Fill in the blanks.
1. James said that he ………………….. his friends for dinner.
James said, 'I have invited my friends.' Present perfect in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech.
2. Stella said that she ……………………….. her friends.
Will in direct speech becomes would in indirect speech.
3. They wondered what they ………………………… for dinner.
Will in direct speech becomes would in indirect speech.
4. Mother asked what I ……………………….. in my room.
'What are you doing in your room?' asked mother. Present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous in indirect speech.
5. I warned him ……………………………. careful.
'Be careful,' I told him. I warned him to be careful. We use to-infinitives to report imperatives.
6. She cried that there …………………………. a cockroach on her table.
'There is a cockroach on my table,' she cried. Is in the direct speech becomes was in the indirect speech.
7. She replied that she ……………………….
8. She asked me if she ………………………… a message with me.
9. The child said that she ………………………. afraid.
10. The doctor recommended that I ……………………………… increase my intake of fruits and vegetables.
11. She cried that she …………………………..
'I have been duped,' she cried. / She cried that she had been duped.
12. They told him ………………………….. off.
'Be off,' they told him. They told him to off. We use to-infinitives to report imperatives.
Answers
- James said that he had invited his friends for dinner.
- Stella said that she would also call her friends.
- They wondered what they would serve for dinner.
- Mother asked what I was doing in my room.
- I warned him to be careful.
- She cried that there was a cockroach on her table.
- She replied that she was reading.
- She asked me if she could leave a message with me.
- The child said that she was afraid.
- The doctor recommended that I should increase my intake of fruits and vegetables.
- She cried that she had been duped.
- They told him to be off.
