aiMOOC

E8 M - Report questions and commands

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E8 M - Report questions and commands

Mini-description: You report simple questions and commands in your own words. You notice changes in word order, reporting verbs and, when needed, backshift.

Level: English as a first foreign language, class 8, M-level, Baden-Württemberg.

Learning mode: English first → context → try → ask → hint → German help if needed. No full translation.

Einleitung

Imagine this situation:

Maya: “Where is the media room?” Leo: “Please wait here.” Later, Nia asks what happened.

You can report it like this:

Maya asked where the media room was. Leo told us to wait there.

That is the core of this aiMOOC.

Try first: What changed in the two reported sentences?

Hint 1: Look at the word order after asked. Hint 2: Look at told us to wait. Deutsch nur wenn nötig: Bei berichteten Fragen steht meist normale Aussagesatz-Wortstellung. Befehle und Aufforderungen werden oft mit told/asked + Person + to + Verb wiedergegeben.

All learner profiles and names in this course are fictional. Do not use private social-media data.

I can ...

After this course, you can say:

I can report a wh-question with statement word order.
I can report a yes/no question with if or whether.
I can report a command or request with to + infinitive.
I can choose between common reporting verbs such as asked and told.
I can use simple backshift when the reporting situation requires it.
I can check and improve typical mistakes in reported questions and commands.

What you already know

You should already know:

Quick start: Change the direct question into a normal statement word order.

“Where do you live?” → You live where.

Now use that idea in reported speech:

She asked where I lived.

Media starter

Watch the first part once without stopping. Listen for examples of direct and reported speech.

While viewing:

Listen for one reporting verb.
Notice one tense change.
Say one example aloud after the video.

Viewing strategy: First watch for meaning. On a second viewing, pause only where you need a grammar clue.

Core grammar

Reported wh-questions

Direct question:

Maya: “Where is the bus stop?”

Reported question:

Maya asked where the bus stop was.

Use:

asked + wh-word + subject + verb

The important change is the word order:

Where is the bus stop? → where the bus stop was

Do not keep question inversion after the reporting verb.

Try: “Why are you late?” → He asked why ...

Check: He asked why I was late.

Reported yes/no questions

Direct question:

Nia: “Do you need help?”

Reported question:

Nia asked if I needed help.

You can use:

asked + if/whether + subject + verb

Try: “Can you come today?” → She asked whether ...

Check: She asked whether I could come that day.

Reported commands and requests

Direct command:

Leo: “Close the door.”

Reported command:

Leo told me to close the door.

Use:

told + person + to + infinitive

For a polite request, asked is often natural:

“Please help me.” → She asked me to help her.

For a negative command:

“Don’t touch it.” → He told us not to touch it.

Reporting verbs

The reporting verb shows the speaker’s purpose.

Function	Useful verb	Example
question	ask	She asked where I lived.
command	tell	He told me to wait.
polite request	ask	She asked us to sit down.
strong instruction	order	The officer ordered them to leave.

For this level, focus mainly on asked and told.

Important: tell normally needs a person: He told me to wait.

Not: He told to wait.

Backshift in reported speech

If the reporting verb is in the past, school tasks often use backshift.

Direct speech	Reported speech
am / is	was
are	were
do / does	did
can	could
will	would
simple past	past perfect

Example:

“Can you stay?” → She asked if I could stay.

“Where did Tom go?” → She asked where Tom had gone.

If information is still clearly true, real English may sometimes keep the original tense. In normal class exercises, follow the context and the task instruction.

Grammar in one picture

Question? → asked + wh-word / if / whether + subject + verb

Command? → told/asked + person + to + infinitive

Negative command? → told/asked + person + not to + infinitive

Listening and Viewing

Watch this grammar video. Use it actively: first listen for meaning, then check the form.

Task A – first viewing: Decide: Is the speaker mainly reporting statements, questions, or both?

Task B – second viewing: Write down two reporting verbs you hear or see.

Task C – grammar focus: Find one example in which the tense changes.

Hint: Do not try to understand every word. Listen for said, asked, told, tense forms and sentence structure.

Commands and requests in a video

Before watching: Predict the pattern for “Wait here.”

While watching: Check whether your pattern uses a person and a to-infinitive.

After watching: Report this instruction:

“Please open your books.”

Possible answer: The teacher asked the students to open their books.

Reading

The following short text is fictional but written in a realistic school context.

Media room update

Nia met Leo after lunch. Leo asked, “Did you finish the poster?” Nia said yes. Then he asked, “Where did you save the file?” Nia pointed to the school laptop. A teacher came in and said, “Please keep the volume low.” A few minutes later, she added, “Don’t leave the cables on the floor.”

Later Nia reported the conversation:

Leo asked if she had finished the poster. He also asked where she had saved the file. The teacher asked them to keep the volume low and told them not to leave the cables on the floor.

