Direct and Indirect Speech

Reported Questions: Direct and Indirect Questions

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Published on by Grammargeek • Revised on
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B1 EnglishB2 English

In this article, you’ll learn how to form reported questions in English, covering essential grammar rules and offering useful example sentences. The main sections include how to report Wh and yes/no questions, notes for reported questions, and useful rules and examples.

You’ll explore the details of both yes/no questions and question words (Wh- questions) in reported speech. This article will provide you with notes and examples to better grasp the rules of reported speech questions.

Reported Questions

Reported Questions: Direct and Indirect QuestionsPin
Reported Questions: Direct and Indirect Questions – Created by 7ESL

When changing a question from direct speech to indirect speech, use verbs like inquire, wonder, want to know, and ask. Only ask can take an indirect object.

Examples:

  • Direct speech: “Have you got a computer?”
  • Reported speech: He wanted to know whether I had a computer.

You introduce the reported question with a different word and change the word order to that of a statement. End the sentence with a full stop.

How to Report Wh and Yes/No Questions

Reported Speech Questions: Yes/No Questions

To report yes/no questions, use if or whether.

Direct Speech Reported Speech
“Did you receive my e-mail?” The teacher asked me if I had received his e-mail.
  The teacher asked me whether I had received his e-mail.

Use whether for choices.

Direct Speech Reported Speech
“Is it John’s phone or Richard’s?” I asked whether it was John’s phone or Richard’s.

Reported Speech Questions: Questions Words (Wh- Questions)

Report Wh- questions by using the question word.

Direct Speech Reported Speech
“Where did he stay?” She asked me where he had stayed.
“When will you go back to London?” She asked when he would go back to London.

Mention the person being asked.

  • I asked him if he ate meat.
  • She asked Michael when he would go back to Japan.

Notes for Reported Questions

When reporting questions, the tense of the verb changes. The word order follows an affirmative sentence, and there is no auxiliary verb. Do not use question marks except in cases like:

  • Could you tell me…?
  • Do you know…?
  • May I ask…?
B1 Knowledge Check · 5 questions

Reported Questions Practice Quiz (B1-B2)

1 / 5
Q1

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

Question 2: Which situation correctly uses 'whether' to introduce a reported question?

Question 2 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.
Q3

Question 3: Customer: 'Is the large size or the small size available?' — Shop assistant reported: 'The customer asked ___ the large or small size was available.'

Question 3 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.
Q4

Question 4: The teacher asked the students ___ they had completed their homework the night before.

Question 4 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.
Q5

Question 5: Match each reported question example to its correct grammar label.

Question 5 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 Wh- question using 'inquire' with backshift of 'will'
Reported yes/no question with backshift
Reported Wh- question with statement word order

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.

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