Reported Questions — English Hub

01 — The Core Problem

Why questions change when reported

When you ask a question directly, English uses inverted word order and auxiliary verbs: "Where do you live?" When you report that question, both of those things disappear. The reported version looks and sounds like a statement, not a question.

Two things always change. Sometimes a third does too.

Rule 1 — Word order

No inversion. No auxiliary verb. The word order becomes subject + verb, like in a statement.

"Where does she live?"
→ He asked where she lived
(not: where ~~did she live~~)

Rule 2 — Tense shift

The verb moves one step back in time. Present becomes past; past becomes past perfect.

"Are you ready?"
→ She asked if I was ready
(not: if I am ready)

Rule 3 — Yes/No connector

Yes/no questions need if or whether to link the reported question to the verb.

"Have you met him?"
→ She asked if I had met him
→ She asked whether I had met him

No question mark

A reported question is a statement. It ends with a full stop, not a question mark.

✗ She asked where I was going?
✓ She asked where I was going.

02 — Tense Reference

How tenses shift

The verb in the original question shifts one step into the past when reported. Here are all the shifts you need:

Direct question uses		Reported question uses	Example
present simple is / are / do / does	→	past simple was / were / did	"Are you ready?" → she asked if I was ready
present continuous is/are + -ing	→	past continuous was/were + -ing	"What are you doing?" → she asked what I was doing
past simple did / went / said	→	past perfect had + past participle	"Where did you go?" → she asked where I had gone
present perfect have/has + pp	→	past perfect had + past participle	"Have you eaten?" → she asked if I had eaten
will	→	would	"Will you help?" → she asked if I would help
can	→	could	"Can you swim?" → she asked if I could swim

Note Could, would, should, might, and ought to do not change — they are already past in form.

03 — Two Types

wh-questions vs yes/no questions

The two types of direct question are reported differently. The difference is in how you connect the reported clause.

wh-questions — use the wh-word

Direct "Where do you live?"

Reported He asked where I lived.

Direct "Why did she leave?"

Reported He asked why she had left.

Direct "What time will you arrive?"

Reported He asked what time I would arrive.

yes/no questions — use if or whether

Direct "Are you coming?"

Reported She asked if I was coming.

Direct "Have you seen him?"

Reported She asked whether I had seen him.

Direct "Did you eat breakfast?"

Reported She asked if I had eaten breakfast.

if vs whether Both are correct for yes/no questions. Whether is slightly more formal and is often preferred in writing.

04 — Practice

Exercises

Exercise B Transform the questions

Report each direct question. Complete the sentence. Press Check when you've finished all five.

Direct: "What are you reading?"

He asked me what ___________

Direct: "Did you finish the homework?"

She asked me if ___________

Direct: "How long have you been waiting?"

He wanted to know how long ___________

Direct: "Can you speak German?"

She asked me whether ___________

Direct: "Where will you be tomorrow?"

He asked me where ___________