5 exercises — practise converting direct speech to reported speech in meeting minutes, action items, and follow-up emails: backshift, modal changes, and time expression shifts.
Reported speech quick rules
Backshift: is → was, will → would, can → could, must → had to
Time shifts: next week → the following week, today → that day
Reporting verbs matter: use promised, confirmed, assured for stronger accountability
0 / 15 completed
1 / 15
In a meeting, the CTO said: "The API is not ready for production." Which reported speech sentence correctly records this in the meeting notes?
"The CTO said that the API was not ready for production" is correct. In reported speech, when the reporting verb is past (said), the verb in the reported clause shifts back one tense — this is called backshift: is → was. Full backshift table for tech writing: is/are → was/were · has/have → had · will → would · can → could · must → had to · is going to → was going to. Option A (present tense) is acceptable only if the fact is still current and universally true — but meeting notes conventionally use backshift for consistency. Option C incorrectly changes the aspect. Option D has an awkward word order. In professional meeting notes, backshift is standard and expected.
2 / 15
At a sprint review, a developer said: "I will fix the authentication bug by Thursday." How should this be recorded in the action items?
"The developer said that he would fix the authentication bug by Thursday" is correct. Will in direct speech becomes would in reported speech (backshift). This is one of the most common reported speech patterns in meeting minutes: recording commitments and promises. Examples: "She said she would review the PR by EOD." · "He said the team would deliver the feature in the next sprint." · "They said the infrastructure would be ready by Monday." Option A keeps will — this can be used if you believe the commitment still holds and haven't much time has passed, but standard meeting note convention applies backshift. Option C uses simple present — wrong tense. Option D removes the agent (the developer) and changes the active promise into a passive — losing accountability, which defeats the purpose of action items.
3 / 15
A product manager said in a meeting: "We can integrate with the payment provider next quarter." Which reported speech version is correct?
"The PM said that they could integrate with the payment provider the following quarter" is correct. Two changes occur: ① can → could (modal backshift). ② Time expressions also shift in reported speech: next quarter → the following quarter. Common time expression shifts: now → then / at that point · today → that day · yesterday → the day before / the previous day · tomorrow → the next day / the following day · next week/month/quarter → the following week/month/quarter · last week → the previous week. Option D keeps "next quarter" unchanged — acceptable in informal notes or when the quarter is still in the future, but option C follows full reported speech convention. Option A keeps can (not backshifted). Option B shifts the modal and the time expression correctly but adds "the" before "next" without shifting to "following."
4 / 15
The security engineer said: "We must rotate all API keys immediately." Which reported speech version is most appropriate for formal meeting minutes?
"The security engineer said that all API keys had to be rotated immediately" is the most professional version for formal meeting minutes. Three things happen: ① must → had to (modal backshift — must does not have a past form, so it shifts to had to). ② The sentence moves to passive voice — standard in formal minutes to depersonalise directives. ③ immediately stays — time adverbs like immediately, soon, soon after typically do not shift in reported speech (unlike now → then). Option A keeps must — not backshifted, though sometimes acceptable when the urgency is still current. Option B keeps "we" — in third-person meeting notes, "we" would be ambiguous. Option D changes the modal to should, which softens the urgency — inappropriate for a security directive. Formal minutes prefer passive constructions for decisions and directives.
5 / 15
After a vendor call, the account manager wrote: "The vendor promised: 'We will have the SDK ready by the end of the month.'" How should this be reported in a follow-up email to the team?
"The vendor promised that they would have the SDK ready by the end of the month" is correct. Using promised as the reporting verb is stronger than said — it signals a commitment, which is important for accountability in vendor follow-ups. Key changes: will → would (backshift). "by the end of the month" stays as is when the month hasn't ended yet — no time shift needed. Using promise vs say: in follow-up emails and escalation messages, the reporting verb carries meaning. Common reporting verbs for professional correspondence: confirm (that), promise (that), assure (us that), clarify (that), indicate (that), commit (to + gerund). Option A uses will (not backshifted — only acceptable if still current). Option C uses past perfect had, implying it was already done. Option D has article and preposition errors.
6 / 15
In a Slack channel dedicated to the project, David announced: "I'm going to refactor the database connection pool using HikariCP.". What's the best way to record this message in the meeting notes for later reference?
