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Key Word Transformations 2: Reported Speech

Students practise Reading and Use of English Part 4 with reported speech and reporting verbs, building from controlled practice to two exam-format sets.

Use of english · Reported speech · Transformations

B2 First preparationKey Word Transformations 2Key Word Transformations 1 Key Word Transformations 3

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Plan at a glance

Aims

Recap how Reading and Use of English Part 4 works and how it is marked
Learn and use 24 words and phrases in 4 sets: Verb + -ing, Verb + object + to-infinitive, Verb + to-infinitive, Verb + preposition + -ing
Report statements and questions with the full range of tense changes
Complete two exam-format sets of Part 4 within the word limit

Stages · 80 min

5 minLead-in: Say three things a friend said to you this week. Pairs report them: 'She said she had…'
10 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes: the reporting-verb patterns, the tense changes and suggest.
15 minControlled practice: Ex. 1–3
15 minAccuracy practice: Ex. 4–6
20 minExam practice: Ex. 7–8
15 minWriting: Ex. 9

Printables

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Grammar notes

Part 4: a quick reminder

Write between two and five words, including the key word. Contractions count as two words.
Never change the key word.
Each answer is worth two marks, so it usually tests two things, for example a reporting verb and its pattern.

Reporting verbs and their patterns

verb + -ing: deny, admit, recommend, suggest, mention, risk (He denied taking it.)
verb + object + to-infinitive: warn, remind, persuade, encourage, invite, advise (She reminded me to call.)
verb + to-infinitive: refuse, offer, promise, threaten, decide, agree (He offered to help.)
verb + preposition + -ing: apologise for, insist on, accuse someone of, blame someone for, congratulate someone on, thank someone for

Back in time

Tenses usually move one step back: am → was, will → would, have done → had done, did → had done.
Time and place words change: tomorrow → the next day, last week → the week before, here → there.
Reported questions use statement word order and no question mark: She asked where I lived.

suggest

suggest + -ing: She suggested leaving early.
suggest + that + subject + verb: She suggested that we (should) leave early.
Never suggest + object + to-infinitive: not She suggested us to leave.

Study tips

Learn reporting verbs with their pattern, not on their own: apologise for doing, refuse to do.
When you check a Part 4 answer, read the whole second sentence and count the words, including the key word.

Glossary

Verb + -ing6 items
Verb + object + to-infinitive6 items
Verb + to-infinitive6 items
Verb + preposition + -ing6 items

See every word and its meaning

Complete the exercises, then check your answers.

Which pattern?

Which pattern follows each reporting verb? Put each one in the right group.

a
blame someone for
b
warn
c
encourage
d
mention
e
insist on
f
remind
g
risk
h
offer
i
deny
j
admit
k
accuse someone of
l
refuse
m
threaten
n
apologise for
o
persuade
p
congratulate someone on
q
thank someone for
r
decide
s
invite
t
promise
u
recommend

Reporting patterns

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

a
Tom denied (break) the window, but nobody believed him.
b
My teacher advised me (start) revising early.
c
Jo refused (help) me with my homework.
d
The manager apologised for (keep) us waiting.
e
Sam suggested (take) the earlier train.
f
They accused him of (cheat) in the exam.
g
My mum reminded me (lock) the back door.
h
In the end, my parents agreed (pay) for the course.

Back in time

Complete the reported sentences. Change the tense and the time words where necessary.

a
'I'm exhausted,' she said. → She said that she exhausted.
b
'We'll call you tomorrow,' they said. → They said they call me the next day.
c
'I've lost my keys,' he said. → He said he his keys.
d
'Where do you live?' she asked me. → She asked me where I .
e
'Are you coming to the party?' he asked. → He asked I was coming to the party.
f
'I saw the film last week,' Anna said. → Anna said she had seen the film .
g
'I've been waiting for an hour,' Kim said. → Kim said she for an hour.
h
'The match was cancelled because of the rain,' Ben told us. → Ben told us that the match cancelled because of the rain.

