Let's see what comes to mind — no notes, and don't worry about mistakes.
You already know how to report a statement. Complete this sentence:
"I love this song," she said. Later you tell someone: "She said she that song."
Have a go out loud: think of one question someone asked you today, and try to say it as "___ asked me..." — don't worry about getting the grammar exactly right yet.
Jack: What did Priya say on the phone?
Mia: She asked where the tickets were, and if the show started at seven. Then she told me to bring cash for parking.
Look again at what Mia says. Priya didn't actually say the words "she asked where the tickets were" — she asked something more direct, on the phone. What do you think Priya's exact words were? Say your idea out loud before you check.
For retelling wh-questions people asked you — no question mark, no "do/does/did", just normal word order.
Three questions, reported later:
Before you check: where did "do", "are" and "did" go, and what order are the words in now?
Complete each report. Type only the missing words.
1. A colleague asks you at lunch: "What time do you finish work?"
Later you tell your partner: "My colleague asked what time ."
2. A stranger stops you in the street: "Where are you going?"
You tell a friend about it: "A stranger asked me where ."
3. A customer asks the new barista: "Why is the shop closed today?"
Write what the barista texts the manager. Start with "The customer asked".
Think about the last time a stranger, waiter or shop assistant asked you a question. Say it as a reported question: "A waiter once asked me where..." Try two examples.
When the original question has no question word at all, English needs to add "if" or "whether".
Three yes/no questions, reported later:
What word had to be added that wasn't in the original question at all? Say it before you check.
1. A waiter asks you: "Do you want a coffee?"
You tell a friend later: "The waiter asked a coffee."
2. A passenger asks the station guard: "Is the train delayed?"
You overhear and tell someone: "A passenger asked the guard ."
3. A job interviewer asks: "Have you ever been to Japan?"
Write what you tell a friend afterwards. Start with "The interviewer asked".
Imagine you're at a job interview. Say three yes/no questions the interviewer might ask you, then report each one: "The interviewer asked if/whether..."
For instructions, requests and warnings — no exact words, just told/asked/warned + person + to + verb.
Three instructions, reported later:
What always sits between "told/asked" and "to"? Say it before you check.
Notice: promise and offer usually go straight to "to + verb" with no person; invite and warn work like told/asked, with a person in between.
1. A local gives you directions: "Turn left at the lights."
You tell a friend: "The local told me at the lights."
2. Before school, your mum says: "Don't forget your umbrella!"
You tell a classmate later: "My mum warned me my umbrella."
3. At dinner, your sister says: "Could you pass the salt, please?"
Tell someone later what she asked. Start with "She asked".
Think of three things a parent, boss, doctor or teacher has told you, asked you, or warned you to do recently. Say them out loud: "My doctor told me to...", "My boss asked me to..."
Time to use all three forms in one real story. You do the talking.
Think of a real conversation you had recently — with a doctor's receptionist, a landlord, a colleague, a border-control officer, a customer service line. (If nothing comes to mind, invent one.)
Tell the whole story out loud for one minute. Try to answer:
Write a short message (3–5 sentences) to a friend about the same conversation. Use all three forms from today — the checker will tell you which ones it finds.
Real life doesn't tell you which form to use. Here everything is mixed — you decide.
Each sentence has one grammar mistake. Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.
1. "He asked where did she live."
2. "The teacher told to wait outside."
3. "My mother said me to call when I arrived."
4. "He asked I liked the film."
5. A friend asks: "What are you reading?" Choose the correct report.
6. The dentist says: "Open your mouth wide." Choose the correct report.
7. Before a walk, someone asks: "Is it going to rain?" Choose the correct report.
One-minute challenge: invent a short conversation between a tourist and a hotel receptionist. Retell it out loud — include one question the tourist asked, one yes/no question, and one thing the receptionist told the tourist to do. Use the timer above if you like the pressure.
1. "I live in Berlin," he told me. Report it: "He said he in Berlin."
2. Say it out loud: what happens to words like "this", "here" and "tomorrow" when you report something someone said earlier? Give one example.
3. A friend asks: "What did you buy at the market?" Report it: "She asked at the market."
4. A colleague asks: "Will you be here tomorrow?" Report it: "He asked tomorrow."
5. Your neighbour says: "Please don't slam the door!" Report it: "My neighbour asked me the door."
Which practice helped you most today — fixing the mistakes, choosing the right form, or the speaking tasks? Say why you think that one worked for you.
At the start we said: report questions and requests so you can retell conversations naturally. Tick what's true: