Reporting Questions

Reporting questions is slightly different from reporting statements. When we turn a direct question into an indirect question, we must follow three unique rules:

  1. Use an Interrogative Reporting Verb: The most common verb is ask, but we can also use inquire, wonder, or want to know.
  2. Use Statement Word Order (Subject + Verb): We do not invert the subject and verb as we do in a direct question.
  3. Remove Question Marks and Auxiliary Verbs: We remove the question mark (?) and omit helper verbs like do, does, or did.

1. Yes/No Questions (Using If/Whether)

If a direct question can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”, we connect the reporting verb to the clause using if or whether.

Pattern: Subject + asked + (object) + if/whether + Subject + Verb

Examples:

  • Direct: “Are you hungry?” she asked me.
    • Reported: She asked me if I was hungry. (Word order shifts from Verb-Subject “are you” to Subject-Verb “I was”).
  • Direct: “Do you like coffee?” he asked.
    • Reported: He asked whether I liked coffee. (Notice that the helper verb “do” is removed, and we use “liked” in Simple Past).
  • Direct: “Did you finish the work?” they asked Jack.
    • Reported: They asked Jack if he had finished the work.

2. WH- Questions (Using the Question Word)

If a direct question begins with a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how, which), we use that same question word to connect the reporting clause. We do not use if or whether.

Pattern: Subject + asked + (object) + Wh-word + Subject + Verb

Examples:

  • Direct: “Where do you live?” he asked.
    • Reported: He asked where I lived. (Notice: S-V word order “I lived”, no helper verb “do”).
  • Direct: “What is your name?” she asked him.
    • Reported: She asked him what his name was. (Not: what was his name).
  • Direct: “Why did you call?” she wondered.
    • Reported: She wondered why he had called.

3. Direct vs. Reported Question Summary

Question TypeDirect QuestionReported Question (Indirect)
Yes/No”Is it raining?”He asked if it was raining.
Yes/No”Have you seen my keys?”She asked whether I had seen her keys.
WH- Word”Where are you going?”He asked where I was going.
WH- Word”How did you solve it?”She wanted to know how they had solved it.