Grammar Games Speed Round
Reported Speech Game
Tell the story again, keeping the meaning clear.
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No sign-up. Just a quick round and the corrections that matter.
Keep learning
Play first. Understand every answer.
The round is short; the corrections are the lesson. Use the guide below whenever you want a refresher.
How to play
- Choose Practice for an untimed round, or Challenge for twelve timed questions and three lives.
- Practice lets you choose a difficulty; Challenge mixes all three levels.
- Read the correction after each answer, then continue with the related exercise.
Grammar guide
Reported Speech Game: rules and examples
Reported speech passes earlier words to another listener. After past said or told, a tense often moves back; pronouns and time expressions may change too.
01
Said and told
Use said without a direct listener. Use told with the listener immediately after it.
She said that she was tired.
No listener after said.She told me that she was tired.
Me names the listener after told.
02
Backshift and time
Present simple often becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, will becomes would, and can becomes could. Adjust time and place when the reporting point changes.
He said he was studying.
Am studying becomes was studying.She said she would return the next day.
Will and tomorrow changed.
03
Reported questions
Use if or whether for yes/no questions. Keep statement word order after the question word, if or whether.
She asked where I lived.
No do and no question order.He asked if the shop was open.
Subject the shop comes before was.
FAQ
Is this reported speech game free?
Yes. Both Practice and Challenge are free without an account.
When do I use told instead of said?
Use told when you name the listener directly, as in told me.
Does every verb always backshift?
No. Backshift is common when reporting later, but a still-true fact can keep its original tense.
How do I report a yes/no question?
Use asked if or asked whether, then statement word order.
Can I use this game in class?
Yes. Have learners explain the change in speaker, time and tense before revealing the answer.
Is my score saved?
Your best Challenge score is saved in this browser, not your account.