Introductory Verbs Reported Speech Practice (B1-B2) - English Grammar Quiz

⏱ Time: 07:30 📝 Questions: 15 📊 Level: B1, B2 📚 Type: Grammar ⭐ XP: up to +16 (on pass)

This 15-question Introductory Verbs Reported Speech practice quiz walks you through the topic step by step — from basic recognition to real-world application. Tailored for Level B1-B2, with clear explanations after every question. Great for building confidence before moving to harder topics.

⏱ You have 07:30 to answer 15 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  15
Q1 15

Question 1: She ___ me that the meeting had been cancelled.

Question 1 options
'Told' is correct because 'tell' requires an indirect object (me, him, her, etc.) before the 'that' clause. 'Said' cannot be followed directly by an indirect object without 'to'. 'Spoke' and 'told to' are not used in this reporting verb pattern.
Q2 15

Question 2: He ___ to help us move the furniture on Saturday.

Question 2 options
'Offered' is correct because 'offer' follows the pattern verb + to + infinitive, meaning someone voluntarily proposes to do something. 'Suggested', 'insisted', and 'admitted' do not follow the verb + to + infinitive pattern in this context.
Q3 15

Question 3: The reporting verb 'say' can be followed directly by an indirect object without using the preposition 'to'. For example, 'He said me the answer' is correct.

Question 3 options
False because 'say' requires the preposition 'to' before an indirect object: 'He said to me that...' Unlike 'tell', 'say' cannot directly precede a personal indirect object without 'to'.
Q4 15

Question 4: Which situation correctly shows why a speaker would use the reporting verb 'warned' in reported speech?

Question 4 options
'Warned' is used when the speaker told someone about a possible danger or bad result in order to protect them. It expresses a cautionary message directed at another person, which is its specific communicative function in reported speech.
Q5 15

Question 5: Arrange the words to make a correct sentence:

Question 5 options
  • to take
  • advised
  • me
  • She
  • an umbrella

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'She advised me to take an umbrella' because 'advise' follows the pattern verb + indirect object + to + infinitive.
Q6 15

Question 6: Which sentence uses a reporting verb correctly?

Question 6 options
'He denied stealing the money' is correct because 'deny' follows the verb + -ing form pattern. The other options all contain errors: 'deny' cannot be followed by 'to steal', 'denied to stealing' adds an incorrect 'to', and 'denied steal' is missing the -ing ending.
Q7 15

Question 7: Customer: 'I waited for 30 minutes and nobody helped me!' — Later, the manager says the customer ___ that no one had helped him.

Question 7 options
'Complained' is correct because it is used to report that someone expressed dissatisfaction or annoyance about a situation. 'Promised' and 'offered' do not match the negative, frustrated tone of the customer's words, and 'boasted' implies pride rather than dissatisfaction.
Q8 15

Question 8: Which sentence correctly uses 'suggest' compared to 'advise'?

Question 8 options
'She suggested going to the theatre' is correct because 'suggest' is followed by the -ing form (or a that-clause), not by an indirect object + infinitive. 'Advise', by contrast, takes an indirect object + to + infinitive.
Q9 15

Question 9: Put the words in the correct order:

Question 9 options
  • promised
  • He
  • to call
  • the next day
  • her

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'He promised to call her the next day' because 'promise' follows the verb + to + infinitive pattern, and the time phrase 'the next day' comes at the end.
Q10 15

Question 10: My father ___ me to drive more carefully on the motorway.

Question 10 options
'Urged' is correct because it follows the verb + indirect object + to + infinitive pattern and expresses strong encouragement or pressure. 'Apologized', 'admitted', and 'denied' are not used with this structural pattern.
Q11 15

Question 11: Look at this sentence: 'He apologized for arriving late to the interview.' Which statement about this reporting verb structure is true?

Question 11 options
'Apologize for' is followed by the -ing form (a gerund), not a to-infinitive. This is why 'apologized for arriving' is correct. The preposition 'for' determines that the gerund form must follow.
Q12 15

Question 12: Direct speech: 'You should take a warmer jacket,' he said to her. → Reported speech: He advised her ___ a warmer jacket.

Question 12 options
'To take' is correct because 'advise' follows the verb + indirect object + to + infinitive pattern. 'Taking', 'that took', and 'for taking' do not match this required structure.
Q13 15

Question 13: Match each reported speech sentence to the correct grammar pattern used by the introductory verb.

Question 13 options
She promised that she would return the book.
He refused to sign the contract.
They warned us not to enter the building.
He admitted taking the wrong file.
Verb + indirect object + to-infinitive
Verb + -ing form
Verb + that-clause
Verb + to-infinitive

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Different introductory verbs require different grammatical patterns: verb + that-clause, verb + to-infinitive, verb + indirect object + to-infinitive, or verb + -ing form.
Q14 15

Question 14: The reporting verb 'suggest' can be followed by both a that-clause and an -ing form. For example, both 'She suggested that we leave early' and 'She suggested leaving early' are grammatically correct.

Question 14 options
True because 'suggest' is one of the few reporting verbs that can follow two different patterns: verb + that-clause and verb + -ing form. Both structures are standard and acceptable in English.
Q15 15

Question 15: Which sentence most precisely reports that someone felt proud and spoke about their own success?

Question 15 options
'He boasted that he had won every match that season' is most precise because 'boast' specifically conveys excessive pride and self-promotion. 'Claimed' is more neutral and implies uncertainty, 'admitted' implies reluctance, and 'remarked' is neutral without any emotional tone.