Ex.18. Complete the following sentences with

a) "say" or "tell"

1. They can … the difference between a man with a shotgun and a revolver. 2. The children always like me to … them a story before they go to sleep. 3. At the end of the meeting the chairman stood up to … a few words. 4. Jimmy mentions everyone in the family whenever he … his prayers. 5. George Washington told his father that he could never … a lie. 6. I don't know how you distinguish between those two. I just can't … them apart.

b) "said", "told", "talked"

1. Jack … me that Tom was enjoying his new job. 2. Tom …, it was a nice restaurant but I don't like it much. 3. The doctor … that I would have to rest for at least a week. 4. Mrs. Taylor … us she wouldn't be able to come to the next meeting. 5. She was... that there were no tickets left. 6. Ann…Tom that she was going away. 7. George could help me. He … to ask Jack. 8. At the meeting the chairman … about the problems facing the company. 9. He … a story about his adventures. 10. Jill … us all about her holiday in Australia.

Ex.19 Some other reporting verbs can be used when reporting statements:

accuse admit advise agree apologize blame decide

deny encourage explain insist promise refuse remind

suggest warn answer claim mention reply tell

Match the verbs given above to a pattern below according to how they are used in reported speech

a) Verb + object + infinitive = He asked me to go.

b) Verb + (that) = She said (that) hr had to go.

c) Verb + object + (that) = He told us (that) he had to go.

d) Verb + gerund =He admitted stealing the bag.

e) Verb + gerund + prep + gerund = He accused me of stealing the money.

f) Verb + infinitive = He decided to lend her the money.