Free English Grammar Reported Speech Questions and Answers

Question 1

What reporting verb is that?

Accepted Answer

tell

Answer

A reporting verb is used to introduce reported speech, indicating what someone said or asked. Among the given options, 'tell' is a common and appropriate reporting verb, as seen in phrases like 'He told me that...' or 'She told him to...'. 'Be' is a linking verb and 'go' is an action verb, neither of which typically functions as a reporting verb in this grammatical context.

Question 2

He claimed that the weather was chilly. Which word is not required?

Accepted Answer

that

Answer

In reported speech, the conjunction 'that' is often optional when reporting a statement. The sentence 'He claimed the weather was chilly' is grammatically correct and conveys the exact same meaning as the original sentence. Removing 'was' or the reporting verb 'claimed' would render the sentence ungrammatical or change its fundamental structure, making 'that' the only dispensable word.

Question 3

"Last week, I purchased an automobile." He claimed to have bought a car last week.

Accepted Answer

the week before

Answer

When converting direct speech into reported speech, time expressions often shift to reflect the change in perspective. 'Last week' in direct speech refers to the week preceding the moment the original statement was made. In reported speech, this typically transforms into 'the week before' or 'the previous week' to maintain the correct temporal relationship from the new reporting viewpoint.

Question 4

Where is it, Mary asked. She

Accepted Answer

asked where it was

Answer

When reporting a WH-question, the reporting verb 'asked' is used, and the question word (like 'where') is retained. Crucially, the word order changes from the question form (verb-subject) to a statement form (subject-verb), and the tense typically shifts one step back into the past. Therefore, 'Where is it?' becomes 'where it was' in reported speech, making 'She asked where it was' the correct transformation.

Question 5

Which of these is typically necessary when a YES/NO answer is reported?

Accepted Answer

if

Answer

When reporting a question that elicits a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer, the conjunction 'if' (or 'whether') is typically used to introduce the reported question. This structure transforms the direct question into a subordinate clause, maintaining the interrogative sense without using a question mark. 'Do' is an auxiliary verb and 'why' is a specific question word, neither of which serves this purpose for yes/no questions.

English Grammar Test Practice Test

English Grammar Test Practice Test

Free English Grammar Reported Speech Questions and Answers