Reported speech often uses passive constructions to avoid repeating the actor. Option 1 is the most accurate representation of David's announcement – it describes what he *stated* without explicitly naming him as the subject performing the action. Options 2, 3 and 4 misrepresent the message's focus.
7 / 15
During a sprint planning meeting, Maria said: "We'll aim to complete the user profile API endpoint by Friday.". What is the correct way to record this commitment in the sprint backlog?
Reported speech frequently uses phrases like 'commit' or 'agree' to convey an obligation or intention. Option 0 best captures Maria's statement as a formal commitment within the sprint context – it reflects her intention and the team's agreement. The other options are less precise regarding the nature of the commitment.
8 / 15
In a Slack channel dedicated to the project, David announced: "I'm going to refactor the database connection pool using HikariCP.". What's the best way to record this message in the meeting notes for later reference?
Reported speech often uses passive constructions to avoid repeating the actor. Option 1 is the most accurate representation of David's announcement – it describes what he *stated* without explicitly naming him as the subject performing the action. Options 2, 3 and 4 misrepresent the message's focus.
9 / 15
During a sprint planning meeting, Maria said: "We'll aim to complete the user profile API endpoint by Friday.". What is the correct way to record this commitment in the sprint backlog?
Reported speech frequently uses phrases like 'commit' or 'agree' to convey an obligation or intention. Option 0 best captures Maria's statement as a formal commitment within the sprint context – it reflects her intention and the team's agreement. The other options are less precise regarding the nature of the commitment.
10 / 15
In a Slack channel dedicated to the project, David announced: "I'm going to refactor the database connection pool using HikariCP.". What's the best way to record this message in the meeting notes for later reference?
Reported speech often uses passive constructions to avoid repeating the actor. Option 1 is the most accurate representation of David's announcement – it describes what he *stated* without explicitly naming him as the subject performing the action. Options 2, 3 and 4 misrepresent the message's focus.
11 / 15
During a sprint planning meeting, Maria said: "We'll aim to complete the user profile API endpoint by Friday.". What is the correct way to record this commitment in the sprint backlog?
Reported speech frequently uses phrases like 'commit' or 'agree' to convey an obligation or intention. Option 0 best captures Maria's statement as a formal commitment within the sprint context – it reflects her intention and the team's agreement. The other options are less precise regarding the nature of the commitment.
12 / 15
Sarah, the lead developer, commented on a code review: "This function is causing excessive memory allocation. We need to optimize it.". How should this statement be recorded in the formal code review notes for future reference?
Reported speech needs to accurately convey the original statement's meaning. Option 1 is incorrect because it focuses on a lack of detail, not the content itself. Options 2 and 3 are both correct, but option 2 presents Sarah's exact words, while option 3 provides a slightly more formal phrasing suitable for review notes. Option 4 rephrases excessively.
13 / 15
Mark, during a standup meeting, announced: "I'm working on implementing the new user authentication flow using OAuth 2.0.". What's the most accurate way to record this update in the project's daily notes for tracking progress?
When reporting speech from a standup, it's important to maintain a level of formality appropriate for project tracking. Option 1 is too concise and loses context. Options 2 and 4 are also slightly less formal than the precise phrasing in option 3, which accurately reflects Mark's announcement while remaining suitable for a structured update.
14 / 15
During a standup meeting, Chloe said: 'I'll be working on the API documentation this week.' How should this commitment be recorded in the project's daily notes?
This question tests the use of reported speech with 'plan' – a verb indicating intention. Option 1 accurately represents Chloe's statement using the correct tense and structure. Options B and C are unnecessarily complex or inaccurate in their phrasing. Option D is too informal for project notes.
15 / 15
During a sprint planning meeting, Sarah said: "We'll need to investigate the performance bottlenecks in the user authentication service.". Which of the following best summarizes this statement for a meeting note?
This question tests understanding of reporting direct speech. The core of Sarah's statement is a request for investigation. Option 1 misinterprets her goal, option 2 accurately reflects the speech, and options 3 & 4 are irrelevant to the reported content.
What will I practise in "Reported Speech in Meetings and Meeting Notes | Coders Lingo"?
Practise indirect speech in meeting notes, action items, and follow-up emails. 5 grammar exercises with tech and project contexts.
How many exercises are in this module?
This module has 15 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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Articles explain grammar rules in prose; this exercise tests and reinforces those rules through active recall with immediate feedback — the two work best together.
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Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.