IMPORTANT!

Peter is saying Isn’t Bob coming?

• Peter is saying where does he live?
  

  • Peter wants to know if Bob is not coming.
    

    • Peter wants to know where he lives.
      Excepție: Când un cuvând interogativ: who, what, how much este subiectul propoziției interogative, se menține ordinea cuvintelor din vorbirea directă:

      • Laura says, how many arrived last night?

        • Laura wants to know how many (people) arrived last night.
          De asemenea:

          • I said, what’s the matter?

            • I asked (him) what the matter was.
              Dacă în vorbirea directă propoziția interogativă este o întrebare specială , adică dacă ea începe cu un pronume, adjectiv interogativ, acesta este păstrat în vorbirea indirectă:

              • How do you spell this word? The teacher has asked.

                • The teacher has asked how we spell this word.
                  În cazul unor întrebări generale, legătura între propoziția principală și completiva directă se face cu ajutorul conjuncției if sau whether:

                  • He is saying have you been to Paris?
                    

                    • He is asking if we have been to Boston.
                      

                      • He is asking whether we have been to Frankfurt.
                        Whether este folosit în mod obligatoriu pentru redarea în vorbirea indirectă a întrebărilor alternative:
                        

                        • Are you going to the theatre or to the cinema? Tommy said to his sister.

                          • Tommy asked his sister whether she was going to the theatre or to the cinema.
                            

                            • Tommy asked his sister whether she was going to the theatre or not.
                              Întrebările generale începând cu will / would / could you se transformă în vorbirea indirectă în mod diferențiat, în funcție de sensul întrebării.
                              a) o întrebare despre o acțiune viitoare:

                              • Will you sing in the choir tomorrow? He said.

                                • He asked me if I would sing in the choir the next day.
                                  b) o rugăminte, cerere:

                                  • Could you serve the coffee? Bob said.
                                    

                                    • Bob asked me to serve the coffee.
                                      

                                      • Bob asked if I could serve the coffee.
                                        c) o invitație:

                                        • Would you attend our meeting?

                                          • The children said to their teacher.
                                            

                                            • The children asked their teacher to their meeting.
                                              

                                              • The children invited their teacher to their meeting.
                                                d) un ordin, o comandă:

                                                • Copy the lesson, Mary.

                                                  • The teacher told Mary to copy the lesson.
                                                    În mod similar, întrebările începând cu shall I / we se transformă diferențiat în vorbire indirectă, devenind:
                                                    a) o întrebare despre o acțiune viitoare: would + infinitiv:

                                                    • Shall I see you tomorrow? Bob said.

                                                      • Bob wanted to know if he would see me the next day.
                                                        b) cererea unui sfat: should + infinitiv:

                                                        • Shall I buy the long dress, mother? Alice said.

                                                          • Alice asked her mother if she should buy the long dress.
                                                            c) o ofertă: offer + infinitiv lung:

                                                            • Shall I bring you your glasses? Patricia said.

                                                              • Patricia offered to bring me my glasses.
                                                                d) o sugestie: suggest + Gerund / should + infinitiv:

                                                                • Shall we have a snack? Denise said.
                                                                  

                                                                  • Denise suggested having a snack.
                                                                    

                                                                    • Denise suggested that they should have a snack.
                                                                      Schimbările de timp în propozițiile interogative au loc la fel ca și în cele enunțiative:
                                                                      

                                                                      • He said, Where have you been?
                                                                        

                                                                        • He said what is Tom doing?
                                                                          

                                                                          • He said when will they leave?
                                                                            

                                                                            • He wanted to know where we had been.
                                                                              

                                                                              • He wanted to know what Tom was doing.
                                                                                

                                                                                • He wanted to know when they would leave.