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Master English Grammar

Reported Speech – Questions

Learn how to report questions using correct grammar structures in reported speech.

What Are Reported Questions?

Reported questions are used to relay a question someone asked, but without using the original question format.

Why Is This Important?

Using reported questions correctly helps in everyday conversations and formal writing.

Key Points

  • Change question word order to a statement
    • Direct: 'Where is she?' → Reported: He asked where she was.
    • Direct: 'What do you want?' → Reported: She asked what I wanted.
  • Use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions
    • Direct: 'Do you like coffee?' → Reported: She asked if I liked coffee.
    • Direct: 'Is he coming?' → Reported: They asked whether he was coming.

Rules for Using Reported Questions

  • Change the question structure into a statement format.

    • He asked where she was.
    • She asked what I wanted.

  • Use 'if' or 'whether' when reporting yes/no questions.

    • She asked if I liked coffee.
    • They asked whether he was coming.

  • Special Cases & Exceptions:

    The verb tense may change when converting direct speech to reported speech.

  • Tenses typically shift back in reported questions.

    • Direct: 'Where is he?' → Reported: She asked where he was.
    • Direct: 'Did she call?' → Reported: He asked if she had called.
Direct_speechReported_speech
'Where is she?'He asked where she was.
'Do you like ice cream?'She asked if I liked ice cream.
'When did they arrive?'He asked when they had arrived.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of these videos. These are publicly available resources used to provide additional information on the topic.