …………………………………………………………………………….

Ex2: Write the following statements into reported speech.

1. ‘The skate will soon be hard enough to skate on,’ said Tom.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ‘I’m living with my parents at present,’ she said, ‘but I hope to have a flat of my own.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ‘I wish I had something to eat,’ said Peter. ~ ‘You’ve just had lunch,’ said his sister, ‘I
don’t know how you can be hungry again so soon.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
4. ‘If you want to smoke, you’ll have to smoke upstairs,’ said the bus conductor.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
5. ‘Let’s light a fire and cook our sausages over it,’ said the children.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. ‘I was thinking of going by bus,’ said Paul. ~ ‘I should go by bus (if I were you),’ said
his aunt. ‘It’s an awful bad service.’

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 …………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
7. ‘You’d better take your own sleeping bags ; you may have to sleep out,’ he warned us.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. ‘I wish we had brought our guitars,’ said the students. ‘Then we could have offered to
play in the restaurant and perhaps they would have given us a free meal.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
9. ‘I’m sorry for not having a tie on,’ said Peter. ‘I didn’t know it was going to be a
formal party.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. ‘Let’s go to the races !’ said Ann. ‘We might make our fortunes. I’ve been given a
very good tip for the 2.30.’ ~ ‘I’ve ‘good tips’ from you before,’ said Paul. ‘And they
were disastrous.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Ex3: Put the sentences into reported speech, summarizing what was said and using the verbs
in the box (an example is provided).
decide complain accuse advise pologize
offer persuade remind warn refuse

1. A : I don’t think you should hand in your resignation immediately. Give yourself
more time to think about it.
B : OK. I suppose you’re right. I’ll leave it for a while then.
He persuaded me not to hand in my resignation immediately.
2. ‘I know you’ve got a lot of work to do at the moment. I’ll help you type up that
report if you like,’ he said.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ‘No, I’m not going to discuss it with you. I think it’s a waste of time,’ he said.

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 ……………………………………………………………………………………
4. ‘I really think I should have been invited to the meeting. I’m very unhappy about
the fact that I wasn’t,’ he said.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ‘You’ve been quite ill and you need to recover. I really think you should take it
easy for a few days,’ the doctor said.
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
6. ‘You must not go near their house again or there will be trouble,’ the police said to
him.
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
7. ‘After giving the matter some serious thoughts, we have now reached a final
decision. We are going to close down the naval base in two years’time,’ said the
ministry of defence.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. ‘Someone’s been reading my diary. I know they have. I found it in the wrong
drawer this morning. It was you, wasn’t it ?’, he said.
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
9. ‘Remember that you’ve got to apply for a new passport. Yours is out of date now,’
he said to me.
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
10. ‘ I’m really sorry about all the trouble I have caused. I didn’t mean to,’ she said.
……………………………………………………………………………………

Ex4: In your notebook, write a summarized report of the following speech.

‘I’m delighted to have been elected onto the Council and I thank all those voters who came
out in the train today to vote for me. I am very much looking forward to represent the interests

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of the residents of Kimbridge valley and hope that I will have the opportunity to do so for
many years to come.
During the last few weeks, I have spoken to many of the valley residents on the
doorstep and I have a clear idea of the issues which are of most concern to them. The
proposed closure of the school is understandably causing a great deal of anxiety and I shall do
everything in my power to fight against that. I hope that I will be successful.
Thanks again to my supporters and a big thank to all those who helped me during the
campaign.’
In her acceptance speech, Diane Banham said that she was delighted

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Ex5: Write the following in reported speech.

1. ‘Where do you think we should advertise ?’
He asked me ………………………………………………………………………….
2. ‘Are you going to audition for the play ?’
Emma asked me ……………………………………………………………………..
3. ‘How is Laure getting on ?’
She often asks me ………………you ……………………………………………….
4. ‘Shall I ask her out for a meal ?’
He’s been wondering …………………………………………………………………..
5. ‘Why did Matthew look so embarassed when he saw Carole ?’
He asked ……………………………………………………………………………….
6. ‘Must we stay here all evening ?’
He asked ……………………………………………………………………………….
7. ‘What are they doing about publicity for the event?’
She wondered …………………………………………………………………………
8. ‘Will you send me the report when it’s finished ?’
He asked me …………………………………………………………………………….
9. ‘Have you brought the student record or not ?’ (She asked me)
10. ‘Do you think you could keep your voices down ?’
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 She asked us …………………………………………………………………………..
11. ‘Where did you buy that hat ?’
She wanted to know …………………………………………………………………..
12. ‘Have you been eating properly ?’
The doctor asked me ………………………………………………………………….
13. ‘Don’t make any noise during the performance ?’
They asked us …………………………………………………………………………
14. ‘Were you still teaching music when you met Oliver ?’
Mike asked me ……………………………………………………………………….

