Reported Speech Series

The Blackwood Interrogations

Indirect Questions & the Backshift of Tenses
★ LORD BLACKWOOD IS DEAD ★ THREE SUSPECTS ★ ONE DETECTIVE ★ 20 MINUTES TO CRACK THE CASE
Blackwood Manor  ·  11 November 1932 Restricted
Dossier I
Crime Scene
Initial Report
Dossier II
Field Manual
Voss's Method
Dossier III
The Room
3 Suspects
Dossier IV
Debrief
Chief Inspector
Dossier V
The Verdict
Case Closed
Phase 01 — The Scene of the Crime 3 MIN
The Situation

Lord Blackwood Is Found Dead

It is the morning of 11 November, 1932. Lord Reginald Blackwood has been found dead in the library of Blackwood Manor. The cause: poisoned tea.

Detective Inspector Clara Voss arrives and immediately begins questioning the three people who were in the house that night. You are her assistant. Your job is to take notes and report her questions accurately to the Chief Inspector — who was not present during the interviews.

The Chief Inspector will only accept testimony that follows correct grammar. One error in your report and the suspect walks free.

⚠ Your grammar is evidence. One mistake lets the killer escape. ⚠
The Grammar Problem

You Cannot Quote Directly

You heard Inspector Voss ask: "Where were you at midnight?"

But to the Chief Inspector, you must report it — not quote it. You must transform the question:

✗ She asked: "Where were you at midnight?"
✓ She asked where he had been at midnight.

The question word stays. The word order changes. The tense shifts back. That is the whole lesson.

A Quick Recall

Tenses shift back in reported speech. You already know this:

DirectReported
"I am nervous."…he was nervous.
"She works here."…she worked there.
"They have left."…they had left.

Today: the same rules — but for questions.

The Suspects Board
🎩
Victor Ashby
The Butler
"I was polishing the silver in the pantry all evening."
Under Suspicion
💄
Lady Miriam Foss
The Niece
"I had retired to my room by ten o'clock. I heard nothing."
Under Suspicion
🔬
Dr. Edmund Hale
The Physician
"I arrived at eleven for a house call. I left before midnight."
Under Suspicion
🧹
Agnes Poole
The Housemaid
"I was tidying the east corridor. I saw nothing unusual."
Witness
⚖️
Mr Silas Greer
The Solicitor
"I am here solely in a professional capacity regarding the estate."
Witness
Phase 02 — Detective Voss's Rules of Reporting 5 MIN

Two Kinds of Questions, Two Reporting Methods

TYPE A — YES / NO QUESTIONS

When a question can be answered yes or no, introduce it with if or whether. Use statement word order — no inversion.

Inspector: "Did you hear a noise?"
She asked whether he had heard a noise.
Inspector: "Are you telling the truth?"
She asked if he was telling the truth.
TYPE B — WH- QUESTIONS

Keep the question word (who, what, where, when, why, how). Use statement word order. Apply backshift.

Inspector: "Where were you at midnight?"
She asked where he had been at midnight.
Inspector: "Why did you leave early?"
She asked why he had left early.
⚠ CRITICAL: Indirect questions use statement word order — no inversion, no do/does/did.  ✗ She asked where did he go.  →  ✓ She asked where he had gone.
Backshift — The Tense Shift Table
Direct (tense used)→ Reported form
Present Simple
"Do you know him?"		 Past Simple
…if he knew him.
Past Simple
"Did you see her?"		 Past Perfect
…if he had seen her.
Present Perfect
"Have you been here?"		 Past Perfect
…whether he had been there.
Present Continuous
"What are you doing?"		 Past Continuous
…what he was doing.
will
"Will you confess?"		 would
…whether he would confess.
can
"Can you explain this?"		 could
…if he could explain it.
Four Errors That Contaminate Evidence
✗ Error 1 — Inversion
She asked where did he hide the poison.
✓ She asked where he had hidden the poison.
✗ Error 2 — Question Mark
He asked if she was lying?
✓ He asked if she was lying.
✗ Error 3 — Missing if/whether
She asked had he met the victim before.
✓ She asked whether he had met the victim before.
✗ Error 4 — No Backshift
She asked where he was at midnight. (from "Where were you?")
✓ She asked where he had been at midnight.
Phase 03 — The Interrogation Room 5 MIN
Your Mission

Inspector Voss has finished questioning the suspects. You were in the room, taking notes in shorthand. Now you must report her questions accurately to the Chief Inspector. Transform each direct question into an indirect question. Every grammatical error weakens the case.

Interrogation A — Victor Ashby (the Butler) Suspect #1
Inspector Voss sits across from Ashby. The silver candlestick between them catches the light. She leans forward slowly.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Did you prepare Lord Blackwood's evening tea?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked Ashby had prepared Lord Blackwood's evening tea.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"What time did you bring the tea to the library?"
▶ Report it (wh- question):
She asked Ashby the tea to the library.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Have you ever handled arsenic in this house?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked he ever handled arsenic in that house.
✦ NEW EVIDENCE UNLOCKED — EXHIBIT A ✦
Forensic Analysis — Arsenic Residue The tea set has been examined. Arsenic traces are found not in the pot — but on the cup handle only. Someone applied it after the tea was poured. Ashby prepared the tea. But someone else served it.
Interrogation B — Lady Miriam Foss (the Niece) Suspect #2
Lady Foss sits with perfect posture, hands folded. She does not look at the inspector. The fire crackles. Inspector Voss does not waste time.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Why were you in the corridor at half past eleven?"
▶ Report it (wh- question):
She asked Lady Foss in the corridor at half past eleven.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Will you tell me what you heard?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked Lady Foss her what she had heard.
✦ NEW EVIDENCE UNLOCKED — EXHIBIT B ✦
Witness Statement — The Housemaid The housemaid confirms she saw Lady Miriam Foss in the corridor at 11:35 pm — not at half past eleven as the Lady claimed. The gap of five minutes places her in the corridor at the precise moment Dr. Hale arrived at the manor.
Interrogation C — Dr. Edmund Hale (the Physician) Suspect #3
Dr. Hale is the last to be questioned. He sits very still. A glass vial has been found in his medical bag. Inspector Voss places it on the table between them without speaking.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"How long have you known Lord Blackwood?"
▶ Report it (wh- question):
She asked Dr. Hale Lord Blackwood.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Can you explain why this arsenic is in your bag?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked he why that arsenic was in his bag.
✦ NEW EVIDENCE UNLOCKED — EXHIBIT C ✦
Medical Bag — Contents Analysis The vial in Dr. Hale's bag contains arsenic trioxide — a compound with no legitimate medical application in 1932. His prescription ledger shows Lord Blackwood as a patient. A notation dated 9 November reads: "Refused further treatment. Will not sign."
CASE SOLVED

