The girl said, "I can't speak any foreign languages."

• The girl said she couldn't speak any foreign languages.

"Will you give me a hand tonight?" said the girl to the boy.

• The girl asked the boy whether he would give her a hand tonight.

The man asked, "How often do you travel abroad this year?"

• The man wanted to know how often I traveled abroad that year.

My father cut down trees before the storm to prevent damage.

• Trees were cut down by my father before the storm to prevent damage.