Explanation + Extra Activities
Reported Speech for Questions (in Easy English)
When we talk about what someone asked, we use reported speech. The way we report questions is a bit different from how we report normal sentences. Let’s break it down into two types: yes/no questions and Wh- questions.
1. Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions are the ones that can be answered with just “yes” or “no.”
Steps to Report Yes/No Questions:
- Start with the reporting verb “asked” or “wanted to know”.
- Add “if” or “whether” after the reporting verb (this replaces the yes/no question form).
- Change the question into a statement form (no question marks!).
- Change the pronouns and verb tenses, if needed.
Example:
Direct speech: “Are you coming to the party?”
Reported speech: She asked if I was coming to the party.
- The word “if” replaces the question form.
- “Are” changes to “was” because the tense usually shifts back.
Another example:
Direct speech: “Did he call you?”
Reported speech: She asked if he had called me.
2. Wh- Questions
Wh- questions start with words like what, where, why, who, when, and how.
Steps to Report Wh- Questions:
- Start with the reporting verb like “asked” or “wanted to know”.
- Keep the Wh- word from the question (it stays the same!).
- Change the question into a statement form (no question marks).
- Change pronouns and verb tenses, if needed.
Example:
Direct speech: “Where do you live?”
Reported speech: He asked where I lived.
- The Wh- word “where” stays the same.
- “Do you live” becomes “I lived” (no need for the helping verb “do”).
Another example:
Direct speech: “What time is the meeting?”
Reported speech: She asked what time the meeting was.
Key Points to Remember:
- For yes/no questions, use “if” or “whether” in reported speech.
- For Wh- questions, keep the Wh- word in reported speech.
- Change the sentence structure to statement form (no question marks).
- Adjust pronouns and tenses where necessary.
By following these simple rules, you can easily report both types of questions!
Extra Practice
Reported Speech Quiz for Questions
Beginner Level:
Instructions: Change the direct speech into reported speech for both yes/no questions and Wh- questions.
1. “Do you like pizza?”
He asked ________________.
2. “Where is my book?”
She asked ________________.
3. “Are you going to school tomorrow?”
They asked ________________.
4. “Did she finish her homework?”
He wanted to know ________________.
5. “What time does the movie start?”
She asked ________________.
6. “Is it raining?”
He asked ________________.
7. “Why are you late?”
She asked ________________.
8. “Has John left the office?”
She wanted to know ________________.
9. “When will the meeting begin?”
He asked ________________.
10. “Are you tired?”
They asked ________________.
11. “Did you see the new movie?”
He asked ________________.
12. “How do you solve this problem?”
She asked ________________.
13. “Is your brother at home?”
He wanted to know ________________.
14. “What is your name?”
They asked ________________.
15. “Do you speak English?”
She asked ________________.
Answers for Beginner Level:
- He asked if I liked pizza.
- She asked where her book was.
- They asked if I was going to school tomorrow.
- He wanted to know if she had finished her homework.
- She asked what time the movie started.
- He asked if it was raining.
- She asked why I was late.
- She wanted to know if John had left the office.
- He asked when the meeting would begin.
- They asked if I was tired.
- He asked if I had seen the new movie.
- She asked how I solved that problem.
- He wanted to know if my brother was at home.
- They asked what my name was.
- She asked if I spoke English.
Intermediate Level:
Instructions: Convert the direct speech into reported speech for the following yes/no questions and Wh- questions.
1. “Have they completed the project yet?”
He asked ________________.
2. “Why did you leave early?”
She wanted to know ________________.
3. “Are you coming to the party next week?”
They asked ________________.
4. “Who is going to be the team leader?”
She asked ________________.
5. “Has the train arrived yet?”
He wanted to know ________________.
6. “When did you move to this city?”
She asked ________________.
7. “Are you interested in the job?”
They wanted to know ________________.
8. “What are you planning for the weekend?”
He asked ________________.
9. “Will you help me with my project?”
She asked ________________.
10. “Where have they gone?”
He asked ________________.
11. “Is the teacher giving us homework today?”
She asked ________________.
12. “How long have you been working here?”
They asked ________________.
13. “Do they need more time to finish?”
He asked ________________.
14. “What is your opinion on the issue?”
She wanted to know ________________.
15. “Did you enjoy the concert last night?”
They asked ________________.
Answers for Intermediate Level:
- He asked if they had completed the project yet.
- She wanted to know why I had left early.
- They asked if I was coming to the party next week.
- She asked who was going to be the team leader.
- He wanted to know if the train had arrived yet.
- She asked when I had moved to this city.
- They wanted to know if I was interested in the job.
- He asked what I was planning for the weekend.
- She asked if I would help her with her project.
- He asked where they had gone.
- She asked if the teacher was giving us homework today.
- They asked how long I had been working there.
- He asked if they needed more time to finish.
- She wanted to know what my opinion on the issue was.
- They asked if I had enjoyed the concert last night.
Advanced Level:
Instructions: Report the following complex yes/no questions and Wh- questions. Pay attention to tenses, modals, and question structures.
1. “Would you have come if I had invited you?”
She asked ________________.
2. “What were you doing when the accident happened?”
He asked ________________.
3. “Could you help me carry these boxes tomorrow?”
She wanted to know ________________.
4. “Why haven’t they sent the documents yet?”
He asked ________________.
5. “Do you think he will have finished the work by next week?”
She asked ________________.
6. “How long will it take to complete the project?”
They wanted to know ________________.
7. “Had you already left when the email arrived?”
He asked ________________.
8. “What time will the train be leaving tomorrow?”
She asked ________________.
9. “Can you explain why the meeting was canceled?”
They asked ________________.
10. “Were you supposed to bring the report yesterday?”
She wanted to know ________________.
11. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
He asked ________________.
12. “Should I have sent the email earlier?”
She asked ________________.
13. “Will you be attending the conference next month?”
They wanted to know ________________.
14. “Could they have completed the task without extra help?”
He asked ________________.
15. “Why is the project taking so long to finish?”
She asked ________________.
Answers for Advanced Level:
- She asked if I would have come if she had invited me.
- He asked what I had been doing when the accident happened.
- She wanted to know if I could help her carry the boxes tomorrow.
- He asked why they hadn’t sent the documents yet.
- She asked if I thought he would have finished the work by next week.
- They wanted to know how long it would take to complete the project.
- He asked if I had already left when the email arrived.
- She asked what time the train would be leaving tomorrow.
- They asked if I could explain why the meeting had been canceled.
- She wanted to know if I was supposed to bring the report yesterday.
- He asked why I hadn’t told him the truth.
- She asked if she should have sent the email earlier.
- They wanted to know if I would be attending the conference next month.
- He asked if they could have completed the task without extra help.
- She asked why the project was taking so long to finish.