Reading task:

Find two reported questions.
Find one positive request.
Find one negative command.
Underline one example of backshift.

Check: if she had finished, where she had saved, to keep, not to leave.

Context vocabulary

Use the words in small chunks, not as isolated translations.

Expression	Meaning in context	Example
report	tell someone later what was said	I reported the question.
ask	use a question or request	She asked if I was ready.
tell	give information or an instruction to a person	He told me to wait.
command	strong instruction	“Stop!” is a command.
request	polite instruction	“Please sit down” is a request.
word order	position of words in a sentence	Reported questions use statement word order.
backshift	move a tense one step into the past	can → could

Try: Choose one word and make your own example sentence.

Pronunciation

Your goal is clear communication, not accent imitation.

Practice these chunks:

She asked if I could come. He told me to wait. They asked where we lived. She told us not to worry.

Focus:

Stress the key information: asked, told, where, wait, worry.
Keep small grammar words such as to and if lighter.
In reported questions, use statement-like rhythm instead of strong question inversion.

Private option: You may record yourself on your own device and listen back. Recording is voluntary. Keep it private unless you explicitly choose to share it in a safe school setting.

Speaking

Work with a partner.

Round 1 – direct speech

Student A asks:

“Where do you usually do your homework?” “Can you help me after school?”

Student A then gives one instruction:

“Please send me the notes.”

Round 2 – report

Student B reports:

A asked where ... A asked if ... A asked me to ...

Then change roles.

Fluency first: Finish the message. Accuracy second: Check word order, reporting verb and tense.

Mini-discussion

Situation: Your group is preparing a class presentation.

Discuss for two minutes:

Which instructions are useful before a presentation?

Then report one partner’s contribution:

Mina told us to ... Jon asked whether ...

Give a reason:

This was useful because ...

Writing

Write a short report of 80–110 words.

Situation: A fictional school team plans a media project. Use:

one wh-question,
one yes/no question,
one positive command or request,
one negative command.

Then report all four ideas in a short paragraph.

Writing frame:

First, ... asked where ... Then, ... asked if ... After that, ... asked/told ... to ... Finally, ... told ... not to ...

Self-check:

Did I remove question inversion?
Did I use if/whether for a yes/no question?
Did I use a person after told?
Did I use to or not to for commands?
Did I use backshift where the context requires it?

Mediation

Your German-speaking classmate missed a short English instruction.

English message:

“Please meet in room 204 at 10:15. Don’t bring food. Can you bring your worksheet?”

Do not translate word for word. Give the useful information in German in 2–3 sentences.

Then report the original English message in English:

The teacher asked us to ... The teacher told us not to ... The teacher asked if ...

Goal: Select relevant information and change the grammar appropriately.

Staged help

Use only as much help as you need.

Help 1 – identify the type: Is it a wh-question, yes/no question, command or request?

Help 2 – choose the starter:

wh-question → asked + wh-word ...
yes/no question → asked if/whether ...
command → told + person + to ...
request → asked + person + to ...

Help 3 – check the order: subject before verb.

Help 4 – check the tense: after a past reporting verb, use backshift when required.

Deutsch nur wenn nötig: Entscheide zuerst, welche Satzart vorliegt. Danach wählst Du das Muster. Prüfe zuletzt Wortstellung und Zeitform.

Direct feedback and error analysis

Find the problem before reading the correction.

Error 1: She asked where did I live. Correction: She asked where I lived. Why? Reported questions use statement word order.

Error 2: He told to wait outside. Correction: He told me to wait outside. Why? told normally needs a person.

Error 3: She asked if did I need help. Correction: She asked if I needed help. Why? No question inversion after if.

Error 4: He told us don’t touch the screen. Correction: He told us not to touch the screen. Why? Negative command = not to + infinitive.

Error 5: She said me to sit down. Correction: She told me to sit down. Why? Use tell + person + to for this command pattern.

Transfer

New situation: You are an intern for one day at a fictional design studio.

Your supervisor says:

“Where is the client file?” “Can you update the schedule?” “Please send the draft before lunch.” “Don’t publish the image yet.”

Report all four messages to a colleague.

Challenge: Add one reason, for example:

She told me not to publish the image yet because the team wanted to check it first.

Can-do check

Mark what you can do without help.

Can-do statement	Yes	Not yet
I can report a wh-question.	□	□
I can report a yes/no question with if/whether.	□	□
I can report a command with told + person + to.	□	□
I can report a negative command with not to.	□	□
I can use simple backshift in context.	□	□
I can find and correct word-order mistakes.	□	□

If you mark “Not yet”, return only to the matching section and try one new example.

Safe and useful use of AI

AI can help you check a sentence, but it should not replace your own English.

Good use:

Write your sentence first.
Ask for one grammar check.
Compare the suggestion with the rules in this course.
Keep your own wording when it is correct.
Check facts, language level and feedback.

