5 exercises — reporting verbs, tense backshift, and indirect speech in tickets, code reviews, post-mortems and design documents.
Tense backshift in reporting clauses
says → said: "The spec says X." → "The spec stated that X." (when the reporting verb is past)
will → would: "It will cache…" → "It would cache…" (in reported context)
No backshift: when the fact is still true: "The API contract specifies that…"
Hedge preservation: "I think…" → "suggested that…might" (preserve uncertainty)
0 / 15 completed
1 / 15
A Jira ticket comment reads: "The client says the export doesn't work." Which reporting clause is most appropriate for technical documentation?
Reporting clauses in technical tickets use formal reporting verbs and precise technical language.
Key changes in the correct answer: ① "says" → "reports that" — formal reporting verb appropriate for documentation ② "doesn't work" → "fails to generate the expected output file" — precise technical description
Reporting verbs by register:
Informal
Formal / Technical
Use when
says
reports, states
conveying a fact or observation
asks
requests, enquires
conveying a request
thinks
suggests, proposes
conveying an opinion/hypothesis
told us
confirmed, indicated, noted
conveying information received
Option A (direct speech) is unsuitable for ticket documentation — it's not a transcript. Option C ("told us… we need to fix it") introduces interpretation not stated by the client. Option D "per the client" is acceptable shorthand in Slack but too informal for a ticket description.
2 / 15
A specification document originally says: "We will cache responses for 5 minutes." A ticket three months later needs to report this. Which uses correct tense backshift?
Tense backshift in reporting clauses: present → past, will → would, can → could.
When the reporting verb is past tense ("stated"), the reported clause also shifts back: • will → would • can → could • may → might • is/are → was/were • has been → had been
Full backshift example: Spec: "The service will retry up to 3 times." Report: "The spec stated that the service would retry up to 3 times."
Option A uses present tense verb ("says") which is grammatically acceptable but suggests the spec is still current and authoritative — if you're questioning or revising the spec, past tense is more accurate.
Option B mixes tenses incorrectly: "said" (past reporting verb) with "will cache" (no backshift).
No backshift is acceptable when reporting a universal truth or a specification that is still in force: "The documentation confirms that the endpoint accepts POST requests."
3 / 15
A code review comment refers to a PR description. Which reporting clause is correct and most professional?
"indicates that" and hedged reporting verbs are standard in technical review communication.
Breaking down the correct answer: • "The PR description" — citing the document, not the person (more objective) • "indicates that" — professional reporting verb for documented claims • "is expected to" — appropriate hedging; the 40% is a projection, not a fact • "approximately 40%" — "approximately" signals you're quoting an estimate
Reporting verbs for code review / documents: • "The spec indicates/states/specifies that…" — factual claims in documents • "The author suggests/proposes that…" — design proposals • "The PR description notes that…" — additional context • "The commit message implies that…" — inferred meaning • "The ticket description confirms that…" — pre-agreed facts
Option A ("the author says") is acceptable but less formal — it personalises the report. Option C uses "thinks… maybe" — vague and inappropriate in technical review. Option D ("tells us") is too informal for written code review.
4 / 15
An incident post-mortem written report quotes a Slack message that originally said: "I think the timeout is too low." Which is the best indirect report?
Transform direct speech with "think" → indirect speech with modal reporting verb "might/may".
The original message expresses an opinion/hypothesis: "I think…" This maps to: • "suggested that" — reporting verb for hypothesis • "might be set too low" — "might" preserves the tentative nature of "I think"
Hedging in indirect speech is critical for accuracy: if someone said "I think", your report should preserve that uncertainty: • ✗ "The engineer stated that the timeout was too low." — overstates their certainty • ✓ "The engineer suggested that the timeout might be too low." — preserves hedging
Opinion → indirect speech mapping: • "I think / I believe" → "suggested that / indicated that" + "might/may" • "I'm sure" → "confirmed that" + indicative • "I suspect" → "suspected that" + might
Option A (direct quote) is valid for post-mortems but loses the benefit of paraphrase. Option C ("was saying") uses past progressive — suggests an ongoing action, not appropriate for a one-off comment. Option D ("per the engineer") is concise but overstates the claim by dropping the hedging.
5 / 15
A requirements document says: "Users need real-time price updates." A design doc written 6 months later references this. Which reporting clause is most appropriate?
No backshift when reporting a requirement that is still in force — use present tense reporting verb.
This is a critical nuance: tense backshift is optional when: ① The reported fact is still true ② The document is still authoritative ③ You want to emphasise that the requirement still applies
Compare: • "The spec stated that users needed real-time updates." — past tense, past context; subtle implication the requirement may have changed • "The spec states that users need real-time updates." — present tense; requirement is still current and binding ✓
Present tense reporting verbs for living documents: • "The ADR states that…" (Architecture Decision Record) • "The RFC proposes that…" • "The API contract specifies that…" • "The README note indicates that…" • "The CONTRIBUTING guide requires that…"
Option A is redundant: "requires that users need" — "require" and "need" mean the same thing. Option B (past tense) is grammatically correct but subtly implies the requirement may no longer apply. Option D mixes tenses incorrectly: "said" (past) + "will need" (future) — the future tense doesn't backshift here correctly.
6 / 15
Alex from QA just posted this comment on your code review: "The API returns a 500 error when called with the new input data.". Which reporting clause best captures the issue's impact and urgency for the development team?
