Page 220 - Basic English Usage

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Exceptions
If somebody said something in the past that is still true, we sometimes
report it with the same tense as the original speaker.
Original words Reported speech
The earth goes round the sun. He proved that the earth goes/
went round the sun.
How old are you? | asked how old you are/were.
For must in reported speech, see 207.3.

284 reported speech: questions

In reported questions, the subject comes before the verb.
He asked where I was going.
(NOT ... where-was-tgeing-)
| asked where the President and his wife were staying.
(NOT +asked-where-were ...)
Auxiliary do is not used.
{ wondered how they felt. (NOT .. . hew-did-they-feel-)
Question marks are not used.
We asked where the money was. (NOT .. . wherethe-rroneywas?)

When there is no question word (who, what, how etc), we use if or
whether to introduce indirect questions.
The driver asked if/whether | wanted the town centre.
| don't know if/whether | can help you.
For the difference between if and whether, see 361.

285 reported speech: orders, requests, advice etc

We usually use an infinitive structure to report orders, requests, advice
and suggestions.
verb + object + infinitive
| told Andrew to be careful.
The lady downstairs has asked us to be quiet after nine o'clock.
| advise you to think again before you decide which one to buy.
The policeman told me not to park there.
We do not use say in this structure.
She told me to be quiet. (NOT She said-mete-be-quiet-)
For the exact difference between say and tel, see 289.