Reported Speech with Modal Verbs: Multiple Choice

Read what was said and when, then choose the answer that completes the report. For two gaps, the forms follow the same order as the gaps. Your first choice counts.

1. "I'll fix your bike this weekend," Dev said last month. Dev promised he _____ my bike that weekend, but he never did.

2. "I can swim without armbands!" six-year-old Lena told everyone at the pool. Lena told everyone that she _____ without armbands.

3. "I may be late for this afternoon's meeting," Hana said on Friday morning. Hana said she _____ late for that afternoon's meeting, but she arrived on time.

4. "I must leave before eleven to catch my train," Zara said at last Saturday's party. At the party, Zara said she _____ before eleven to catch her train.

5. "You should drink more water," my doctor told me last week. My doctor told me I _____ more water.

6. "I could lend you my car if you need it," Nadia said. Nadia said she _____ me her car if I needed it.

7. "I'll call you tomorrow," Mateo told me two weeks ago. Mateo told me he _____ me _____, but he didn't call until the following Friday.

8. "I can't follow the news on the radio yet," Aiko told me last year. She understands it easily now. Last year Aiko told me she _____ the news on the radio yet.

9. "Shall I send the report to everyone?" Ahmed asked at the meeting. At the meeting, Ahmed asked if he _____ the report to everyone.

10. "It might rain later," Ines said this morning. Ines said it _____ later, so I took an umbrella.

11. "I'll drive you to the airport tomorrow morning," Grace said to Tom on Monday. On Monday, Grace told Tom that _____ him to the airport the next morning.

12. "You must hand in your projects by Friday," our teacher told us last term. Last term, our teacher told us that _____ hand in our projects by Friday.

13. "I would love to visit Japan one day," Ella said. She has already started learning Japanese. Ella said she _____ to visit Japan one day.

14. "You ought to take a few days off," my manager said last week. My manager said I _____ a few days off.

15. "I could read before I started school," Jamal said. Jamal said he _____ before he started school.

16. "The new bridge will open next year," the mayor announced in 2019. It finally opened in 2023. In 2019, the mayor announced that the new bridge _____ the following year.

17. "I won't share my sweets with you!" my brother always said when we were kids. When we were kids, my brother always said he _____ his sweets with me.

18. "You should apply for the manager's job," Carla told her colleague Ben. Carla told Ben that _____ for the manager's job, so he applied the next day.

19. "Can I check out late tomorrow?" I asked at a hotel in Lisbon last summer. Last summer, I asked the receptionist if I _____ out late the next day.

20. "Will you help me with my CV?" Kwame asked me last week. Last week, Kwame asked me if I _____ him with his CV.