1 REPORTING QUESTIONS

LAS PREGUNTAS EN ESTILO

-
INDIRECTO

PREGUNTAS DEL TIPO YES / NO

Estudia lo que ocurre en los siguientes ejemplos:
REPORTED " D i d you speak to John last night?" she asked.
She aslced if / whether I had spoken to John the night before.

S P E E C H II - "Are you working these days?" he enquired.

He enquired if / whether I was working those days.

EL E S T I L O 1 La pregunta se ha convertido en una frase y por tanto ya no ha inversin del

sujeto y el verbo.

I N D I R E C T O II 2 Han desaparecido las comillas y el signo de interrogacin.

3 Detrs del reporting verb hemos puesto if o whether (pueden usarse
indistintamente).
4 Tambin el tiempo verbal ha cambiado (recuerda que da un salto atrs)
cuando el verbo introductorio va en pasado.
5 Hemos cambiado los pronombres adecundolos a la situacin.
6 La expresin temporal tambin ha sufrido una modificacin.

PREGUNTAS CON PARTCULA INTERROGATIVA (WH-QUESTIONS)

Al poner en estilo indirecto este tipo de preguntas mantenemos la partcula
interrogativa (what, who, where, when, why, etc.) en lugar de poner ifo
whether.
"Who did you speak to last night?" she asked.
She asked who I had spol<en to the night before.
"Where are you working these days?" he asked.
He wondered where she was working those days.
Todos los dems cambios son idnticos a las preguntas del tipo Yes I No, pero si
la partcula interrogativa es el sujeto de la pregunta, el orden de las palabras de
la oracin se mantiene igual.
"Who told you this story?" he asked.
He asked who had told us that story.
Los verbos ms frecuentes para introducir el estilo indirecto en preguntas son:
ask enquire wonder want to know
 Choose the correct answer. Choose the correct answer.

1. He asked them how (they had spent, had they spent) their money.
2. I wanted to know whether (she was coming, was she coming) on the trip.
3. She asked me why (I flew, did I fly) to Creece every year.
4. |ill asked me (when was her test, when her test was).
5. He asked me if (I knew, did I know) French.
(>. We asked him when (would the film start, the film would start).
7. The doctor asked her how long (she had been, had she been) II.
ft. They asked us which team (we liked, we did like).
( ). She asked me if (did I want, I wanted) anything to eat. 1. The stranger asked us where the car park
10. My father asked me what (had I decided, I had decided) to do. a. is (bj)was c. will be

2. My teacher asked me the door quietly.

EXERCISE 2 a. to cise b. cise c. will I cise
Write the following sentences in reported speech. Start with the words given. 3. Daniel if he could leave the room.
1. "Do you understand me?" a. told b. said c. asked
The teacher asked us f / whether we understood him\j[her. 4. Sarah wanted to know if her friend go home.
2. "Will it rain tomorrow?" a. must b. had to c. has to

He wants to know 5. The men instructed the boys the building.

3. "Do we have to answer all the questions?" a. are leaving b. leave c. to leave

The pupils asked 6. The children wondered if they another story.

4. "Is he sleeping?" a. could hear b. can hear c. will hear

Mother asked 7. I asked my friend where she her jewellery.

5. "Have you been II?" a. hide b. is hiding c. had hidden

My friend wondered 8. They asked if we to see the film with them.

(>. "How are you going to pay?" a. will want b. wanted c. want
The cashier asked me 9. He me not to move.
7. "When will my car be ready?" a. said b. wondered c. ordered
Mr Green wanted to know 10. They enquired whether the girls had school early that day.
8. "Who is your favourite actor?" a. left b. leaving c. leave
She asked me
 EXERCISE 4
) Write Ihe following Yes / No questions in reported speech.
"Where will Jane be next Thursday at six o'clock?" Carol asked.
1. "Are you going to the club now?" he wanted to know.
He wanted toknow if / whether I was go/ng to the club then.
8. "What have you made for dinner?" she asked him.
2. "Haven't you ever worked on a laptop before?" she wanted to know.

