Reported Speech: Modals & Shifts — The Question That Changed Everything
Grammar: Reported speech
Free ESL grammar exercise on reported speech: modals & shifts themed around the question that changed everything. Printable worksheet from classplan.ai.
What's on this worksheet
A Level 4 (upper intermediate) ESL grammar exercise on work, practising reported speech. The worksheet has a short reading excerpt, a grammar reference and graded practice items.
From the reading
Butterfield said he would still shake her hand even if she walked out. He told her she could quit the next day if she hated it, and she told him she would prove herself within a week.
Grammar: Reported Speech
- Modal shift: can → could
- She said, "I can fix it." → She said she could fix it. — modal backshifts in reported speech
- Modal shift: will → would
- He said, "I will stay up all night." → He said he would stay up all night. — future becomes reported future
Sample items
- "I can solve this problem alone," she said. → She said she ______ solve the problem alone.
- "I will join the team next month," he said. → He said he ______ join the team the following month.
- "We can meet tomorrow," they said. → They said they could meet ______.
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