Question Forms When Reporting Speech

Question Forms and Reported Speech

Question Forms and Reported Speech

1. 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':

  • "Where does Peter live?" => She asked him where Peter lived.

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

  • "What is your name?" he asked me. => He asked me what my name was.
  • "How old is your mother?", he asked. => He asked how old her mother was.
  • The policman said to the boy, "Where do you live?" => The policeman asked the boy where he lived.
  • "What time does the train arrive?" she asked. => She asked what time the train arrived.
  • "When can we have dinner?" she asked. => She asked when they could have dinner.
  • Peter said to John, "Why are you so late?" => Peter asked the John why he was so late.

3. Yes / no questions: This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether + clause:

  • "Do you speak English?" => He asked me if I spoke English.
  • "Are you British or American?" => He asked me whether I was British or American.
  • "Is it raining?" => She asked if it was raining.
  • "Have you got a computer?" => He wanted to know whether I had a computer.
  • "Can you type?" => She asked if I could type.
  • "Did you come by train?" => He enquired whether I had come by train.
  • "Have you been to Bristol before?" => She asked if I had been to Bristol before.

Summary of reporting verbs

Note that some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups.

1. Verbs followed by 'if' or 'whether' + clause:

ask
know
remember		 say
see

2. Verbs followed by a that-clause:

add
admit
agree
announce
answer
argue
boast
claim
comment
complain
confirm
consider
deny

doubt
estimate
explain
fear
feel
insist
mention
observe
persuade
propose
remark
remember
repeat

reply
report
reveal
say
state
suggest
suppose
tell
think
understand
warn

3. Verbs followed by either a that-clause or a to-infinitive:

decide
expect
guarantee
hope

promise
swear
threaten

4. Verbs followed by a that-clause containing should
(but note that it may be omitted, leaving a subject + zero-infinitive):

advise
beg
demand

insist
prefer
propose

recommend
request
suggest

5. Verbs followed by a clause starting with a question word:

decide
describe
discover
discuss
explain
forget
guess

imagine
know
learn
realise
remember
reveal
say

see
suggest
teach
tell
think
understand
wonder

6. Verbs followed by object + to-infinitive

advise
ask
beg
command

forbid
instruct
invite

teach
tell
warn