Integrated Grammar Solved Exercises: Reported Speech

Q1: Given below are instructions for opening a bank account. Use these to complete the paragraph that follows.

• obtain form from the bank
• fill in the form with all the relevant details
• ask an account-holder to countersign your form
• submit two passport-size photographs
• deposit the minimum amount required

First a form must be (a) __ . All relevant details (b) __. The form must then (c) __. Two passportsize photographs along with proof of residence (d) __. Finally the minimum amount required (e) __. 

Answer:

Ans: First, a form must be obtained from the bank. All relevant details (b) should be filled in the form. The form must then (c) be countersigned by an account-holder. Two passport-size photographs along with proof of residence (d) should be submitted. Finally, the minimum amount required (e) must be deposited.

Q2: Given below are a few news headlines. Using information from the same, complete the sentences that follow.

1. India Allows Airspace to Pak 
In the first public move to diffuse tension between the two countries, India ________ through Indian airspace.
Ans. In the first public move to diffuse tension between the two countries, India _has allowed Pak planes to fly_  through Indian airspace.

2. Research Work at AIIMS Stalled for Want of Animals 
More than 50 research projects at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences _______ to conduct experiments on.  
Ans. More than 50 research projects at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences _have been stalled owing to non-availability of animals_ to conduct experiments on.

3. After making Toilets, MCD Looks for Users 
About 250 toilet complexes constructed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi with Japanese aid have turned into liabilities as apparently  ____________ 
Ans. About 250 toilet complexes constructed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi with Japanese aid have turned into liabilities as apparently there are no users for them.

4. Selling Kidneys to make a Living 
Starving Tribals of Idduki district _________ to make a living.  
Ans. Starving Tribals of Idduki district _are selling kidneys / are forced to sell kidneys_ to make a living.

5. Kidneys Donated without Medical Inspection 
Most of the kidney donation procedures  ______________ the required medical examination in Indian hospitals.
Ans. Most of the kidney donation procedures are performed without the required medical examination in Indian hospitals.

Q3: The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the lines. Write the incorrect word and the correction in the space provided.

Answer:

Q4: Complete the following paragraph on one of the earlier voyages of Columbus by choosing the correct options.
Christopher Columbus , (a) ______________________________ born in 1451 AD. Unlike the people of his time, (b) ______________________________. In order to prove his belief he said (c) ______________________________, he could reach Japan. Queen Isabella of Spain supported him. Columbus sailed west (d)______________________________three ships. Unfortunately, one of the ships was wrecked. Columbus returned to Spain (e) ______ ________________________ to form a colony.

Answer:
(a) (i) a skilled sailor and an explorer, was ✓
     (ii) was skilled sailor and an explorer
    (iii) being a skilled sailor and an explorer was
    (iv) a skilled sailor and an explorer is
(b) (i) but Columbus believed that the Earth was round
     (ii) Columbus had believed that the Earth was round
    (iii) but Columbus believed that the Earth is round
    (iv) Columbus believed that the Earth was round ✓
(c) (i) if he sails west from Europe
    (ii) if he is sailing west of Europe
   (iii) if he sailed west from Europe  ✓
   (iv) if he sailed west to Europe
(d) (i) with a crew of ninety men on ✓
    (ii) having a crew of ninety men in
   (iii) with a crew of ninety men having
   (iv) going with a crew of ninety men on
(e) (i) left behind forty men in the island of Hispaniola
    (ii) leaving behind forty men on the island of Hispaniola ✓
   (iii) has left forty men on the island of Hispaniola
   (iv) is leaving forty men on the island of Hispaniola 

Enhanced Answer:

Ans: (a) "a skilled sailor and an explorer, was". This is correct because the phrase describes Columbus and the past-tense verb follows naturally.
(b) "Columbus believed that the Earth was round". This simple past statement fits the narrative and matches the historical viewpoint.
(c) "if he sailed west from Europe". The past form is needed to match the reported speech and the main clause tense.
(d) "with a crew of ninety men on". This option correctly describes how he sailed and fits the sentence structure.
(e) "leaving behind forty men on the island of Hispaniola". This participial phrase correctly explains what he did before returning to Spain to form a colony.

Q5: Complete the following passage by choosing the correct options from those given below.
Electronic commerce, it seems, still has (a) __________ limits, even in the Silicon Valley. For all the feverish excitement (b) __________ the tripling of electronic shopping last holiday season, the total money (c) __________ by American consumers online still (d) __________ to only about one percent of its total sales barely a tenth (e) __________ the revenues from (f) __________ method of distance selling that has been (g) __________ for a century; the catalogue. This may be because electronic shopping (h) __________ on quite a narrow range of goods, mainly books, toys and music. Worse, there (i) _________ many stories of failed and late deliveries. And, more recently, a string of hackers' attacks (j) __________ temporarily disabled some of the best-known e-commerce websites.
Answer:
(a) (i) their
     (ii) a
     (iii) the
(iv) its ✓
(b) (i) about ✓
     (ii) of
    (iii) in
    (iv) for
(c)  (i) spend
     (ii) spending
    (iii) spent ✓
    (iv) being spent
(d) (i) amount
     (ii) amounted
    (iii) amounts ✓
    (iv) amounting
(e) (i) of ✓
    (ii) for
   (iii) by
    (iv) for
(f) (i) another ✓
    (ii) other
   (iii) some
   (iv) the other
(g) (i) user
     (ii) used
    (iii) uses
     (iv) in use ✓
(h) (i) concentrated
     (ii) is concentrating
    (iii) was concentrated
    (iv) is concentrated ✓
(i) (i) were ✓
   (ii) have been
   (iii) has been
   (iv) was
(j) (i) has
    (ii) have ✓
    (iii) having
    (iv) had 

Enhanced Answer and Brief Justification:

Ans: (a) its. The possessive its correctly refers to electronic commerce.
(b) about. The phrase "about the tripling" correctly links the excitement to that event.
(c) spent. Past participle spent fits the passive construction describing money spent by consumers.
(d) amounts. Present-tense verb amounts agrees with the subject "the total money spent".
(e) of. "A tenth of the revenues" is the correct collocation.
(f) another. "Another method" contrasts e-commerce with the catalogue.
(g) in use. "In use for a century" correctly states that the catalogue has been employed for a long time.
(h) is concentrated. The passage discusses a present, continuing limitation, not a completed past action.
(i) were. Plural "stories" takes the plural verb were.
(j) have. Recent attacks "have" temporarily disabled websites; the present perfect is appropriate for recent events with present effect.

Q6: In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined.Ans.