Reported questions: tag questions

Speaker's words	Reporting verbs		Reported questions
"You're ready, aren't you?" "You don't like action films, do you?" "She's got a big collection of stamps, doesn't she?" "Tessa doesn't know what to do, does she?" "They're selling their house, aren't they?" "Pam's gone out, hasn't she?" "Carla wasn't at home, was she?" "He'd already left by the time you arrived, hadn't he?" "You'll repair my bike on Saturday, won't you?" "They won't have done all the job by then, will they"? "I can afford to buy a new car now, can't I?" "She must go there, mustn't she?"	He asked She wondered I wanted to know Greg didn't know	if whether	I was ready. I liked action films. she had a big collection of stamps. Tessa knew what to do. they were selling their house. Pam had gone out. Carla had been at home. he had already left by the time I arrived. I would repair his bike on Saturday. they would have done all the job by then. he could afford to buy a new car. she had to go there.

Exercise 23. Write these tag questions in indirect speech, using the given words. Make all the necessary changes.

1. "They're on holiday, aren't they?" He didn't know ___.

2. "You'll manage, won't you?" He asked __.

3. "I've lost a lot of weight, haven't I?" Kelly asked __.

4. "We can't go tomorrow, can we?" They wanted to know___.

5. "Someone broke that vase, didn't they?" Mrs. Smith asked ___.

6. "Ron had already opened the letter, hadn't he?" Jim wondered __.

Reported commands

Speaker's words	Reporting verbs	Reported commands
"Stop!" "Don't go!" "Never do this again!"	She asked him He told me	to stop. not to go. never to do that again.

NOTE:

A number of verbs can be used for reported commands: order, command; warn; instruct, etc.

Exercise 24. Write these sentences in indirect speech, using the given words. Make all the necessary changes.

Example: "Hurry up". He told me to hurry up.

1. "Finish the job tonight, please." The boss told me __.

2. "Don't use the telephone after eleven o'clock." The landlord told us __.

3. "Don't spend too much money on your holiday." Jack told his wife __.

4. "Run!" The general ordered the soldiers __.

5. "Don't touch that switch." The electrician warned us __.

Reported offers

Speaker's offer	Reporting verbs	if	Reported offers
"Will you stay for lunch?" "Would you like a drink?"	He asked		I would stay for lunch. I would like a drink.
"Shall I fax the information to them?"	She asked She wanted to know	if/whether	she should fax the information to them.
		whether	to fax the information to them.

Exercise 25. Report these offers. Make all the necessary changes.

Example: "Would you like some tea?" my friend asked. My friend asked if I would like some tea.

1. "Would you like to stay with us?" Mrs Steadman asked me.

2. "Would you like to see my holiday photographs?" she asked.

3. "Would you like another piece of cake?" my mother asked Mrs Black.

4. "Will you come to my party on Saturday?" James asked.

Exercise 26. Report each offer in two ways.

Example: "Shall I invite your girlfriend to the party?" my sister asked.

1) My sister asked if/whether she should invite my girlfriend to the party.

2) My sister wanted to know whether to invite my girlfriend to the party.

1. "Shall I heat the food for you?" my mother asked.

2. "Shall I leave a message for him?" the secretary asked.

3. "Shall I make you some coffee?" he asked.

4. "Shall I drive you home?" Sally's husband asked.

Reported requests

Speaker's request	Reporting verb	Reported request
"Will you pass me the salt?" "Would you turn on the radio, please?"	He asked (me)	to pass him the salt, to turn on the radio.

Exercise 27. Report these requests. Make all the necessary changes.

Example: "Would you check the bill for me, please?" he asked me. He asked me to check the bill for him.

1. "Will you take the children to school for me?" she asked her mother.

2. "Will you pass my cup, please?" Ted asked me.

3. "Would you check the oil for me, please?" he asked the mechanic.

4. "Would you turn the car engine off, please?" the policeman asked me.