Inspector Voss Names the Killer

Interrogation D — Agnes Poole (the Housemaid) Witness #4
Agnes Poole is frightened. She has been waiting in the hall for two hours. Inspector Voss brings her a chair and begins quietly.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"What were you doing in the east corridor at midnight?"
▶ Report it (wh- question):
She asked Agnes in the east corridor at midnight.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Did you see anyone carry the tea tray towards the library?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked Agnes anyone carry the tea tray towards the library.
✦ NEW EVIDENCE UNLOCKED — EXHIBIT D ✦
Housemaid's Statement — Corridor Sighting Agnes Poole confirms she saw a man in a dark coat carrying the tea tray along the east corridor at approximately 11:40 pm. She did not see his face. She describes his coat as having a distinctive brass button on the left cuff — consistent with the professional attire of a visiting physician.
Interrogation E — Mr Silas Greer (the Solicitor) Witness #5
Mr Greer arrived this morning bearing Lord Blackwood's will. He is reluctant to speak. Inspector Voss does not give him a choice.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Who stands to benefit most from Lord Blackwood's death?"
▶ Report it (wh- question):
She asked most from Lord Blackwood's death.
Inspector Voss — direct question:
"Has Dr. Hale ever contacted you about the terms of the will?"
▶ Report it (yes/no question):
She asked Dr. Hale her about the terms of the will.
✦ NEW EVIDENCE UNLOCKED — EXHIBIT E ✦
Legal Record — Blackwood Estate Mr Greer confirms that Dr. Hale contacted his office on 3 November — six days before the death — to enquire whether a medical attendant could be named a primary beneficiary in place of a family member. Lord Blackwood's will has since been located. Dr. Hale's name appears, crossed out, above Lady Miriam Foss's. The crossing-out is in Lord Blackwood's hand.
Contaminated Evidence — Find the Errors Bonus

Your colleague's report contains errors. Each sentence has exactly one mistake. Identify and correct it.

1
She asked where did the butler go after dinner.
2
He wanted to know if Lady Foss had left her room?
3
The inspector asked had the doctor visited before.
4
She asked what time the doctor leaves the manor.
5
He asked whether did Ashby know about the will.
Phase 04 — Briefing the Chief Inspector 5 MIN
Your Mission

The Chief Inspector has arrived. He was not present during any of the interviews. You must brief him on what Inspector Voss asked each suspect. For each scenario: read the direct question, write your full reported version in the box, then submit to reveal the model answer and check your work.

▶ PRODUCTION TASK — Written Brief

Invent three questions Inspector Voss might have asked one of the suspects. Write the direct question first, then write the reported version beneath it. When finished, read your reported versions aloud to your partner as the Chief Inspector.

Q1
Direct question (as Voss asked it):
Reported version (for the Chief Inspector):
Q2
Direct question (as Voss asked it):
Reported version (for the Chief Inspector):
Q3
Direct question (as Voss asked it):
Reported version (for the Chief Inspector):

MIX YES/NO AND WH- QUESTIONS · NO CHECKING — TEACHER REVIEWS

Phase 05 — The Verdict & Summary 2 MIN
Rule 1

Yes/No → if / whether

Use if or whether as the connector. Statement word order follows immediately. No inversion.

"Are you the killer?"
→ She asked if he was the killer.
Rule 2

Wh- → keep the question word

Keep who / what / where / when / why / how. Statement word order. Backshift applies.

"Why did you lie?"
→ He asked why she had lied.
What Poisons a Report

The 4 Fatal Errors

  • Inversion after the question word
  • Question mark at the end
  • Missing if/whether (yes/no questions)
  • Forgotten backshift

Exit Ticket — The Final Deposition

Write each reported question in full. Use the reporting verb given. Submit when all four are complete.

"Did you poison the tea, Mr Ashby?"
Reporting verb: asked
"How long have you known the victim?"
Reporting verb: wanted to know
"Will you sign this statement?"
Reporting verb: asked
"What were you doing at midnight?"
Reporting verb: asked
— CASE CLOSED · LESSON COMPLETE —

NEXT: REPORTING VERBS — SAID, TOLD, ASKED, WARNED, DENIED…

Morning Edition  ·  Twopence
The Wiltshire Courier
Saturday, 15 November 1932  ·  Est. 1847
PHYSICIAN CHARGED IN BLACKWOOD MANOR POISONING
Inspector Voss of the County Constabulary brings charges against Dr. Edmund Hale following four days of interrogation at the manor
Reported speech is the language of the law. Every indirect question in this report follows the rules you practised today.
Field Assessment — Inspector Voss
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