B1 · Intermediário Capítulo 2

Reporting Questions and Requests

4 Regras totais
46 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

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.

O que você vai aprender

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!

Learning Objectives

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

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

Guia do capítulo

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

  1. 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).*
  1. 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'.*
  1. 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

A

A

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

B

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

A

I wonder what time the movie starts.
B

B

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

A

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

B

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

Quick FAQ

Q

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.

Q

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.

Q

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.

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

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

Meu amigo perguntou se eu ia à festa hoje à noite.

Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'
2

The interviewer inquired whether I had previous experience in marketing.

O entrevistador perguntou se eu tinha experiência anterior em marketing.

Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'
3

She asked `what I wanted` for dinner.

Ela perguntou o que eu queria para o jantar.

Perguntas Reportadas: Usando Palavras Wh- (o quê, onde, por que)
4

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

Ele queria saber onde ficava a cafeteria mais próxima.

Perguntas Reportadas: Usando Palavras Wh- (o quê, onde, por que)
5

My friend told me to send the funny meme.

Meu amigo me disse para enviar o meme engraçado.

Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer
6

The instructor asked us to pair up for the exercise.

O instrutor nos pediu para fazer duplas para o exercício.

Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer
7

She told me not to open the package yet.

Ela me disse para não abrir o pacote ainda.

Comandos Negativos Reportados: 'para não...' (Discurso Indireto)
8

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

Ele nos pediu para não fazer barulho durante o exame.

Comandos Negativos Reportados: 'para não...' (Discurso Indireto)

Dicas e truques (4)

💡

Domine o 'Backshift' do Tempo Verbal

Lembre-se de sempre 'voltar um passo no tempo' o verbo quando estiver contando uma pergunta. Por exemplo, o 'Present Simple vira Past Simple', 'Past Simple vira Past Perfect', 'will vira would' e 'can vira could'. Isso é essencial para soar natural! "Remember to move the verb tense one step back in time when reporting questions. Present Simple becomes Past Simple, Past Simple becomes Past Perfect, 'will' becomes 'would', and 'can' becomes 'could'. This is crucial for sounding natural."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'
💡

Pratique o 'Des-Inverter'

Depois da palavra Wh-, pense imediatamente em 'sujeito-verbo'. Fale em voz alta: 'She asked what I wanted,' e não 'what wanted I.' Essa prática ajuda a fixar a ordem correta.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas: Usando Palavras Wh- (o quê, onde, por que)
💡

Escolha seu verbo com sabedoria

O verbo de relato (tell, ask, order, advise) define o tom. 'Asked' geralmente é mais educado que 'told', enquanto 'ordered' é muito mais forte. Escolha o que combina com a intenção original. Exemplo:
The teacher asked us to be quiet, not told us.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer
💡

Escolha o Verbo Certo

Olha só, o verbo que você usa para 'reportar' a ordem muda tudo! Escolha 'asked' para pedidos gentis, 'warned' para alertas, 'ordered' para ordens mesmo, e 'advised' para conselhos. Assim, você dá o tom certo à sua mensagem!
She asked him not to forget her birthday.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Negativos Reportados: 'para não...' (Discurso Indireto)

Vocabulário-chave (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

Erros comuns

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.
Correto: 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.
Correto: 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.
Correto: He told me to leave.

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

Prática rápida (10)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a pergunta reportada.

My mom asked if I ___ finished my homework.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: had
A pergunta direta 'Have you finished?' usa Present Perfect. Quando reportada com um verbo de relato no passado ('asked'), ela volta para o Past Perfect, então 'had finished' está correto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'

Qual frase relata corretamente o comando 'Don't interrupt!'?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked him not to interrupt.
Para comandos relatados negativos, colocamos 'not' antes de 'to' + a forma base do verbo. 'Not to interrupt' é a estrutura correta.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer

Encontre e corrija o erro na pergunta reportada.

