Reported Questions Quiz (Level B1-B2) - Grammar Practice

⏱ Time: 07:30 📝 Questions: 15 📊 Level: B1, B2 📚 Type: Grammar ⭐ XP: up to +16 (on pass)

Preparing for an English exam? Practise Reported Questions with 15 exercises at Level B1-B2. The questions mirror real exam formats — multiple choice, true/false, and matching — so you get familiar with the question styles while reviewing key grammar concepts.

⏱ You have 07:30 to answer 15 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  15
Q1 15

Question 1: She asked me where I ___ on the previous weekend.

Question 1 options
'Had been' is correct because in reported speech, the past simple shifts back to the past perfect when the reporting verb is in the past tense. 'Am' is present tense and cannot follow a past reporting verb. 'Was' remains in the past simple without the required backshift. 'Have been' is present perfect, which is also incorrect after a past reporting verb.
Q2 15

Question 2: He wanted to know ___ I had finished my assignment.

Question 2 options
'Whether' is correct because it introduces a reported yes/no question, functioning like 'if' but preferred in more formal contexts. 'What' introduces Wh- questions, not yes/no questions. 'Which' introduces a question about choices from a known set, not a simple yes/no. 'How' introduces questions about manner or degree, not yes/no questions.
Q3 15

Question 3: In reported questions, the word order follows the same pattern as an affirmative statement, not a direct question.

Question 3 options
True because when a question is reported, the subject comes before the verb just as in a statement (e.g., 'She asked where he lived' not 'She asked where did he live'). Using question word order in reported speech is one of the most common learner errors.
Q4 15

Question 4: Which situation correctly uses 'whether' to introduce a reported question?

Question 4 options
'Whether' is specifically required when the original question presents two alternatives or choices. It is preferred over 'if' when two options are given. 'If' is used for simple yes/no reported questions without stated alternatives. 'Whether' is not used for Wh- questions or commands.
Q5 15

Question 5: Arrange the words to make a correct sentence:

Question 5 options
  • would return
  • She asked him
  • to the office
  • he
  • when

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'She asked him when he would return to the office' because in reported Wh- questions, the question word is followed by subject then verb (statement order), and 'would' is used as a backshift of 'will'.
Q6 15

Question 6: Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Question 6 options
'He asked me where I had been' is correct because it uses statement word order and the past perfect backshift in a reported question. 'He asked me where had I been' incorrectly uses question word order. 'He asked me where I was been' uses an incorrect verb form. 'He asked me where did I go' incorrectly retains the auxiliary 'did' from the direct question.
Q7 15

Question 7: Customer: 'Is the large size or the small size available?' — Shop assistant reported: 'The customer asked ___ the large or small size was available.'

Question 7 options
'Whether' is correct here because the original question presents two options (large or small), and 'whether' is the preferred word to introduce reported questions that involve a choice between alternatives. 'If' does not work as naturally when two specific alternatives are stated. 'What' and 'which' are Wh- question words that do not introduce yes/no alternatives.
Q8 15

Question 8: Which sentence correctly uses a reported question (not a direct question)?

Question 8 options
'She wondered what time the meeting started' correctly uses reported question form with statement word order and no question mark. 'She wondered what time did the meeting start?' incorrectly keeps question word order and the auxiliary 'did'. The other two options also incorrectly retain question structure with question marks.
Q9 15

Question 9: Put the words in the correct order:

Question 9 options
  • had seen
  • if
  • I
  • My friend asked me
  • the new film

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'My friend asked me if I had seen the new film' because reported yes/no questions use 'if' or 'whether', followed by subject-verb order (statement order), and the past simple 'saw' shifts back to the past perfect 'had seen'.
Q10 15

Question 10: The teacher asked the students ___ they had completed their homework the night before.

Question 10 options
'If' is correct because it introduces a reported yes/no question, making the direct question 'Have you completed your homework?' into indirect speech. 'That' introduces reported statements, not questions. 'What' and 'how' are Wh- question words that do not introduce yes/no questions.
Q11 15

Question 11: Which statement about reported questions is true?

Question 11 options
In reported questions, no auxiliary verb such as 'do', 'does', or 'did' is used because the sentence follows statement word order, not question word order. Question marks are generally not used at the end of reported questions. Tense backshift is required when the reporting verb is in the past. Both 'if' and 'whether' can introduce reported yes/no questions.
Q12 15

Question 12: Direct: 'Why are you leaving so early?' → Reported: 'He asked me why I ___ so early.'

Question 12 options
'Was leaving' is correct because the present continuous 'are leaving' shifts back to the past continuous 'was leaving' in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past. 'Am leaving' keeps the present tense without backshift. 'Have been leaving' shifts incorrectly to the present perfect continuous. 'Will be leaving' shifts incorrectly to future continuous.
Q13 15

Question 13: Match each reported question example to its correct grammar label.

Question 13 options
She asked me if I had eaten lunch.
He wanted to know where she worked.
I asked whether it was his bag or hers.
She inquired how long the journey would take.
Reported question with two alternatives using 'whether'
Reported yes/no question with backshift
Reported Wh- question with statement word order
Reported Wh- question using 'inquire' with backshift of 'will'

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Reported yes/no questions use 'if' or 'whether'; reported Wh- questions use the question word; tense backshift applies when the reporting verb is past; statement word order (no auxiliary) is used throughout.
Q14 15

Question 14: Sentences like 'Could you tell me where the station is?' require a question mark because they are indirect questions in the form of a polite request.

Question 14 options
True because certain polite structures such as 'Could you tell me…?', 'Do you know…?', and 'May I ask…?' are themselves questions addressed to the listener, so they do end with a question mark. This is an exception to the general rule that reported questions do not use question marks.
Q15 15

Question 15: Which sentence is more appropriate in a formal written report about what a manager said during a meeting?

Question 15 options
'The manager asked whether the budget had been approved' is more appropriate in formal writing because 'whether' is preferred over 'if' in formal registers, especially when reporting questions in writing. 'The manager asked if the budget was approved' omits the backshift and uses 'if', which is more informal. The other two options use question word order, which is incorrect in reported speech.