B2 – Upper Intermediate
Reported Questions
Reported questions (also called indirect questions) are used to report what someone asked, without quoting their exact words.
- Direct: She said, “Where are you going?”
- Reported: She asked where I was going.
Structure
A. Yes/No Questions → if / whether
When the original question can be answered with yes or no:
- Direct: “Are you tired?”
- Reported: He asked if I was tired.
Use:
- if (more common)
- whether (more formal)
B. Wh- Questions → Keep the question word
- Direct: “Where do you live?”
- Reported: She asked where I lived.
- Direct: “Why did he leave?”
- Reported: They asked why he had left.
Change in Word Order
In reported questions, there is no inversion (no question word order).
x: She asked where was I going.
o: She asked where I was going.
Changes in Tenses
When the reporting verb is in the past (asked, wondered, wanted to know), tenses usually shift back:
| Direct Question | Reported Question |
|---|---|
| “Where is he?” | She asked where he was. |
| “What are you doing?” | He asked what I was doing. |
| “Did you finish?” | She asked if I had finished. |
| “Will you come?” | He asked if I would come. |
Changes in Pronouns, Time, and Place
These often shift depending on context:
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| here | there |
| I / you | depends on speaker |
Example:
- “Will you be here tomorrow?”
→ He asked if I would be there the next day.
Advanced Reporting Verbs
Instead of just asked, use more precise verbs:
- inquire → formal
- wonder → polite/uncertain
- want to know → neutral
- question → sometimes skeptical
Examples:
- She wondered whether he was telling the truth.
- They inquired how long the process would take.
Advanced Embedded Questions
Reported questions can function inside longer sentences:
- I don’t know where she went.
- Can you tell me what he meant?
- Do you remember why they canceled the meeting?
Note: There is still no inversion:
x: Do you know where is he?
O: Do you know where he is?
Reporting Questions Without “ask”
Sometimes the question meaning is implied:
- She wanted to know where I had been.
- He was curious why they left early.
- They were wondering if we could help.
Common Advanced Errors
x: He asked me where did I go.
o: He asked me where I went.
x: She asked if I am tired.
o: She asked if I was tired. (backshift)
x: They asked where is the station.
o: They asked where the station was.