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B1 — Reporting Questions and Requests

B1 · Intermediate Chapter 2

Reporting Questions and Requests

Q: What is the difference between 'if' and 'whether'?

In most cases, they are interchangeable. However, `whether` is more formal and is preferred when there are two specific alternatives (e.g., 'whether you stay or go').

Q: Can I use 'that' before 'where' or 'why'?

No. In English, we never use `that` and a Wh- word together in reported speech. The Wh- word is the only connector you need.

Q: Can I use 'say' to report a command?

No, you cannot use `say` with an object and an infinitive. You must use `tell` or `ask`. For example, 'He told me to go' is correct, but 'He said me to go' is wrong.

Q: Is 'to not' or 'not to' better?

In formal writing, `not to` is the standard (e.g., 'He told me not to go'). In casual conversation, you will often hear `to not`, but `not to` is always safer and more correct.

4 Total Rules

46 examples

5 min

Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of relaying questions and instructions with precision and confidence.

Convert direct questions into reported 'if' or 'wh-' structures.
Transform commands and requests into reported speech using infinitives.
Apply negative constraints correctly when passing on instructions.

Become the master of the message.

What You'll Learn

Get ready to confidently share exactly what was said! This chapter empowers you to accurately report questions, whether they started with 'why' or needed a simple 'yes/no,' and even what commands you heard. You'll be a conversation expert!

Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'
Report yes/no questions with 'asked if/whether' + subject + verb (backshifted!) for smooth storytelling.
Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)
Master reported Wh-questions to sound natural when sharing what others asked.
Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do
Master reported commands to smoothly share instructions without direct quotes.
Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)
Master not to for clear, natural reported negative commands; precision in reporting verbs matters!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

1
By the end you will be able to: relay yes/no questions accurately using 'if'.
2
By the end you will be able to: report commands and negative instructions using infinitive structures.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Imagine effortlessly sharing an interesting conversation you had, relaying a friend's question, or explaining an instruction you received. That's exactly what you'll master in this chapter on English reporting questions and requests! As a B1 English learner, you're already navigating many situations, and this skill will significantly boost your ability to communicate indirectly and naturally. It's about confidently conveying information without quoting someone word-for-word every time.

We're going to explore how to transform direct questions and commands into smooth, flowing reported speech. You'll learn the essential techniques for reported Yes/No questions using phrases like "asked if," how to handle wh-questions like "what" or "where" by carefully changing word order and tense, and even how to report clear instructions with reported commands using "told/asked + someone + to + verb." We'll also cover how to report negative instructions, like when someone tells you "Don't do that!" Get ready to become a conversation expert and connect your ideas more seamlessly!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, reported speech is about turning someone else's direct words into your own sentence, often after some time has passed. This usually means making a few key changes to the verb tense and word order. Let's break down the rules for B1 English grammar:

When reporting Yes/No questions, the key is to use a reporting verb like "asked" followed by if or whether (they're often interchangeable) and then convert the question into a statement. The verb tense typically shifts one step back into the past. For instance, "Are you busy?" becomes "She asked if I was busy." Notice how "are" (present) becomes "was" (past) and the subject-verb order flips from a question to a statement.

For wh-questions (what, where, why, when, how), we use the wh-word itself as the connector, but again, the question structure transforms into a statement, and the tense shifts. "Where do you live?" becomes "He asked where I lived." The auxiliary "do" disappears, and "live" (present) becomes "lived" (past). The word order is crucial: wh-word + subject + verb.

Reporting commands is simpler and very common. We use a reporting verb like "told" or "asked," followed by the person who received the command, and then to + base verb. "Clean your room!" becomes "Mom told me to clean my room." If the command is negative, like "Don't touch that!", we simply add "not" before "to + verb": "He asked us not to touch that." These structures let you recount instructions clearly and naturally.

Common Mistakes

1Forgetting to shift tense or word order in questions.

✗ She asked where do I live.

✓ She asked where I lived.

*Explanation: After the reporting verb, the reported question becomes a statement with past tense and statement word order (subject-verb).*

1Using a question mark or question word order in reported questions.

✗ He asked if was I going?

✓ He asked if I was going.

*Explanation: Reported questions are statements, so they end with a period and follow statement word order, even with 'if' or 'whether'.*

1Mixing up 'tell' and 'say' for commands, or omitting 'to'.

✗ He said me clean my room.

✓ He told me to clean my room.

*Explanation: Use 'told' or 'asked' followed by an object (the person receiving the command) and then 'to + verb' for reported commands.*

Real Conversations

"Did Sarah say she'd be here on time?"

"I asked her if she would be here on time, and she said yes!"

"I wonder what time the movie starts."

"The receptionist told me what time the movie started when I called. It's at 7 PM."

"The teacher kept saying, 'Don't forget your homework!'"

"Yes, she often reminds us. She told us not to forget our homework earlier."

Quick FAQ

Do I always have to change the tense when reporting questions or commands?

Generally, yes, especially when the reporting verb (e.g., "asked," "told") is in the past tense. This is called backshift. However, if the reported information is still true or very recent, you might sometimes keep the present tense, though it's safer for B1 learners to practice backshift.

Can I use 'whether' instead of 'if' for reported Yes/No questions?

