INTERMEDIAT

E GRAMMAR
Reported questions
When we report what Yes/no questions
people say, we usually  Direct question: “Do you like
change the tense of the working in teams?” Reported
question: He asked if I liked
verbs to reflect that we are
working in teams.
reporting – not giving direct When we report yes/no questions
speech. This pattern is we use ‘if’ or ‘whether’.
followed when we report
questions and there are also  Direct question: “Did you
other important changes enjoy the party?” Reported
question: She asked me
between direct questions
whether I’d enjoyed the
and reported questions. party.
The tense of the verb changes as it does in reported speech but we don’t use
auxiliary verbs. The word order is the same as in an affirmative sentence.

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Questions with a question
word
 Direct question: “What time does the
train leave?” Reported question: He asked
what time the train left.

When there is a question word (what, where,

why, who, when, how) we use that question
word in the reported question but there is no
auxiliary verb and the word order is like an
affirmative sentence (‘what time the train
left’ not He asked me what time did the train
leave.

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 Look at some
more examples:
 Direct question: “Who did you see?”
 Reported question: She asked me who I’d
seen.
 Direct question: “Where did you go to
school?”
 Reported question: He asked me where
I’d gone to school.
 Direct question: “Why are you crying?”
 Reported question: She asked him why he
was crying.

Notice that the reported questions do not have a question mark at the
end.

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Indirect questions
Similar to reported questions are indirect
questions.

 Can you tell me what time the train

leaves? NOT Can you tell me what time
does the train leave?
 I’d love to know what he said to
her. NOT I’d love to know what did he say
to her.

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Reported
questions
Report the
questions.
 Where did you meet each other?" He
asked them …

• …Where they had met.

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 Why are you wearing sunglasses?"
She asked him …

• …Why he was wearing sunglasses.

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 "Who gave you the parcel?" They
asked me …

• …Who had given me the parcel.

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 "Did you two go to school together?"
She asked us …

• …If we had gone to school together.

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 "Do you want another drink?" I asked
him …

• …If he wanted another drink.

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Thanks!
Any questions?

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