REPORTED QUESTIONS

by

Ms. Shiu Chi-kuen, Teresa

There are two types of questions:

a) Reported Wh-questions

b) Reported yes / no questions

Let’s see how we change the type

a) wh-questions into reported speech.

a) Peter asked Mary, “Who did you meet at the party

last night?”

Mary can report what Peter said like this:

Peter asked Mary who she had met at the party

the night before / the previous night.

When you report a wh-question into reported question, you will see that:

~ the introductory verb is asked, not said;

~ the question word who is kept;

~ the word order becomes subject (she) verb (met)

~ the substance ends with a full stop(.);

not a question mark(?) and

~ the verb tense, pronoun and time expression change in

the same way as in reported statements.

Now, let’s practise some questions.

Exercise 1

Direct question: Dora asked Tom, “Where is my book?”

Reported questions: Dora asked Tom where her book was.

a)

Where is my book?

b)

Direct question: Mark asked Helen, “What are you doing this afternoon?”

Reported question:

Mark asked Helen what she was doing that afternoon.

What are you doing this afternoon?

Here change the type b) yes / no questions into reported questions.

When you report a yes / no question, you need to use if. Don’t forget to change any verb tenses, pronouns and time expressions.

e.g. (a)

John asked Bill if he was ready to go swimming.

Are you ready to go swimming?

b)

Alice asked if I had taken her handbag the day before / the previous day.

Did you take my handbag yesterday?

It’s the time to practise!

Exercise 2:

a)

Direct question: Bob asked Mimi, “Are you going to the concert with your brother next Friday?”

Reported question: Bob asked Mimi if she was going to the concert with her brother the following Friday.

Are you going to theconcert with your brother next Friday?

b)

Direct question: Ann asked Paul, “Were you at Alice’s party

last night? ”

Reported question: Ann asked Paul if he had been at Alice’s party the previous night / the night before.

Were you at Alice’s party last night?

Relevant Websites:

http://www.telenex.hku.hk

http://www.english4us.com/