Basics of reported speech. 45 questions on tense backshift, said vs told, and reporting commands.
What this test covers
- Tense Backshift in Statements
- Said vs Told
- Reporting Commands & Requests
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1Original: "I am hungry," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: B. He said that he was hungry
When we report what someone said in the past, we usually move the verb one step back in time. 'Am' (present) changes to 'was' (past).
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Q2Original: "I like coffee," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: B. She said that she liked coffee
In reported speech, we move the verb back in time. The present word 'like' becomes the past word 'liked'.
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Q3Original: "I am working," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. He said he was working
We move 'am working' back in time to 'was working'. We use 'said' because there is no listener mentioned (like 'me' or 'him'). If we used 'told', we would need a person: 'He told me'.
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Q4Original: "I have eaten," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: D. She said she had eaten
The present perfect 'have eaten' moves back one step to the past perfect 'had eaten'.
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Q5Original: "I visited Paris," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. He said he had visited Paris
When the original sentence is already in the past ('visited'), we move it back even further to 'had visited'.
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Q6Original: "I will help you," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. She said she would help me
In reported speech, 'will' changes to 'would'. We use 'said' because we aren't naming a listener right after the verb. 'She said me' is incorrect.
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Q7Original: "I can swim," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: B. He said he could swim
The word 'can' changes to 'could' when we report what someone said in the past.
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Q8Original: "We are ready," they said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: D. They said they were ready
We change 'we' to 'they' to match the people we are talking about. We also move the verb 'are' back to the past 'were'.
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Q9Original: "My dog is loud," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: B. He said his dog was loud
We change 'my' to 'his' because we are talking about his dog. We also move 'is' back to the past 'was'.
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Q10Original: "I am busy now," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. She said she was busy then
In reported speech, 'now' usually changes to 'then' because the time has passed. We also move 'am' back to 'was'.
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Q11Original: "I saw him yesterday," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: D. He said he had seen him the day before
We move the past 'saw' back to 'had seen'. We also change 'yesterday' to 'the day before' because the speaker is talking about a past day from a new time.
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Q12Original: "I will be there tomorrow," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. She said she would be there the next day
In reported speech, 'will' becomes 'would' and 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day'.
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Q13Original: "I live here," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: C. He said he lived there
When reporting speech, 'here' usually changes to 'there'. We also move the present 'live' to the past 'lived'.
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Q14Original: "I have finished my work," she said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: C. She said she had finished her work
We change 'have' to 'had' to move the action back in time. We also change 'my work' to 'her work' to match the person who was speaking.
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Q15Original: "I am not hungry," he said. Choose the correct reported speech version.
Answer: A. He said he was not hungry
We move the verb 'am' back to the past 'was'. We use 'said' because there is no listener (like 'me') right after the verb.
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Q16He ___ me that he was tired.
Answer: C. told
We use 'told' when we mention the listener (me). 'He told me' is correct. 'He said me' is incorrect.
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Q17He ___ that he was tired.
Answer: B. said
We use 'said' when we do not mention the listener right after the verb. If you want to use 'told', you must add a person, like 'He told me that...'
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Q18Choose the correct version: *He told that he was busy.
Answer: D. He told me that he was busy.
The word 'told' always needs a person (a listener). You must say 'He told me' or 'He told them'. 'He told that' is incorrect.
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Q19Choose the correct version: *She said me that she was hungry.
Answer: B. She told me that she was hungry.
You cannot say 'said me'. You should use 'told me' if you want to mention the listener.
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Q20They ___ that they were lost.
Answer: C. said
Use 'said' when there is no person (like 'me' or 'us') right after the verb. 'They said that...' is the correct way to start the sentence.
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Q21She ___ us that she was ready.
Answer: C. told
Use 'told' because there is a listener ('us'). If you used 'said', the sentence would be: 'She said that she was ready'.
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Q22Choose the correct version: *I said him that I was leaving.
Answer: D. I told him that I was leaving.
We cannot say 'said him'. Instead, use 'told him'. This is the standard way to report speech to a specific person.