Ex6: Write the following questions in reported speech.

1. ‘Who has been using my telephone ?’ said my mother.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. ‘What were you doing with these keys ?’ said Mr Jones. ‘Were you trying to get at the
secret files ?’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ‘Could I see Commander Smith ?’ the lady asked. ~ ‘I’m afraid he’s in in orbit,’ I said.
‘Would you like to leave a message ?’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. ‘Would you like to come with us ?’ they said. ‘There’s plenty of room in the car.’ ~
‘I’d love to,’ said Ann.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
5. ‘Would you mind taking off your hat ?’ I said to the woman in front of me. ~ ‘But the
theatre is almost empty !’ she said. ‘Why don’t you move along a bit ?’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
6. ‘Have you ever seen a flying saucer ?’ he asked.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
7. ‘Did you catch your train or not ?’ he asked.
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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 8. ‘Will it be all right if I come in a little later tonight ?’ asked the au-pair girl.
…………………………………………………………………………………………

Ex7: Put the following in reported speech. (commands, requests)

1. ‘Don’t put sticky things into your pockets,’ said his mother.
2. ‘Please, please, don’t do anything dangerous,’ said his wife.
3. ‘Could I have some more pudding, please ?’said the boy.
4. ‘Do go to the dentist, Tom, before your toothache gets any worse,’ I said.
5. ‘Would you please fill in this form and then join the queue?’ said the secretary.
6. ‘Lend me your pen for a moment,’ I said to Mary.
7. ‘Don’t believe everything you hear,’ he warned me.
8. ‘I should say nothing about it if I were you,’ said my mother.
9. ‘Remember to book a table,’ said Ann.
10. ‘Hold the ladder,’ he said. ‘It’s unsteady.’
11. ‘Why don’t you open a bank account ?’
12. ‘You had better not to leave your money lying about,’ said one of te students.

Ex8: Put the following into the indirect speech, avoiding as far as possible the verbs, say, ask
and tell and choosing instead from the following :
accept, accuse, admit, advise, agree, apologize, assure, beg, call,(+noun/pronoun+noun),
complain, congratulate, deny, exclaim, explain, give, hope, insist, introduce, invite, offer,
point out, promise, protest, refuse, remark, remind, suggest, thank , threaten, warn, wish.
1. He said : ‘Don’t walk on the ice ; it isn’t safe.’
………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. ‘Miss Brown, this is Miss White. Miss White, this is Miss Brown,’ he said.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. ‘Here are the car keys. You’d better wait in the car,’ he said to her.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. ‘Please, please, don’t tell anyone,’ she said. ~ ‘I won’t, I promise,’ I said.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ‘Would you like my torch ?’ I said, holding it out. ~ ‘No, thanks,’ he said. ‘I have one
of my own.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….

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6. Tom : I’ll pay. ~ Ann : Oh no, you mustn’t ! ~ Tom : I insist on paying.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
7. ‘Come in and look round. There’s no obligation to buy,’ said the shopkeeper.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. ‘If you don’t pay the ransom,we’ll kill the boy,’ said the kidnapper.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
9. ‘I won’t answer any question,’ said the arrested man.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. ‘ He expects a lot of work for very little money,’ complained one of the typists. ~
‘Yes, he does,’ agreed the other.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
11. ‘ I wish it would rain,’ she said.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. ‘ You pressed the wrong button,’said the mechanic. ‘Don’t do it again. You might
have a nasty accident.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
13. ‘Your weight’s gone up a lot !’ I exlaimed.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
14. ‘I hope you’ll have a good journey,’ he said. ‘Don’t forget to send a card when you
arrive.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
15. ‘Hurrah ! I’ve passed the first exam !’ he exlaimed. ~ ‘Congratulations !’ I said,’ and
good luck with the second.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………
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16. ‘All right, I’ll wait a week’, she said.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
17. ‘Many happy returns of your birthday !’ we said. ~ ‘ Thanks,’ said the boy.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. ‘ Your door is the shabbiest in the street,’ said the neighbour. ~ ‘It is,’ I said.
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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19. ‘Cigarette,’ ~ ‘Thanks,’ I said.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
20. ‘ I’m sorry I’m late,’ she said. ‘ The bus broke down.’
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
21. ‘You’ve been leaking information for the Press !’ said his collegues. ~ ‘No, I
haven’t,’ he said. ‘Liar !’ said Tom.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….
22. ‘ I’ ll drop you from the team if you don’t train harder,’ said the captain.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...

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