Reported Speech: What Did They Say? (B2 Grammar)
function checkA(el,c,exp,q){
document.querySelectorAll(‘input[name=”q’+q+'”]’).forEach(function(r){r.disabled=true;});
var fb=document.getElementById(‘fb’+q);fb.style.display=’block’;
if(parseInt(el.value)===c){fb.style.background=’#c6f6d5′;fb.style.color=’#276749′;fb.innerHTML=’✓ Correct! ‘+exp;}
else{fb.style.background=’#fed7d7′;fb.style.color=’#9b2c2c’;fb.innerHTML=’✗ ‘+exp;}
}
function checkF(id,ans){
var v=document.getElementById(‘fi’+id).value.trim().toLowerCase();
var fb=document.getElementById(‘ff’+id);fb.style.display=’block’;
if(v===ans.toLowerCase()||v.replace(/s+/g,’ ‘)===ans.toLowerCase()){
fb.style.background=’#c6f6d5′;fb.style.color=’#276749’;fb.innerHTML=’✓ Correct: ‘+ans+’‘;}
else{fb.style.background=’#fed7d7′;fb.style.color=’#9b2c2c’;fb.innerHTML=’✗ Answer: ‘+ans+’‘;}
}
B2 ⏱ 5 min
💬 Reported Speech: What Did They Say?
Working at the Star Casino, I relayed guest complaints to managers all night. Reported speech was survival English.
📖 Direct vs Reported Speech
Direct: She said, ‘I want to speak to the manager.’
Reported: She said (that) she wanted to speak to the manager.
Backshift rule — tenses move one step back in time:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| present simple | past simple |
| present continuous | past continuous |
| past simple | past perfect |
| will | would |
‘I live in Sydney.’ → She said she ___ in Sydney.
‘I will call you tomorrow.’ → He said he ___ call me the next day.
‘We are waiting.’ → They said they ___ waiting.
‘I can help you.’ → She said she ____________ help me.
‘I have finished.’ → He told me he ____________ finished.
✏️ Relay Practice
Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.
Leave a Reply