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  1. LPU MCA Semester 1
  2. PEL546
  3. Unit 5

PEL546 · Unit 5: Reported speech

Reported questions

10 practice questions · in the ETE syllabus

Practise this topicPractise this topic

Key points

  • Yes/no questions use if or whether; wh-questions keep the wh-word
  • Statement word order, no do/does/did, no question mark
  • Move tenses back like reported statements
  • Change pronouns and time words

Reported questions follow these steps.

  1. Use a reporting verb such as asked or wanted to know.
  2. Yes/no questions are introduced by if or whether; wh-questions keep their wh-word.
  3. Use statement word order (subject then verb) with no do/does/did and no question mark.
  4. Move the tense back and change pronouns, time words and place words as in reported statements.
DirectReported
Where do you live?He asked where I lived.
Are you ready?She asked whether I was ready.
Did you see the film?She asked if I had seen the film.
Can you work late?He asked if I could work late.
What time does the train leave?He asked what time the train left.

Because the word order is that of a statement, asked where did I live and asked if was I ready are wrong, and a reported question ends with a full stop.

Exam trap: do not keep the helper verb do, does or did, and do not use that to introduce a question.

Try two questions

Question 1 · Tier 4, Analyse

Choose the correct reported form: She asked, "Have you completed the form?"

  1. She asked whether I had completed the form.
  2. She asked whether have I completed the form.
  3. She asked whether I have completed the form.
  4. She asked whether I completed the form?
Show the answer

A. Present perfect backshifts to past perfect, with whether and statement order.

Why not B: Reported questions use statement order, I had.

Why not C: Have completed becomes had completed after a past reporting verb.

Why not D: A reported question has no question mark.

Question 2 · Tier 4, Analyse

Choose the correct reported form: "How many languages do you speak?" the host asked her.

  1. The host asked her how many languages did she speak.
  2. The host asked her how many languages does she speak.
  3. The host asked her how many languages she spoke.
  4. The host asked her how many languages she speaks?
Show the answer

C. Do you speak becomes she spoke, with statement word order.

Why not A: Do, does and did are not used in reported questions.

Why not B: The tense must move back to the past.

Why not D: A reported question has no question mark.