Do not send private profiles, names, school data, recordings or private social-media content to external AI services.

Do not upload recordings unless your teacher has provided a safe, voluntary school process.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

Which sentence has correct reported-question word order? (She asked where I lived.) (!She asked where did I live.) (!She asked where lived I.) (!She asked where do I live.)

Which word can introduce a reported yes/no question? (if) (!because) (!than) (!although)

How do you report “Wait here”? (He told me to wait there.) (!He told me wait there.) (!He asked where I wait there.) (!He told to me waiting there.)

How do you report “Don’t open the window”? (She told us not to open the window.) (!She told us to not opened the window.) (!She asked us do not opened the window.) (!She told not us open the window.)

Which reporting verb is the normal choice for a question? (asked) (!built) (!carried) (!painted)

Which sentence correctly reports “Do you like the film?” (She asked if I liked the film.) (!She asked did I like the film.) (!She told if I liked the film.) (!She asked if did I like the film.)

Which sentence correctly reports “Where does Sam work?” (He asked where Sam worked.) (!He asked where did Sam work.) (!He asked where does Sam worked.) (!He told where Sam work.)

What is a common backshift of can? (could) (!musted) (!canned) (!shoulded)

Which sentence uses told correctly? (They told me to sit down.) (!They told to sit down.) (!They told that sit down.) (!They told me sit down to.)

What happens to word order in a reported question? (It normally uses statement word order.) (!It always keeps direct-question inversion.) (!The verb always comes before the subject.) (!Every sentence begins with whether.)

Memory

Reported question	Statement word order
Yes-no form	If or whether
Wh-form	Question word stays
Positive command	To-infinitive
Negative instruction	Not to
Tense change	Backshift

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Funktion
asked	Reporting questions
told	Reporting commands to a person
if or whether	Yes-no questions
to-infinitive	Positive commands and requests
not to	Negative commands

Kreuzworträtsel

whether	Which word can introduce a reported yes-no question together with if?
asked	Which reporting verb is commonly used for questions?
told	Which reporting verb is commonly used for commands to a person?
infinitive	Which verb form follows to in a reported command?
backshift	What is the name for moving a tense back in reported speech?
subject	What usually comes before the verb in statement word order?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Reported question card: Create four cards: direct wh-question on the front, reported question on the back.
If-or-whether practice: Write three yes/no questions and report them with if or whether.
Command poster: Design a mini-poster with three direct classroom commands and their reported forms.
Error detective: Invent two wrong reported questions and explain how to correct them.

Standard

Partner interview: Ask a partner four safe, non-private questions and report the answers without writing down personal data.
Mini audio report: Record a private 45-second report of three fictional questions or commands; listen back and check clarity. Recording is voluntary.
Dialogue rewrite: Write a six-line fictional dialogue and turn it into a short reported-speech paragraph.
Media room scenario: Create a short school situation with one wh-question, one yes/no question, one request and one negative command.

Schwer

Newsroom simulation: Create a fictional interview and report the interviewer’s questions accurately, including suitable backshift.
Grammar explainer: Produce a one-minute presentation that explains why She asked where did I live is incorrect.
Workplace transfer: Write a short fictional professional email reporting a supervisor’s questions and instructions.
Peer feedback: Exchange fictional texts, mark reporting verbs, word order and backshift, then justify two corrections in English.

Lernkontrolle

Situation transfer: A classmate tells you four direct questions and commands from a fictional project meeting. Report them in a coherent paragraph and justify two grammar changes.
Error analysis: Correct five mixed errors in reported questions and commands. Name the rule behind each correction.
Register choice: Decide whether asked, told or ordered best fits three different fictional situations. Explain how the speaker’s intention changes.
Mediation transfer: Read a short English instruction and communicate the essential information in German without translating every sentence. Then report two original English lines in reported speech.
Listening transfer: After a teacher-provided audio clip, note the speaker’s questions and instructions and report them from memory. Focus on meaning before exact wording.
Writing transfer: Write a short message to a fictional teammate that reports a meeting. Include one wh-question, one yes/no question, one request and one negative command.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should be able to show that you can:

identify direct questions and commands,
use statement word order in reported questions,
use if or whether for yes/no questions,
choose an appropriate reporting verb,
use to + infinitive and not to + infinitive for commands,
use simple backshift when the context requires it,
explain and correct typical errors,
transfer the grammar to speaking, writing and mediation,
communicate clearly even if your accent is not native-like,
use digital tools and AI critically without giving away private data.

OERs zum Thema

Wikipedia background on indirect/reported speech:

The Wikimedia Commons media used in this aiMOOC link to their individual file pages, where author and licence information can be checked.

Folgekurs

Continue with:

E8 M - Report statements and backshift

There you can deepen tense changes and longer reported messages.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

Reported speech

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