Absolutely! Both if and whether are correct and often interchangeable when reporting Yes/No questions. "He asked if I liked coffee" is the same as "He asked whether I liked coffee."

What's the main difference between "tell" and "ask" when reporting commands?

You use told when relaying an instruction or order, and asked when relaying a request. For example, "The boss told me to finish the report" implies an instruction, while "My friend asked me to help him move" implies a polite request.

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use reported speech constantly in daily conversation to summarize, relay information, and avoid repeating exact words. While the grammatical rules are fairly consistent, the choice of reporting verb can convey nuance. For instance, "He advised me to..." is softer than "He told me to...". In more informal settings, people might sometimes skip strict backshifting if the information is very current, but sticking to the rules is best for clarity and B1 fluency. There are no significant regional differences in the core structure of reported questions and commands.

Key Examples (8)

My friend asked if I was going to the party tonight.

Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'

The interviewer inquired whether I had previous experience in marketing.

Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'

She asked `what I wanted` for dinner.

Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

He wanted to know `where the nearest coffee shop was`.

Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

My friend told me to send the funny meme.

Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

The instructor asked us to pair up for the exercise.

Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

She told me not to open the package yet.

Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)

He asked us not to make any noise during the exam.

Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

The 'Whether' Trick

If you aren't sure if you should use 'if', try replacing it with 'whether'. If it still makes sense, it's a reported question!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'

💡

The 'Do' Eraser

Always imagine a giant eraser rubbing out 'do', 'does', and 'did' the moment you start reporting a question.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

💡

The 'Tell' Rule

Always remember: Tell + Person + To. If you don't have a person, you can't use 'tell'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

💡

The 'Tell' Rule

Always remember that 'tell' needs a person. You can't just say 'He told not to go.' You must say 'He told ME not to go.'

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)

Key Vocabulary (5)

Reported relayed speech Infinitive to + verb base Command an order Inquire to ask Instruction a direction

Real-World Preview

briefcase

The Office Assistant

Review Summary

Asked + if + subject + verb
Asked + wh-word + subject + verb
Told/Ordered + someone + to + verb
Told + someone + NOT + to + verb

Common Mistakes

In reported questions, do not use the auxiliary 'did'. The word order must be statement order, not question order.

Wrong: He asked me did I like it.

Correct: He asked me if I liked it.

The 'not' must come before the 'to'. Placing it after is a common syntax error.

Wrong: She told me to not go.

Correct: She told me not to go.

We use 'told' with an object (me, him, her), but 'said' is not followed by an object in this structure.

Wrong: He said me to leave.

Correct: He told me to leave.

Rules in This Chapter (4)

Next Steps

You have mastered a very difficult area of English grammar. Keep practicing in your daily conversations!

Rewrite a local news story using reported speech

Continue to: Talking About Life Experiences

Quick Practice (10)

Choose the correct reported version of: 'Where is the station?'

He asked...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: where the station was.

We need Subject (the station) + Verb (was) order.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

Find the mistake.

Find and fix the mistake:

The teacher asked that we to be quiet.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: that

We do not use 'that' in reported commands; it should be 'The teacher asked us to be quiet'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

Complete the sentence: 'What did you buy?' -> She asked what I ___.

She asked what I ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bought

Past simple 'did buy' shifts to past simple 'bought' (or past perfect 'had bought' is also acceptable).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

Correct the mistake: 'He asked why was I crying.'

Find and fix the mistake:

He asked why was I crying.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He asked why I was crying.

The subject 'I' must come before the verb 'was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)

Choose the correct sentence.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me to go.

'Tell' needs an object and a 'to-infinitive'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

Complete the reported command.

Direct: 'Don't touch the stove!' -> He told me ___ touch the stove.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: not to

Negative reported commands use 'not to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Commands: Telling someone what to do

Find the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

He told me don't touch his phone.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He told me not to touch

We must replace 'don't' with 'not to'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)

Fill in the blank with the correct word order and tense.

Direct: 'Do you like coffee?' -> He asked if I ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: liked coffee

Remove 'do' and change 'like' to 'liked'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'

Correct the error in this sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

She asked if could I help her.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked if I could help her.

The subject 'I' must come before the modal 'could'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Reported Yes/No Questions: 'Asked if...'

Complete the sentence using the correct form of the verb in brackets.

The teacher told the students ___ (not/talk) during the exam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: not to talk

The standard structure is 'not to' + base verb.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Negative Reported Commands: Not to... (Reported Speech)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

In most cases, they are interchangeable. However, whether is more formal and is preferred when there are two specific alternatives (e.g., 'whether you stay or go').

Not always. If the information is still true right now, you can keep the present tense (e.g., 'He asked if I like pizza' is okay if I still like it), but backshifting is always safer and more common in exams.

Because a reported question is actually a statement *about* a question. It's a noun clause, not an interrogative sentence.

No. In English, we never use that and a Wh- word together in reported speech. The Wh- word is the only connector you need.

No, you cannot use say with an object and an infinitive. You must use tell or ask. For example, 'He told me to go' is correct, but 'He said me to go' is wrong.

In formal writing, not to is the standard (e.g., 'He told me not to go'). In casual conversation, you will often hear to not, but not to is always safer and more correct.