3. "Have you ever visited the Tate Gallery n London?" she wanted to know.
EXERCISE 6

Choose the correct answer.

4. "Will the workers be at work next Saturday?" the manager asked.
1. The teacher if the class had finished their homework.
(J)enquired b. remarked c. begged
5. "Was Don Quixote de la Mancha written by Cervantes?" he wondered.
2. The policeman me where I was going.
a. asked b. enquired c. wondered
6. "Can we see him this evening or tomorrow morning?" the woman wondered.
3. The chairman that workers would be fired.
a. told b. would like to know c. declared
7. "Do you read the newspaper every day?" he asked.
4. The judge the accused to stand up.
a. said b. declared c. told
8. "Did anyone try to save her life?" the plice officer asked. 5. She him that he would burn himself if he touched the heater.
a. said b. warned c. explained
6. The passenger if the flight would leave on time.
EXERCISE S a. wanted to know b. pointed out c. insisted
! Write the following Wh-questions in reported speech.

1. "Whose pencil is this?" the teacher enquired. EXERCISE 7

//ic teacher enquired whose pencil that was.
Complete the sentences below using your own words and deas.
2. "Where are Nigara Falls?" the child asked. 1. Last lesson the teacher asked me if J.had.do.n.e.my.hQme.wQrk.

2. My parents wondered why my friend

3. "Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln?" he asked.
3. My mum wanted to know whether teenagers
4. A policeman once asked my friend if
4. "Who was singing just now?" my mother asked.
5. The interviewer asked the president when

5. "When did the committee decide to fire the workers?" he wondered.

 REPORTING REQUESTS AND SUGGESTIONS - Write the following senlem es in reported speech.
PETICIONES Y SUGERENCIAS EN ESTILO INDIRECTO

PETICIONES
Para expresarlas en estilo indirecto:
1 Ponemos los verbos ask, demand, beg, request, etc., delante de la persona
quien pedimos algo, y la peticin en infinitivo con to.
2 Si aparece la palabra please, esta se omite.
"John, don't open the window, please," I said.
I asked / requested / begged John not to open the window. 1 "Why don't weplay a game of tennis?" Sheila said.
SheL suggested p / a ^
3 Si en la peticin aparece el verbo let, lo ponemos en infinitivo con to y
omitimos el modal que le precede. 2. "Could you please phone the bank?" Dan asked Lynn.
" C a n you let me use your phone, please?" I asked m y neighbour.
I asked m y neighbour to let me use her phone.
3. "Let's order hamburgers instead of Indian food," Martin said.
4 Si no aparece let, mantenemos el modal.
I asked m y neighbour if I could use her phone.
SUGERENCIAS 4. "Would you III to stay for supper?" we asked our son's girlfriend.
Suelen expresarse de varias maneras:
1 Let's...
5. "Please, let's not quarrel any more," she begged.
"Let's go to the theatre!" she said.
2 Why don't we ...
"Why don't we go to the theatre?" she said. 6. "Let's go over to John's house," Mike suggested.
3 Shall we ...
"Shall we go to the theatre?" she said.
7. "Let's not jump to any conclusions," Denise suggested.
4 Why not...
"Why not go to the theatre?" she said.
Para pasar una sugerencia a estilo indirecto, la introduciremos con el verbo 8. "Dad, don't forget to send the e-mail, please," Jodi said.
suggest, que puede ir seguido de:
1 un gerundio (muy frecuente).
9. "Type the letter soon, please," the manager said to me.
She suggested going to the theatre.
2 una oracin subordinada introducida por that (no es tan frecuente).
She suggested that we (should) go to the theatre. 1 o. "Will you let me take the car tonight?" Jean asked her father.
"Let's not arge again," he said.
He suggested not arguing again.
He suggested that they (should) not arge again.
 EXERCISE 9 TRANSLAT I O N

Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning of the original Iranslate the sentences below Into your native language.
sentence.
1. She asked if we had already bought the books.
1. He suggested that we make some spaghetti sauce then.
2. I wanted to know what time the train had arrived.
"I_ ' et s make some spaghetti sauce now ^ i
3. They asked us if we had liked the new film.
2. He asked us who had stolen hs suitcase.
"Who ?" he asked 4. They wondered what we were waiting for.