This question tests understanding of reporting urgency. 'Unacceptable' clearly indicates the severity and demands immediate attention, mirroring the implied pressure from QA. The other options focus on less critical aspects – simply *insufficient*, needing *investigation*, or a potential rollback – which don't reflect the reported error code.
7 / 15
You're drafting a PR description for a change that improves database query performance. The original design document stated: 'The system will automatically scale up to handle increased load.' Rewrite this sentence using a reporting clause to accurately reflect the *current* behavior.
This assesses backshifting in the past tense. 'The system is no longer automatic' correctly reports what *currently* happens. Options B and C are simply restatements of the original statement, while option D introduces an incorrect element (manual configuration) that wasn't present in the initial design.
8 / 15
Ben, a senior developer, posted this message in Slack: "We should implement rate limiting to prevent abuse." You need to update the team's knowledge base with Ben's suggestion. Which of the following reporting clauses is most suitable for this context?
This question targets indirect reporting in a Slack conversation. 'Rate limiting was suggested' is the most appropriate way to convey Ben's proposal without stating it as a definitive action. Options A and B imply completion or recommendation, while option C suggests an immediate requirement which isn't necessarily the case.
9 / 15
A technical specification document reads: 'The service will respond with a JSON payload containing the user's data.' A developer, Chloe, is creating an API client and needs to report this information. Which reporting clause best describes the expected response?
This focuses on precise reporting of API details. 'A JSON payload contains the user's data' accurately describes the structure and content of the response, avoiding ambiguity. The other options are either too general or rephrase the original statement in a less direct way.
10 / 15
A project manager's update states: 'The team is working on optimizing the data pipeline for improved throughput.' You are writing a summary of this update for the stakeholders. Which reporting clause best reflects the ongoing effort?
This tests understanding of continuous action in the past tense. 'Throughput optimization is underway' accurately describes the *current* state of work. Options B and C are simply restatements, while option D incorrectly claims completion – a key element of accurate reporting.
11 / 15
Alex from QA just posted this comment on your code review: "The API returns a 500 error when called with the new input data.". Which reporting clause best captures the issue's impact and urgency for the development team?
This question tests understanding of reporting urgency. 'Unacceptable' clearly indicates the severity and demands immediate attention, mirroring the implied pressure from QA. The other options focus on less critical aspects – simply *insufficient*, needing *investigation*, or a potential rollback – which don't reflect the reported error code.
12 / 15
You're drafting a PR description for a change that improves database query performance. The original design document stated: 'The system will automatically scale up to handle increased load.' Rewrite this sentence using a reporting clause to accurately reflect the *current* behavior.
This assesses backshifting in the past tense. 'The system is no longer automatic' correctly reports what *currently* happens. Options B and C are simply restatements of the original statement, while option D introduces an incorrect element (manual configuration) that wasn't present in the initial design.
13 / 15
Ben, a senior developer, posted this message in Slack: "We should implement rate limiting to prevent abuse." You need to update the team's knowledge base with Ben's suggestion. Which of the following reporting clauses is most suitable for this context?
This question targets indirect reporting in a Slack conversation. 'Rate limiting was suggested' is the most appropriate way to convey Ben's proposal without stating it as a definitive action. Options A and B imply completion or recommendation, while option C suggests an immediate requirement which isn't necessarily the case.
14 / 15
A technical specification document reads: 'The service will respond with a JSON payload containing the user's data.' A developer, Chloe, is creating an API client and needs to report this information. Which reporting clause best describes the expected response?
This focuses on precise reporting of API details. 'A JSON payload contains the user's data' accurately describes the structure and content of the response, avoiding ambiguity. The other options are either too general or rephrase the original statement in a less direct way.
15 / 15
A project manager's update states: 'The team is working on optimizing the data pipeline for improved throughput.' You are writing a summary of this update for the stakeholders. Which reporting clause best reflects the ongoing effort?
This tests understanding of continuous action in the past tense. 'Throughput optimization is underway' accurately describes the *current* state of work. Options B and C are simply restatements, while option D incorrectly claims completion – a key element of accurate reporting.
What will I practise in "Reporting Clauses in Technical Communication — Grammar Exercise"?
Practice reporting clauses for Jira tickets, code reviews, post-mortems, and design documents.
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.
Is this exercise free to use?
Yes. Every exercise on CoderSlingo, including this one, is free to use with no account, sign-up, or paywall.
Do I need to create an account to do these exercises?
No account is required. Just click an option to answer — your score for this session is tracked automatically in the progress bar above.
What happens if I choose the wrong answer?
You'll immediately see which answer was correct, plus a full explanation covering the grammar rule and reasoning behind it — mistakes are where most of the learning happens.
Can I retry the exercises if I want a higher score?
Yes — use the "Try again" button on the results screen to reset and go through all the questions again.
Is my progress saved if I close the page?
No. Progress is tracked only for your current visit; reloading or leaving the page resets the counter. This keeps the exercise simple and account-free.
Where can I find more Grammar exercises?
Browse the full Grammar hub for related drills, or check the "Next up" link below to continue with a connected topic.
How is this different from reading an article on the same topic?
Articles explain grammar rules in prose; this exercise tests and reinforces those rules through active recall with immediate feedback — the two work best together.
Who writes these exercises?
Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.