The Question That Changed Everything
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: The Question That Changed Everything
"He told me I could walk out right now, and he would still shake my hand," says Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Slack. "That threw me completely." Butterfield was describing a story he has told in several interviews over the years — not about an interview he gave, but one he ran, early in his career, while building the photo-sharing site Flickr. He wanted someone who could think on their feet, not someone who had simply rehearsed a polished answer.
Vocabulary
- into
- of
- within
- without
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
Discussion questions
- Have you noticed how some interviewers ask strange questions on purpose?
- Why do you think some bosses trust instinct over qualifications?
- Have you noticed how confidence and honesty are often confused?
The Question That Changed Everything
Grammar: Reported speech
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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