🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

How to Form Reported Speech for Questions?

Reported questions are how you describe what someone asked without using their exact words. Unlike direct questions, reported questions use statement word order and lose the question mark.

Short answer

Reported questions transform direct questions into statements using if/whether or question words, with past tense shifts and statement word order ('Did you go?' becomes 'He asked if I had gone').

Converting Questions to Reported Speech

1
Step 1: Identify question word
Use 'where', 'when', 'who', 'why', 'what', or 'how' if present
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2
Step 2: Use if/whether
Use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions
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3
Step 3: Apply statement word order
Subject before verb (ask where he lived, NOT ask where lived he)
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4
Step 4: Shift the tense
Apply the same tense-shift rule as reported statements

Step-by-step worked examples

Direct: 'Where do you live?' (he asked). Reported form?

Question word: Where
Statement word order: ask where...
Tense shift: do live → did live
Result: He asked where I lived.

Direct: 'Did you finish your homework?' Reported?

Yes/no question: use 'if' or 'whether'
Tense shift: did finish → had finished
Result: She asked if I had finished my homework.

'What time does the train leave?' (she asked). Report it.

Question word: What time
Statement order: ask what time...
Tense shift: does leave → did leave
Result: She asked what time the train left.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.'Do you like pizza?' (she asked). Reported?

Correct answer: C. 'if' for yes/no, tense shift (like→liked), pronoun change (you→I).

Q2.'What is your name?' reported form?

Correct answer: C. Question word (what), tense shift (is→was), statement word order.

Q3.Reported yes/no question: correct structure?

Correct answer: B. Always use if/whether + statement word order.

Q4.'When will you arrive?' reported?

Correct answer: C. Tense shift: will→would. Subject-verb order unchanged.

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Common mistakes

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Using question word order in reported speech. — Correct: Always use statement word order: asked where he went, NOT asked where did he go.

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Forgetting if/whether for yes/no questions. — Correct: Yes/no questions must use if or whether.

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Not shifting the tense. — Correct: Reported questions follow the same tense-shift rule.

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Keeping the question mark. — Correct: Reported questions end with a period, not a question mark.

FAQ

What is a reported question?

It describes what someone asked without using their exact words, using statement word order and tense shifts.

How do you report yes/no questions?

Use if or whether: 'Do you like it?' → He asked if I liked it.

What about question words in reported speech?

Keep them: 'Where is he?' → She asked where he was.

Reported question examples?

Direct: 'When will you come?' Reported: She asked when I would come.