Find and fix the mistake:

He wondered why was she late?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He wondered why she was late.
Em perguntas reportadas, a ordem das palavras depois da palavra Wh- deve ser sujeito + verbo (ordem de afirmação), não invertida como em uma pergunta direta.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas: Usando Palavras Wh- (o quê, onde, por que)

Encontre e corrija o erro no comando relatado.

Find and fix the mistake:

The teacher told studying harder.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The teacher told us to study harder.
Dois erros aqui! Você precisa de um objeto depois de 'told' (quem foi avisado?), e o verbo depois de 'to' deve estar em sua forma base ('study', não 'studying').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer

Encontre e corrija o erro na pergunta reportada.

Find and fix the mistake:

He asked if was I ready for the presentation.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He asked if I was ready for the presentation.
Perguntas reportadas exigem a ordem das palavras de uma afirmação (sujeito + verbo), não de uma pergunta. 'I was' está correto, não 'was I'. Além disso, o tempo verbal volta de 'am' (implícito na pergunta direta) para 'was'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'

Escolha a forma correta para completar o comando relatado.

My mom told me ___ my room before dinner.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to clean
Comandos relatados usam 'to' + a forma base do verbo depois do objeto. 'To clean' é a forma infinitiva correta aqui.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Reportados: Dizer a alguém o que fazer

Escolha a forma correta para completar a pergunta reportada.

The teacher asked `what the answer ___` .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: was
Como o verbo que reporta asked está no passado, o verbo na pergunta reportada também muda para o passado (was).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas: Usando Palavras Wh- (o quê, onde, por que)

Qual pergunta reportada está gramaticalmente correta?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked if I needed help.
Para perguntas de sim/não reportadas, usamos 'if' ou 'whether', não 'that'. Além disso, a ordem das palavras deve ser sujeito-verbo, não ordem de pergunta. 'Did I need help' é uma estrutura incorreta para discurso reportado.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Perguntas Reportadas de Sim/Não: 'Perguntou se...'

Qual frase reporta corretamente o comando negativo?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He advised them not to waste time.
A forma correta para comandos negativos reportados é 'not to' + verbo base. Opções usando 'don't' ou 'didn't' estão incorretas.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Negativos Reportados: 'para não...' (Discurso Indireto)

Encontre e corrija o erro no comando reportado.

Find and fix the mistake:

My sister told me don't touch her diary.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: My sister told me not to touch her diary.
A estrutura correta para comandos negativos reportados é 'verbo de reporte + objeto + not to + verbo base'. 'Don't' é usado apenas em comandos diretos.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Comandos Negativos Reportados: 'para não...' (Discurso Indireto)

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

É quando você conta para alguém qual foi a pergunta de 'sim/não' que foi feita. Em vez de citar diretamente como Are you hungry?, você a transforma em uma afirmação, tipo
He asked if I was hungry.
.
Ambos 'if' e 'whether' geralmente servem para perguntas de 'sim/não' reportadas. 'Whether' pode soar um pouco mais formal, ou pode ser usado quando há uma 'escolha clara', como em
She asked whether I wanted coffee or tea.
.
São formas indiretas de contar a alguém sobre uma pergunta direta que começou com uma palavra Wh- (what, where, why, etc.). Por exemplo,
He asked what I wanted
reporta a pergunta direta
What do you want?
.
As usamos para integrar uma pergunta suavemente em uma afirmação, fazendo nossa fala soar mais natural e, muitas vezes, mais educada. É sobre transmitir informação em vez de perguntar diretamente.
Um comando relatado é quando você conta a alguém o que outra pessoa mandou ou pediu para você fazer, sem usar as palavras exatas dela. Por exemplo, em vez de 'Ele disse, Limpe seu quarto!', você diz: 'He told me to clean my room.'
Você geralmente usa: Sujeito + Verbo de Relato (por exemplo, 'told', 'asked') + Objeto (quem recebeu o comando) + to + Forma Base do Verbo. Por exemplo: 'She asked him to open the door.'
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