Rule 1: The question becomes an affirmative sentence
In normal questions, we change the word order (invert the subject and verb) or use auxiliary verbs (do/does/did).
- Direct: Where do you live? (Inverted)
- Reported: He asked where I live. (Normal sentence order)
Key Point: Reported questions become affirmative sentences. No auxiliary (do/does/did). No inversion.
Let’s look at some more examples:
| Direct Questions | Reported Questions |
|---|---|
| “What is the time?“ | She asked what the time was. |
| “Where do you live?” | He asked where I lived |
| “Are you tired?” | She asked if I was tired |
| “Why did you call?“ | He asked why I called. (No ‘did’) |
Rule 2: The Verb “Goes Back” in Time (Backshifting)
Because you are usually reporting something from the past, you often need to push the tense one step back. This is called backshifting.
Tenses Changes
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| Present → “Do you work?” | Past → He asked if I worked |
| Present continuous → “Are you studying?” | Past continuous She asked if I was studying |
| Past simple → “Did you go?” | Past perfect → He asked if I had gone |
| Will → “Will you come?” | Would → He asked if I would come |
| Can → “Can you swim?” | Could → She asked if I could swim |
Example:
- Direct: “Do you like pizza?”
- Reported: He asked if I liked pizza. (Present “like” → Past “liked”)
Time and Places Changes
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| now → | then |
| today → | that day |
| yesterday → | the day before |
| tomorrow → | the next day |
| here → | there |
| next week → | the following week |
Yes/No Questions vs. Wh- Questions
This is where intermediate students often get confused. You need to connect the two parts differently.
| Yes/No Questions | Wh- Questions |
|---|---|
| Questions with no question words: – Use if or whether. | Questions using Who, What, Where, When, Why, How… – Keep the question word. |
| Examples Direct: “Do you speak Spanish?” Reported: He asked if I spoke Spanish. Direct: “Did you finish yesterday?” Reported: She asked if I had finished the day before. | Examples Direct: “Where is the station?” Reported: She asked where the station was. Direct: “Why are you late?” Reported: He asked why I was late |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake 1: She asked what was I doing?
- Correct: She asked what I was doing. (No inversion!)
- Mistake 2: He asked did I like coffee.
- Correct: He asked if I liked coffee. (No ‘did’, use ‘if’).
- Mistake 3: They asked where do I work.
- Correct: They asked where I worked. (No ‘do’, past tense).
