B1 · 中级 章节 2

转述高手：如何地道地复述提问与指令

4 总规则
46 例句
5 分钟
本章规则 快速练习

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.

你将学到什么

想变身社交达人吗？想象一下：朋友好奇地问你“昨天的聚会上，老板到底问了你什么？”或者同事焦急地确认“医生刚才嘱咐了什么？”这时候，只会复述原话可不够，你需要掌握“转述”的艺术！ 在本章中，我们将一起攻克四大核心技能。你会学会用 asked if 或 whether 来转述那些“是不是”的问题；还会掌握如何利用 what、where、why 等 Wh- 词顺滑地复述各类疑问。不仅如此，我们还会聊聊如何转述指令，无论是正面的“去做某事”，还是用 not to 表达的“不要做某事”，你都能精准传达。 重点在于：我们会带你玩转“时态后移”（backshift）的小魔法，并理清语序的变化，让你的复述听起来既专业又自然。学完这一章，你将告别生硬的机械模仿，在职场汇报或日常聊天中都能游刃有余。不管是传达老板的指示，还是分享朋友的趣闻，你都能自信开口，精准传递每一个关键点！

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.

章节指南

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.

关键例句 (6)

1

She asked `what I wanted` for dinner.

她问我晚饭想吃什么。

转述疑问句：使用特殊疑问词（什么、哪里、为什么）
2

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

他想知道最近的咖啡馆在哪儿。

转述疑问句：使用特殊疑问词（什么、哪里、为什么）
3

My friend told me to send the funny meme.

我朋友让我把那个搞笑的表情包发给他。

转述命令：告诉某人做什么
4

The instructor asked us to pair up for the exercise.

教练让我们两人一组进行练习。

转述命令：告诉某人做什么
5

She told me not to open the package yet.

她告诉我先别拆那个包裹。

间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）
6

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

他要求我们在考试期间不要发出任何噪音。

间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）

技巧与窍门 (4)

💡

掌握时态倒退 (Backshift)

转述过去发生的问题时，动词时态要向过去推一格。现在时变过去时，will 变 would：
He asked if I would help.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述是非疑问句: '问是否...'
💡

练习“反转”语序

Wh- 词后面要立刻接“主语+动词”。试着大声说：
She asked what I wanted
，而不是 what wanted I。这样能帮你固定语序。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述疑问句：使用特殊疑问词（什么、哪里、为什么）
💡

选对动词很重要

动词决定了语气。'Asked' 比较礼貌，'told' 比较直接，而 'ordered' 语气最强。
She asked me to help her.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述命令：告诉某人做什么
💡

选对动词，语气更到位

转述动词能体现细微差别。用 asked 表示礼貌请求，warned 表示警告，ordered 表示严厉命令。比如：
He warned me not to touch it.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）

核心词汇 (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

常见错误

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.
正确: 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.
正确: 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.
正确: 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: 解锁人生对话：聊聊你经历过的那些事

快速练习 (9)

选择正确的形式完成间接命令句。

My mom told me ___ my room before dinner.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: to clean
间接命令句在对象后使用 'to' + 动词原形。'To clean' 是正确的不定式形式。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述命令：告诉某人做什么

选择正确的动词形式完成间接引语。

My mom asked if I ___ finished my homework.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: had
直接引语是 Have you finished?（现在完成时），转述时要变成过去完成时 had finished。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述是非疑问句: '问是否...'

哪句话正确转述了命令 'Don't interrupt!'？

选择正确的句子：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked him not to interrupt.
对于否定命令，我们将 'not' 放在 'to' + 动词原形之前。'Not to interrupt' 是正确结构。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述命令：告诉某人做什么

选择正确的形式完成转述命令。

The coach warned the players _____ late for practice.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: not to be
在否定转述命令中，我们总是使用 'not to' 后面接动词原形。'Don't be' 和 'didn't be' 在间接引语中是错误的。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）

哪一个句子在语法上是正确的？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She asked if I needed help.
转述疑问句用 if，且语序为陈述句语序，不能加 did。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述是非疑问句: '问是否...'

哪句话正确地转述了否定命令？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He advised them not to waste time.
否定转述命令的正确形式是 'not to' + 动词原形。使用 'don't' 或 'didn't' 的选项都是错误的。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）

找出并修正间接引语中的错误。

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.
间接引语要用陈述句语序（主语+动词），所以是 I was 而不是 was I。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述是非疑问句: '问是否...'

找出并修正间接命令句中的错误。

Find and fix the mistake:

The teacher told studying harder.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The teacher told us to study harder.
这里有两个错误！told 后面需要对象（告诉了谁？），且 to 后的动词必须是原形。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 转述命令：告诉某人做什么

找出并修正转述命令中的错误。

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.
否定转述命令的正确结构是“转述动词 + 对象 + not to + 动词原形”。'Don't' 只用于直接命令。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 间接否定命令句：不去做……（间接引语）

Score: /9

常见问题 (6)

就是当你转述一个只能回答“是”或“不是”的问题时。比如把 Are you hungry? 变成
He asked if I was hungry.
大多数时候两者通用。Whether 听起来更正式，或者在有明确选项时更好，比如：
She asked whether I wanted coffee or tea.
简单来说，就是用间接的方式告诉别人，之前的那个以 Wh- 开头的问题是什么。比如，
He asked what I wanted
就是在转述“你想要什么？”这个直接提问。
因为转述句能让你的表达更流畅，听起来更自然，也更礼貌。它是在传达信息，而不是生硬地复述原话。
间接命令就是当你告诉别人，另一个人让你做什么，而不用原话。比如不说 'He said, Clean!'，而说 He told me to clean.
通常结构是：主语 + 转述动词（如 told, asked）+ 对象（谁收到的命令）+ to + 动词原形。例如：She asked him to open the door.
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