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Upper-intermediate grammar exercise: word order in reported speech sentences

English grammar practice exercise, upper-intermediate.

In this exercise you will practise word order in reported speech.

Instructions: Rearrange the words in brackets into the correct order.

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Structures of reported speech
direct speech
reported speech   		She said, "It is better to wait."
She said (that) it was better to wait.
direct speech
reported speech 		He said, "I have never been to Spain."
He said (that) he had never been to Spain.



Reported speech - common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
She said me that she wasn't able to do it. She told me that she wasn't able to do it. After tell we mention the listener.
After say we don't mention the listener.
She told me that she is looking for her handbag. She told me that she was looking for her handbag. If the reporting verb (in this case tell) is in the past tense, the tenses used in the original sentence normally have to be changed:
I am becomes I was
I can becomes I could
have been becomes had been
was becomes had been
will becomes would
can becomes could
He told me he hasn't seen her before. He told me he hadn't seen her before.
She told me she will see him later. She told me she would see him later.
I told him don't go there. I told him not to go there When we report a command or warning, we use:
(not) + to + infinitive.