B1 Lesson 39: Reported Questions + Verbs of Communication

WARM UP

Think about conversations you have had recently.

• When was the last time you apologised to someone?
• Have you ever complained about poor service?
• Who usually reminds you about important events?
• Has anyone ever warned you about making a mistake?
• Do you enjoy people who joke a lot?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – VERBS OF COMMUNICATION

• apologise – say sorry for something
Example: She apologised for arriving late.

• complain – say that you are unhappy about something
Example: He complained about the poor service.

• remind – help someone remember something
Example: Please remind me about the meeting.

• warn – tell someone about possible danger or problems
Example: The teacher warned us about the difficult exam.

• joke – say something funny that is not serious
Example: He was only joking.

• wonder – think about something because you are curious
Example: I wonder why she left early.

• disagree – have a different opinion
Example: They disagreed about the decision.

• promise – say that you will definitely do something
Example: She promised to call me later.

Say each word out loud.

Think about situations where you have used these verbs.

GRAMMAR – REPORTED QUESTION TYPES

We use reported questions to tell someone what another person asked.

Yes / No Questions

Use if or whether.

• "Are you busy?"
→ She asked if I was busy.

• "Did you enjoy the film?"
→ He asked whether I had enjoyed the film.

Wh- Questions

Keep the question word.

• "Where do you live?"
→ She asked where I lived.

• "Why are you leaving?"
→ He asked why I was leaving.

• "When will you arrive?"
→ She asked when I would arrive.

• "Who called you?"
→ He asked who had called me.

Remember

• No question word order.
• No do, does, or did.

DIALOGUE – AFTER THE MEETING

Anna: Why were you late?

Mark: Sarah asked why I was late.

Anna: What did you say?

Mark: I apologised and explained the traffic.

Anna: Did anyone ask about the project?

Mark: Yes. My manager asked whether I had finished it.

Anna: What happened then?

Mark: He reminded me about tomorrow's deadline and warned me not to be late again.

Read again and practise.

SHORT ARTICLE

During our team meeting, the manager asked whether everyone was ready for the presentation. She also asked who had completed the final report and why one section was missing. One colleague apologised for the delay, while another complained that there had not been enough time to finish everything. Before the meeting ended, the manager reminded us about next week's deadline and warned us not to leave important tasks until the last minute. Later, a colleague joked that we all deserved a holiday, although another person disagreed. In the end, everyone promised to work together more effectively.

Read the article twice.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Communication verbs

• apologise for a mistake
• complain about a problem
• remind someone about something
• warn someone about danger
• joke with friends
• wonder why...
• disagree with someone
• promise to do something

Reported questions

• asked if...
• asked whether...
• asked why...
• asked where...
• asked when...
• asked who...
• asked what...

Full sentence model

• My teacher asked whether I had finished my homework, and then reminded me about tomorrow's lesson.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences.

• When did you last apologise to someone?
• What do people often complain about in your country?
• Who usually reminds you about important dates?
• Has anyone ever warned you about making a bad decision?
• Do you often joke with your friends or colleagues?
• What do you sometimes wonder about?
• When was the last time you disagreed with someone? What happened?
• What is something you have recently promised to do?
• Report a question that someone asked you this week.
• What question would you ask a famous person if you had the chance?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 10 sentences:

• 5 using the communication verbs.
• 5 using reported questions (yes/no and wh- questions).

Use at least 8 vocabulary items.