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Q23He ___ that he would arrive late.
Answer: D. said
Use 'said' when no listener (like 'me') is mentioned. 'He said that...' is correct.
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Q24She ___ her brother that she was leaving.
Answer: B. told
Use 'told' because the sentence mentions a listener ('her brother').
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Q25Choose the correct version: *We told that we needed help.
Answer: D. We said that we needed help.
If you don't name a listener, use 'said'. 'We said that...' is correct. 'We told that...' is missing a person.
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Q26My teacher ___ me that the exam was hard.
Answer: C. told
Use 'told' because there is a listener ('me'). We say: 'The teacher told me'.
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Q27They ___ that they were happy with the result.
Answer: D. said
Use 'said' because there is no listener (like 'us') mentioned after the verb.
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Q28Choose the correct version: *She said me that she was tired.
Answer: C. She told me that she was tired.
The verb 'said' cannot be followed directly by a person ('said me' is wrong). Use 'told me' instead.
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Q29He ___ that he had finished his work.
Answer: B. said
Use 'said' because there is no person (like 'me' or 'him') immediately after the verb.
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Q30We ___ our parents that we were coming home.
Answer: B. told
Use 'told' because we are naming the listeners ('our parents').
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Q31"Where do you live?" He asked me where ___.
Answer: B. I lived
In reported questions, we use the word order of a normal sentence (Subject + Verb), not a question order. So we say 'I lived'. We also move the present 'live' to the past 'lived'.
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Q32"What is your name?" He asked me what my name ___.
Answer: A. was
In a reported question, we move the verb back in time ('is' becomes 'was'). We also put the verb at the end: 'what my name was'.
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Q33"Are you hungry?" She asked me if I ___ hungry.
Answer: A. was
For 'yes/no' questions, we use 'if'. Then we use normal sentence order and move the verb back in time. 'Are you' becomes 'if I was'.
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Q34"Can you help?" He asked me if I ___ help.
Answer: B. could
For 'can/could' questions, we use 'if' and move 'can' back to its past form 'could'. We use normal sentence order: 'if I could'.
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Q35"Where is the station?" She asked where the station ___.
Answer: D. was
In a reported question, the verb 'is' moves back to the past 'was' and comes after the subject ('the station was').
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Q36"When will you come?" He asked when I ___ come.
Answer: D. would
In reported speech, 'will' moves back to 'would'. We also use normal sentence order: 'I would come'.
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Q37"Why are you crying?" She asked me why I ___ crying.
Answer: C. was
We move 'are' back to 'was' to match the past. We also use normal sentence order: 'why I was crying' instead of the question order 'why was I'.
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Q38"Do you like fish?" He asked if I ___ fish.
Answer: B. liked
For a 'yes/no' question, we use 'if'. We move the present 'like' to the past 'liked' and use normal sentence order.
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Q39"Is it raining?" She asked if it ___ raining.
Answer: D. was
We use 'if' for 'yes/no' questions. We also move the verb 'is' back to the past 'was' and use normal sentence order: 'if it was raining'.
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Q40"What time is it?" He asked what time it ___.
Answer: C. was
In a reported question, the verb 'is' moves back to 'was' and goes after the subject 'it'.
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Q41"Close the door," he told me. Report the command.
Answer: B. He told me to close the door
To report a command, use 'told' + the person + 'to' + the action. For example: 'He told me to close'.
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Q42"Don't shout," she told him. Report the command.
Answer: B. She told him not to shout
For a negative command (telling someone NOT to do something), use 'not to' before the action. For example: 'told him not to shout'.
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Q43"Please help me," he asked her. Report the request.
Answer: A. He asked her to help him
To report a request (asking nicely), use 'asked' + the person + 'to' + the action. For example: 'asked her to help'.
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Q44"Open your books," the teacher told us. Report the command.
Answer: C. The teacher told us to open our books
To report a command, use 'told' + the person + 'to' + the action. For example: 'told us to open'.
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Q45"Don't run," the mother told the child. Report the command.
Answer: C. The mother told the child not to run
For a negative command, use 'not to' before the action. For example: 'told the child not to run'.
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