Questions in Reported Speech

Questions in reported speech are a common feature of the English language. This reference will guide you through the basics of reported speech questions, including what they are, how to use them, and common mistakes to avoid.

What are reported questions?

Reported questions, also known as indirect questions, are questions that are reported or repeated by someone else. They are used to convey what someone else has asked, and they are often used in formal and informal settings. Reported questions are different from direct questions, which are the questions that we ask directly.

For example, a direct question would be "What time is the meeting?" A reported question would be "She asked what time the meeting was." In the second sentence, the question is reported indirectly, and the tense is changed to reflect the past tense.

The basics of reported speech questions

When reporting questions, we usually use a reporting verb, such as "asked," "enquired," or "wondered." The reporting verb is followed by the question itself, which is often a statement that begins with "if" or "whether."

For example, "He asked if you were coming to the party." In this sentence, the reporting verb is "asked," and the question itself is "if you were coming to the party."

When reporting questions, we also need to consider the tense, word order, and pronouns. The tense is usually changed to reflect the past tense. The word order is often changed to reflect a statement instead of a question, and the pronouns are changed to reflect the speaker or the person being spoken about.

Examples of reported speech questions

Here are some examples of reported speech questions:

• Direct question: "What time is it?"
• Reported question: "He asked what time it was."
• Direct question: "Are you coming to the party?"
• Reported question: "She wondered if you were coming to the party."
• Direct question: "Why did you do that?"
• Reported question: "He asked why you had done that."
• Direct question: "Where are you going?"
• Reported question: "She enquired where you were going."

Changes in tense and pronouns when reporting questions

When reporting questions, we need to change the tense to reflect the past tense. For example, if the direct question is in the present tense, we need to change it to the past tense when reporting it.

We also need to change the pronouns to reflect the speaker or the person being spoken about. For example, if the direct question is "Are you coming to the party?" and the person being spoken about is John, we need to change it to "She asked if John was coming to the party."

Common reporting verbs used with questions

Here are some common reporting verbs that are used with questions:

• asked
• wondered
• inquired
• wanted to know
• inquired

Note that the choice of reporting verb depends on the context and the tone of the conversation.

4

Reported speech questions vs. direct questions

Reported speech questions are different from direct questions in several ways. Direct questions are the questions that we ask directly, whereas reported questions are questions that are reported or repeated by someone else.

Direct questions typically start with a question word, such as "what," "where," "when," "who," "why," or "how." Reported questions, on the other hand, often start with "if" or "whether."

In direct questions, the subject usually comes before the verb. In reported questions, the subject usually comes after the verb.

Common mistakes

Things to avoid when using reported speech questions:

• Forgetting to change the tense to reflect the past tense.
• Using the wrong reporting verb for the context or tone of the conversation.
• Forgetting to change the pronouns to reflect the speaker or the person being spoken about.
• Using a direct question instead of a reported question.

Summary

Reported speech questions are an important aspect of English grammar that enables us to report what someone else has said. When reporting questions, we need to use a reporting verb, change the tense, word order, and pronouns, and consider the context and tone of the conversation.

By following the guidelines outlined in this reference, you should get it right every time. Check out more handy English lessons below!