3. She asked him where he played tennis. 5. He begged me not to smoke in his car.
" ere ?" he asked him
6. She suggested asking the teacher about the test.
w h s

4. The official wanted to know my date of birth. (born)

7. I asked her if she always went to work by bus.
The official asked, "
5. He enquired whether I was leaving later that afternoon. 8. He requested me not to arrive late for our appointment.

"Are ?" he enquiird

6. Paula wanted to know whether John would arrive on time. SPOT THE ERROR X

"Will ?" Paula wanted to know. Can you correct the mistakes?
7. Creta asked James not to smoke there.
1. I said that I need a new book, but nobody listened.
"Please /' Creta asked James
2. My father asked me how did I feel.
8. Diana apologised for losing the book.
" ease
p| /' d Diana.
sa
3. We wondered what time was it.

9. Helen asked how much the ring cost. 4. He asked us what time does the train arrive.

" ?" Helen aske 5. She said if I was very busy.

10. Her mother told her to take that cheque and put it in the bank.
6. The tourist wondered himself where the church was.
" T a k e !" her mother said.
7. The teacher asked did we finish reading the text.
11. My father said that we had to paint the whole house by the following day.
8. She asked if it will be hot the next day.
"We " my father said.
12. The landlord ordered Mary to move out that day. 9. They asked us if we were ready?
"Move /' the landlord said to Mary.
10. She wanted to know who to send the flowers.
 ( hoose the correct answer. (return) Tom's moncy ihc week before. rom insisted that he
(not receive) ii.
1. Jane remarked that I a very pretty sweater that day.
4. Jim was angry when we finally (arrive) at the cinema. He
a. am wearing b. wore c. was wearing
(say) that he (wait) for us for almost an
2. The doctor warned my dad so hard.
hour. He told us that we (have to) hurry or there
a. to not work b. not working c. not to work
(not be) any tickets left.
I. I ler parents pointed out that she had come home very late
a. tonight b. the previous evening c. the following evcnm EXERCISE 3
4. My mum to invite everyone to the party so that nobody woul
Fill in the blanks. Use one word only in each space.
be offended.
a. insisted b. agreed c. suggested I went for a job interview yesterday. The manager (1) me a lot of
5. They wanted to know what time questions. He wanted to know where I (2) worked in my last job. He
asked (3) I could speak any foreign languages. In addition, he
a. is the train leaving b. was the train leaving c. the train was leaving
(4) me a lot of details about the new job. He said I (5)
(>. Danny told us that he his grandparents in the country that
weekend. have to come in at 7 every day, explaining that it (6) very important for
the job. Then I had a chance to ask my own questions. I wondered what the salary
a. will be visiting b. is visiting c. would be visiting
(7) for this job. When I left, I (8) quite confident. Later on,
7. The man behind me in the theatre shouted that he the stage.
I told my friends about the interview. They said I (9) asked good
a. can see b. couldn'tsee c. can'tsee
questions and they felt sure that I (10) get the job.
8. The coach ordered the players faster.
a. to run b. running c. run
EXERCISE 4

Read what Sue says to her friend Jill and report what she said.
EXERCISE 2
"I passed my exams and l'm going out this evening to celbrate. My boyfriend will
! Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
probably take me for a meal at the new restaurant. I won't be home before
1. Last night, my neighbour (knock) on the door. She wanted midnight. l'm sorry I can't meet you today. Let's meet tomorrow."

my father (move) the car. She said she

Sue told Jill that (1) and
(not can) get out of her parking space. (2) to celbrate.

2. Linda (phone) me and (explain) that she She said (3) at the new restaurant,

(not come) to our party the next day because she and she explained that (4)
(be) still II. before midnight. She apologised to Jill, saying that
(5) She suggested