Fix the answer

Each sentence has one mistake. Find it and write the correction.

a
She suggested me to go to the doctor.
Correction:
b
He denied to take the money from the desk.
Correction:
c
I apologised to be late for the meeting.
Correction:
d
They insisted to pay for the whole meal.
Correction:
e
My friend persuaded me join the drama club.
Correction:
f
The tourist asked me where was the station.
Correction:

Guided transformations

Complete the second sentence using the word given. The start of the sentence is already there to help you. Use between two and five words, including the word given.

a
'Don't touch the oven,' Mum said to us.
WARNED
Mum the oven.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
b
'I didn't take your phone,' said Ella.
DENIED
Ella my phone.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
c
'Why don't we order a pizza?' said Ben.
SUGGESTED
Ben a pizza.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
d
'I'm sorry I forgot your birthday,' Sam said to me.
APOLOGISED
Sam my birthday.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
e
'You should see a doctor,' the nurse told me.
ADVISED
The nurse a doctor.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
f
'I'll definitely call you,' he said to me.
PROMISED
He me.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.

Which answer gets both marks?

Choose the answer that is correct, uses the key word unchanged and has no more than five words.

a
'I didn't cheat,' said Paul. (DENIED) Paul ___ in the test.
b
'You broke the vase!' Mia said to her brother. (ACCUSED) Mia ___ the vase.
c
'Shall I carry your bag?' he asked me. (OFFERED) He ___ my bag.
d
'What's the time?' she asked me. (WHAT) She asked me ___ was.

Exam practice: set A

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given.

Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 4

Tip: With a reporting verb as the key word, check its pattern first: -ing, to-infinitive, object + to-infinitive or preposition + -ing.

a
'I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner,' Lucy said.
FOR
Lucy apologised sooner.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
b
'You really must try the fish,' the waiter said to us.
RECOMMENDED
The waiter the fish.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
c
'Remember to bring your passport,' Dad told me.
REMINDED
Dad my passport.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
d
'Where is the nearest bank?' a tourist asked me.
WAS
A tourist asked me where .
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
e
'I won't lend you my car,' my sister said.
REFUSED
My sister me her car.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
f
'It was me who left the door open,' Tom said.
ADMITTED
Tom the door open.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.

Exam practice: set B

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given.

Exam task: Reading and Use of English, Part 4

Tip: Reported speech usually moves one tense back. Check pronouns and time words too: tomorrow becomes the next day.

a
'If I were you, I'd apply for the job,' Carla said to me.
ADVISED
Carla for the job.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
b
'You took my umbrella!' Jack said to Sophie.
ACCUSED
Jack his umbrella.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
c
Leo said he would pay for the meal and wouldn't let anyone else pay.
INSISTED
Leo for the meal.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
d
'Do you know when the film starts?' Kim asked me.
IF
Kim asked me when the film started.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
e
'We will finish the project by Friday,' the team said.
WOULD
The team said that the project by Friday.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.
f
'Well done on passing your driving test!' Grandma said to me.
CONGRATULATED
Grandma my driving test.
Use 2–5 words, including the word given.

Write your own

Write four transformations of your own, like the ones in this lesson.

Write four Part 4 tasks for a partner. Use a different reporting verb as the key word in each one, for example threaten, encourage, blame or thank. Write the first sentence as direct speech, then the second sentence with a gap, and the answer on the back. Swap with a partner and check each other's answers and word counts.

Suggested minimum: 60 words

0 words · aim for at least 60

Spotted a mistake in this lesson?· tell us the exercise and item

Revise with a game

This lesson's own words and questions. Play on your own, or in teams on the classroom screen.

Glossary

The 24 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 4 sets.

Verb + -ing

deny: to say that you did not do something: deny + -ing
admit: to agree, often unwillingly, that you did something: admit + -ing
recommend: to say that something is good or worth doing: recommend + -ing
suggest: to put forward an idea for others to think about: suggest + -ing, or suggest that
mention: to say something briefly: mention + -ing
risk: to do something although something bad might happen as a result: risk + -ing

Verb + object + to-infinitive

warn: to tell someone about a danger: warn someone (not) to do
remind: to help someone remember: remind someone to do
persuade: to make someone agree to do something by giving reasons: persuade someone to do
encourage: to give someone confidence to do something: encourage someone to do
invite: to ask someone to come somewhere or to do something: invite someone to do
advise: to tell someone what you think they should do: advise someone to do

Verb + to-infinitive

refuse: to say that you will not do something: refuse to do
offer: to say that you are willing to do something: offer to do
promise: to say that you will certainly do something: promise to do
threaten: to say that you will do something bad if you do not get what you want: threaten to do
decide: to make a choice about what to do: decide to do
agree: to say yes to doing something: agree to do

