What Leaders Say — and What the Data Shows
Grammar: Reported Speech
A Level 4 English lesson exploring work.
What's in this lesson
A Level 4 (upper intermediate) ESL lesson on work, practising reported speech. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: What Leaders Say — and What the Data Shows
In 2023, an Edelman survey of 28 countries found that only 37% of employees trusted their company's senior leadership to tell the truth about the organisation's performance. That number should matter to anyone with ambition. When executives speak publicly about success, failure, and risk, they are not simply sharing experience — they are managing reputation. Three high-profile cases illustrate just how wide the gap between public statement and measurable reality can be.
Vocabulary
- claimed
- acknowledged
- insisted
- deny
- urged
- conceded
- disclosed
- refused
Grammar: Reported Speech
- claim / insist / deny
- She claimed that the target had been met. — reporting an assertion, possibly disputed
- admit / concede /
- He admitted that the forecast had been wrong. — reporting something accepted reluctantly
Discussion questions
- Do you think company leaders are generally honest about failure?
- Is it ever right to exaggerate your ambitions to motivate others?
- Should executives be held accountable for public promises they miss?
What Leaders Say — and What the Data Shows
Grammar: Reported Speech
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
Sign up to access full lesson plans
Start with a free trial — 5 lesson generations included
Get Started Free