Reported Speech and Backshift: B1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. 'I am tired.' → She said she ___ tired. → was

The present simple backshifts to the past simple in reported speech.

2. 'We have finished.' → They said they ___ finished. → had

The present perfect backshifts to the past perfect.

3. 'I will call you.' → He said he ___ call me. → would

Will becomes would when the reporting verb is in the past.

4. 'Where do you live?' → She asked me where I ___. → lived

Reported questions lose the auxiliary and take statement word order with a backshifted tense.

5. 'Are you coming?' → He asked ___ I was coming. → if

A yes-or-no question needs if or whether, because there is no question word to carry over.

6. 'Sit down.' → The teacher told us ___ down. → to sit

Commands are reported with told plus an object plus a to-infinitive.

7. Which is correct? → He told me he was late.

Tell takes a direct object; say does not. You tell somebody, but you say something.

8. 'I saw her yesterday.' → He said he had seen her ___. → the day before

Time words shift too: yesterday becomes the day before or the previous day.

9. 'Don't touch it.' → She warned me ___ touch it. → not to

A negative command is reported with not to plus the base verb.

10. When is backshift optional? → When the statement is still true

If the fact still holds — she said she lives in Cardiff — the present tense may be kept.

11. 'I can swim.' → He said he ___ swim. → could

Can backshifts to could.

12. 'What time does the train leave?' → She asked what time the train ___. → left

No auxiliary and no inversion in a reported question, and the present simple backshifts.

13. 'I must go.' → He said he ___ go. → had to

Must for obligation usually becomes had to in reported speech.

14. 'Please help me.' → She asked me ___ her. → to help

A polite request is reported with asked plus an object plus a to-infinitive.

15. 'This is my seat.' → He said ___ was his seat. → that

Demonstratives shift with everything else: this becomes that.

16. 'I might be late.' → She said she ___ be late. → might

Might, could, should and would have no further past form, so they do not backshift.

17. 'Have you seen my keys?' → He asked ___ I had seen his keys. → whether

Whether works exactly like if for reporting a yes-or-no question, and is preferred in writing.

18. 'We are moving here next week.' → They said they were moving ___ the following week. → there

Place words shift as well: here becomes there when the reporter is elsewhere.

19. Which reporting verb best fits 'You should see a doctor'? → He advised

Choosing an accurate reporting verb is half of good reported speech: advise carries the meaning of should.

20. 'I didn't take it.' → He denied ___ it. → taking

Deny is followed by an -ing form, not a to-infinitive.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. 'I am busy.' → She said she ___ busy. → was

The present simple of be backshifts to the past simple.

2. 'We live in Oslo.' → They said they ___ in Oslo. → lived

The present simple becomes the past simple after a past reporting verb.

3. 'I will help you.' → He promised he ___ help me. → would

Will backshifts to would.

4. 'Do you smoke?' → She asked me ___ I smoked. → if

A yes-or-no question is reported with if or whether.

5. 'Open the window.' → He told me ___ open the window. → to

Commands are reported with told plus a to-infinitive.

6. 'I have lost my wallet.' → She said she ___ lost her wallet. → had

The present perfect backshifts to the past perfect.

7. 'Don't be late.' → They warned us ___ to be late. → not

A negative instruction takes not before the to-infinitive.

8. He ___ me that the shop had closed early. → told

Tell takes a direct object; say would need to before me.

9. She ___ that the meeting would be postponed. → said

Say is followed directly by that, with no object in between.

10. 'I can't drive.' → He admitted he ___ drive. → couldn't

Can't backshifts to couldn't.

11. 'Where is the station?' → She asked where the station ___. → was

A reported question uses statement word order and a backshifted tense.

12. 'I saw him last night.' → He said he ___ seen him the night before. → had

The past simple backshifts to the past perfect.

13. 'You must apologise.' → She insisted that I ___ to apologise. → had

Must for obligation becomes had to when reported in the past.

14. 'I am leaving tomorrow.' → He said he was leaving the ___ day. → next

Tomorrow shifts to the next day or the following day.

15. 'It wasn't me.' → She ___ taking the money. → denied

Deny is followed by an -ing form and replaces a whole negative statement.

16. 'Why are you laughing?' → He asked me why I ___ laughing. → was

The present continuous backshifts to the past continuous in a reported question.

17. 'Could you wait here?' → She asked me to wait ___. → there

Here shifts to there when the report is made in a different place.

18. 'I may come later.' → He said he ___ come later. → might

May backshifts to might. Might itself has no further past form, so it would stay unchanged.

19. 'Have you finished?' → They asked ___ I had finished. → whether

Whether is the more formal of the two options for a reported yes-or-no question.

20. 'Sorry I broke it.' → He ___ for breaking the vase. → apologised

An accurate reporting verb can replace a whole quoted sentence.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Report a statement about health. → She said she was feeling much better.

Report a statement about health.

2. Use tell with an object and a backshifted perfect. → He told me that he had already eaten.

Use tell with an object and a backshifted perfect.

3. Report a yes-or-no question. → They asked if I wanted a lift.

Report a yes-or-no question.

4. Report a negative instruction. → The guide told us not to touch anything.

Report a negative instruction.

5. Report a question with a question word. → She asked where I had left the car.

Report a question with a question word.

6. Report a promise about the future. → He promised he would pay me back.

Report a promise about the future.

7. Report a polite request. → My boss asked me to work late.

Report a polite request.

8. Report an experience in the past perfect. → They said they had never been abroad.

Report an experience in the past perfect.

9. Use a reporting verb with an -ing form. → She denied breaking the office printer.

Use a reporting verb with an -ing form.

10. Report an indirect yes-or-no enquiry. → He wanted to know whether the shop was open.

Report an indirect yes-or-no enquiry.

11. Report advice with the right verb. → The doctor advised him to rest completely.

Report advice with the right verb.

12. Report bad news in a passive past perfect. → I told them the train had been cancelled.

Report bad news in a passive past perfect.

13. Report a reason for an absence. → She explained that she could not attend.

Report a reason for an absence.

14. Report a question with no inversion. → He asked what time the film started.

Report a question with no inversion.

15. Report a warning about a hazard. → They warned us that the path was dangerous.

Report a warning about a hazard.

16. Report an apology with a preposition. → She apologised for arriving so late.

Report an apology with a preposition.

17. Report a modal that does not backshift. → He said he might join us later.

Report a modal that does not backshift.

18. Report an official request. → The officer asked to see my passport.

Report an official request.

19. Report a reminder with an infinitive. → I reminded her to lock the back door.

Report a reminder with an infinitive.

20. Report a confession in the past perfect. → They admitted that they had made a mistake.

Report a confession in the past perfect.