Reported Questions


Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it
is not necessary to use 'do' or 'did', though these can be used for added emphasis.

1. Yes / no or either/or questions: This type of question is reported by using ‘ask’ (or another
verb like 'ask') + 'if / whether + clause.

2. Question words: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + question word + clause. The
clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.

Changes in Tense: Tense changes in reported questions follow the same pattern as tense changes in
reported speech, so that the tense in reported questions is one tense back in time from the tense
in direct questions. The sequence of tenses is found in the chart below.

                                          Direct Question

                                         Reported Question

                                          Simple present

                                   "Do you always drink coffee?"

                                            Simple past

                                She asked if I always drank coffee.

                                        Present continuous

                                "Is he reading a book about cows?”

                                          Past continuous

                           I asked if he was reading a book about cows.

                                            Simple past

                                    “Did Bill arrive Saturday?”

                                           Past perfect

                         We wondered whether Bill had arrived on Saturday.

                                          Present perfect

                                  "Have you ever been to Spain?"

                                           Past perfect

                              They asked if I had ever been to Spain.

                                           Past perfect

                                 "Why had she chosen that topic?”

                                           Past perfect

                            We inquired why she had chosen that topic.

                                    Present perfect continuous

                                   “Have you been waiting long?”

                                      Past perfect continuous

                           They asked whether we had been waiting long.

                                          Past continuous

                                 “Where were you living in Paris?”

                                      Past perfect continuous

                          She asked us where we had been living in Paris.

                                              Future

                                “Will you be in Geneva on Monday?”

                                        Present conditional

                            I asked if he would be in Geneva on Monday.

                                         Future continuous

                             “Will you be using the car next Friday?”

                                      Conditional continuous

                        He asked if she would be using the car next Friday.

                                       Adapted from http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/rep2.cfm

NOTE:

1.       You do not need to change the tense if the questioning verb is in the present tense.
”What do you want?”
He asks me what I want.

2.       Indirect questions are not the same as reported questions. The former is still a question,
whereas the latter transforms the question into a statement. Thus, the tense changes that affect
reported questions do not occur in indirect questions.


                                    Reported Questions Exercise

Transform the following direct questions into reported questions. Remember that you may have to
change the pronouns as well as the tense.

1.   “What will you have for breakfast tomorrow?”

1.________________________________________________________

2.   “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

2.

2.________________________________________________________

3.   “When had he become comfortably numb?”

3.

3.________________________________________________________

4.   “How long have you been thinking existential thoughts?”

4.

4.________________________________________________________

5.   “Where are all the lonely people coming from?”

5.________________________________________________________

6.   “Who was using my toothbrush?”

6.

6.________________________________________________________

7.   “Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?”

7.

7.________________________________________________________

8.   “Will you be working this summer?”

8.

8.________________________________________________________

9.   “Have you completed the worksheet?”

9.

9.________________________________________________________

10.     “Who does she think will win the election?”

10.

10.______________________________________________________

                                   I keep six honest serving-men

                                   (They taught me all I knew);

                               Their names are What and Why and When

                                    And How and Where and Who.

                                         - Rudyard Kipling