Reported Questions

Reported questions are one form of reported speech.

direct question reported question

She said: "Are you cold?" She asked me if I was cold.

He said: "Where's my pen?" He asked where his pen was.

We usually introduce reported questions with the verb

"ask":
 He asked (me) if/whether... (YES/NO questions)

 He asked (me) why/when/where/what/how... (question-

word questions)

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 Reported YES/NO questions

We introduce reported YES/NO questions with ask + if:

direct question She said, "Do you like coffee?"

reported question She asked if I liked coffee.

Note that we sometimes use "whether" instead of "if".

The meaning is the same.
"Whether" is a little more formal and more usual in writing:
Example
 They asked us if we wanted lunch.
 They asked us whether we wanted lunch.

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 Reported question-word questions

We introduce reported question-word questions with

ask + question word:

direct question He said, "Where do you live?"

reported question He asked me where I lived.

Remember that there are basically three types of question:

1. YES/NO questions: Do you want tea?

2. Question Word questions: Where did you drink tea?

3. Choice questions: Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Reported choice questions have the same structure as

Reported YES/NO questions.
Examples

direct question reported question

YES/NO I said: "Can I help I asked if I could help

questions you?" her.

She said to us: "Did She asked if we had

you feel cold?" felt cold.

He said: "Are your He asked whether my

hands cold?" hands were cold.

question- He said: "Where are He asked me where I

word you going?" was going.
questions

He said: "Why didn't He asked me why I

you say something?" hadn't said anything.

He said: "When will He asked when they

they come?" would come.
 direct question reported question

He said: "Who has He asked me who had

seen Avatar?" seen Avatar.

He said: "How much He asked me how

might it cost?" much it might cost.

She said to me: She asked me where

"Where is the the station was.
station?"

choice He asked, "Do you He asked whether I

questions want tea or coffee?" wanted tea or coffee.

He said, "Is the car He asked whether the

new or second- car was new or
hand?" second-hand.

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 Reported Requests

Direct Request Reported Request

Please help me. She asked me to help her.

Please don't smoke. She asked me not to smoke.

Could you bring my book She asked me to bring her

tonight? book that night.

Could you pass the milk, She asked me to pass the

please? milk.

Would you mind coming She asked me to come early

early tomorrow? the next day.

To report a negative request, use 'not':

 Direct speech: Please don't be late.
 Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

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 Reported Orders

Direct Order Reported Order

Go to bed! He told the child to go to bed.

Don't worry! He told her not to worry.

Be on time! He told me to be on time.

Don't smoke! He told us not to smoke.

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Time Expressions with Reported Speech
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported
speech we have to change time expressions too.

now then / at that time

today yesterday / that day

yesterday the day before yesterday / the day before

last night the night before

last week the week before / the previous week

tomorrow today / the next day / the following day

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