Reported Questions

Form

When we are reporting questions, the subject comes before the verb.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Where are you going?"
REPORTED SPEECH: He asked me where I was going.


DIRECT SPEECH: "Why is he shouting?"
REPORTED SPEECH: He asked me why he was shouting.


DIRECT SPEECH: "What do you want?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me what I wanted.

Negative questions

We do not use the auxiliary verb 'do', except in negative questions.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Who doesn't like cheese?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me who didn't like cheese.

Yes/no questions

We report yes / no questions with 'if' or 'whether'.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Do you want me to come?"
REPORTED SPEECH: I asked him if he wanted me to come.


DIRECT SPEECH: "Have you fed the dog?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me whether I had fed the dog.

Who, what, which

When we report questions with 'who, what or which' + to be + complement, the verb 'to be' can come before or after the complement.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Who is the champion?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me who the champion was OR She asked me who was the champion.


DIRECT SPEECH: "What is your favourite color?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me what my favourite color was OR She asked me what was my favourite color.


Here's a short QUIZ to check your understanding.