Reported Speech: Backshift — The Phone in Your Pocket Crossed 15 Countries
Grammar: Reported Speech
Free ESL grammar exercise on reported speech: backshift themed around the phone in your pocket crossed 15 countries. Printable worksheet from EnglishPlans.com.
What's on this worksheet
A Business English ESL grammar exercise on business, practising reported speech. The worksheet has a short reading excerpt, a grammar reference and graded practice items.
From the reading
When analysts at McKinsey stated that the average multinational experienced at least one supply chain disruption lasting more than a month every 3.7 years, the figure felt abstract.
Grammar: Reported Speech
- Reported speech: form
- The CEO said that the shipment had been delayed. — present → past in backshift
- Backshift: tense pairs
- "We are expanding." → She stated that they were expanding. — one step back
Sample items
- The CEO said that the new distribution hub ______ operational within six months.
- The analyst stated that freight costs ______ by 30 percent over the previous quarter.
- A Maersk director announced that the company ______ its Arctic route options.
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