Verb + preposition + -ing

apologise for: to say sorry for something: apologise for + -ing
insist on: to say firmly that you will do something or that something must happen: insist on + -ing
accuse someone of: to say that someone did something wrong: accuse someone of + -ing
blame someone for: to say that someone is responsible for something bad: blame someone for + -ing
congratulate someone on: to praise someone for a success: congratulate someone on + -ing
thank someone for: to tell someone you are grateful: thank someone for + -ing

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Key Word Transformations 2: Reported Speech

Students practise Reading and Use of English Part 4 with reported speech and reporting verbs, building from controlled practice to two exam-format sets.

Use of english · Reported speech · Transformations

Or download everything as a ZIP (2 PDFs)

This lesson plan and its PDFs are free.

Plan at a glance

Aims

Recap how Reading and Use of English Part 4 works and how it is marked
Learn and use 24 words and phrases in 4 sets: Verb + -ing, Verb + object + to-infinitive, Verb + to-infinitive, Verb + preposition + -ing
Report statements and questions with the full range of tense changes
Complete two exam-format sets of Part 4 within the word limit

Stages · 80 min

5 minLead-in: Say three things a friend said to you this week. Pairs report them: 'She said she had…'
10 minLanguage focus: Go through the grammar notes: the reporting-verb patterns, the tense changes and suggest.
15 minControlled practice: Ex. 1–3
15 minAccuracy practice: Ex. 4–6
20 minExam practice: Ex. 7–8
15 minWriting: Ex. 9

Printables

Click a page to preview it, download it or open it in a new tab.

Download all (ZIP, 2 PDFs)

Grammar notes

Part 4: a quick reminder

Write between two and five words, including the key word. Contractions count as two words.
Never change the key word.
Each answer is worth two marks, so it usually tests two things, for example a reporting verb and its pattern.

Reporting verbs and their patterns

verb + -ing: deny, admit, recommend, suggest, mention, risk (He denied taking it.)
verb + object + to-infinitive: warn, remind, persuade, encourage, invite, advise (She reminded me to call.)
verb + to-infinitive: refuse, offer, promise, threaten, decide, agree (He offered to help.)
verb + preposition + -ing: apologise for, insist on, accuse someone of, blame someone for, congratulate someone on, thank someone for

Back in time

Tenses usually move one step back: am → was, will → would, have done → had done, did → had done.
Time and place words change: tomorrow → the next day, last week → the week before, here → there.
Reported questions use statement word order and no question mark: She asked where I lived.

suggest

suggest + -ing: She suggested leaving early.
suggest + that + subject + verb: She suggested that we (should) leave early.
Never suggest + object + to-infinitive: not She suggested us to leave.

Glossary

The 24 words and phrases this lesson teaches, in 4 sets.

Verb + -ing

deny: to say that you did not do something: deny + -ing
admit: to agree, often unwillingly, that you did something: admit + -ing
recommend: to say that something is good or worth doing: recommend + -ing
suggest: to put forward an idea for others to think about: suggest + -ing, or suggest that
mention: to say something briefly: mention + -ing
risk: to do something although something bad might happen as a result: risk + -ing

Verb + object + to-infinitive

warn: to tell someone about a danger: warn someone (not) to do
remind: to help someone remember: remind someone to do
persuade: to make someone agree to do something by giving reasons: persuade someone to do
encourage: to give someone confidence to do something: encourage someone to do
invite: to ask someone to come somewhere or to do something: invite someone to do
advise: to tell someone what you think they should do: advise someone to do

Verb + to-infinitive

refuse: to say that you will not do something: refuse to do
offer: to say that you are willing to do something: offer to do
promise: to say that you will certainly do something: promise to do
threaten: to say that you will do something bad if you do not get what you want: threaten to do
decide: to make a choice about what to do: decide to do
agree: to say yes to doing something: agree to do

Verb + preposition + -ing

apologise for: to say sorry for something: apologise for + -ing
insist on: to say firmly that you will do something or that something must happen: insist on + -ing
accuse someone of: to say that someone did something wrong: accuse someone of + -ing
blame someone for: to say that someone is responsible for something bad: blame someone for + -ing
congratulate someone on: to praise someone for a success: congratulate someone on + -ing
thank someone for: to tell someone you are grateful: thank someone for + -ing