Reported Questions: Using Wh- Words (what, where, why)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Reported questions turn a direct question into a statement by removing 'do/does/did' and using normal subject-verb word order.
- Keep the Wh- word (what, where, why) as the connector. Example: 'Where is he?' -> 'She asked where he was.'
- Change the word order to Subject + Verb. Example: 'Why are you late?' -> 'He asked why I was late.'
- Remove auxiliary 'do', 'does', or 'did'. Example: 'What do you want?' -> 'She asked what I wanted.'
Overview
Tell people what someone asked. It sounds very natural.
Say "He asked where I was" instead of "Where are you?"
Put the question inside a new sentence. Use "ask" or "wonder."
This is how people speak every day.
How This Grammar Works
- No Question Mark: A reported question is no longer a direct inquiry; it functions as a statement that reports an inquiry. Consequently, it terminates with a period, not a question mark. For example, the direct question "
Where is the exit?" becomes the reported statement "He askedwhere the exit was."
- No Auxiliary Verb Inversion: In direct questions, English typically inverts the subject and the auxiliary verb (e.g.,
are you,did she,is it). In reported questions, this inversion is reversed, and the word order reverts to that of a standard affirmative statement: Subject + Verb. This is one of the most critical and often challenging aspects for learners. Consider "What are you doing?" When reported, this becomes "She askedwhat I was doing", not "She askedwhat was I doing."
- The Wh- Word Stays and Acts as a Connector: Unlike
Yes/Noreported questions, which introduce the reported clause withiforwhether, Wh- questions retain their original Wh- word (what,where,when,why,who,how). This Wh- word then functions as the conjunction, directly linking the reporting clause to the reported clause. For instance, "Why did he leave?" is reported as "I wonderedwhy he had left." Thewhydirectly connects the reporting verbwonderedto the action of leaving.
- Tense Backshift: This is a common characteristic of reported speech when the reporting verb (e.g.,
asked,wondered,wanted to know) is in a past tense. The verb in the reported clause generally shifts one tense back into the past from its original tense. This indicates that the reported action or state occurred before or simultaneously with the act of reporting. Here are common backshifts: - Present Simple → Past Simple: "
Where do you live?" →He asked where I lived. - Present Continuous → Past Continuous: "
What are you reading?" →She asked what I was reading. - Present Perfect → Past Perfect: "
How long have you waited?" →They asked how long I had waited. - Past Simple → Past Perfect: "
When did you arrive?" →He inquired when I had arrived. - Future (will) → Conditional (would): "
When will you call?" →She asked when I would call. - Modals:
can→could,may→might,must→had to(often). For example, "How much can you lift?" →He asked how much I could lift.
- Pronoun and Time/Place Adverb Changes: Just like with reported statements, pronouns (e.g.,
I→he/she), demonstratives (e.g.,this→that), and time/place adverbs (e.g.,today→that day,here→there,tomorrow→the next day) often need to be adjusted to reflect the change in perspective from the original speaker to the reporter. For example, "When did you see me here yesterday?" might become "He askedwhen I had seen him there the day before."
Formation Pattern
Who unlocked the door?"
He asked who had unlocked the door. (Not who the door had been unlocked by or who had been unlocked the door.)
What happened next?"
She wondered what had happened next. (Not what next had happened.)
When To Use It
- Recounting Conversations and Events: The most common application is to narrate what someone else asked without quoting them verbatim. This allows you to integrate the content of a question into your own story or discussion fluidly. For example, "My colleague asked
when the report was due", rather than interrupting your narrative with a direct quote. This is vital in meetings, social gatherings, or when explaining past interactions.
- Politeness and Indirectness: Reported questions inherently create distance from the direct question, often making requests or inquiries sound more polite or less demanding. Instead of directly asking a stranger "
What time is it?", a more polite approach in certain situations might be "Excuse me, could you tell mewhat time it is?" This indirectness is valued in many professional and formal settings.
- Summarizing and Explaining: In academic writing, presentations, or business reports, reported questions are used to summarize research questions, problems posed, or inquiries made. For instance, "The committee wanted to know
why the project had experienced delays" concisely conveys a point of investigation without using a direct quote that might feel out of place in formal prose.
- Integrating Information Smoothly: By converting questions into statements, you avoid abrupt shifts in sentence structure, making your speech and writing flow more naturally. It prevents the conversational disruption that direct quotes can sometimes introduce. For example, when describing a job interview, you might say, "The interviewer asked
where I saw myself in five years, and I responded..." This integrates the question into your answer seamlessly.
- Avoiding Repetition in Narrative: When discussing a series of questions or a lengthy dialogue, using reported speech prevents repetitive use of quotation marks and ensures the focus remains on the content of the questions rather than their exact phrasing. It’s an efficient way to convey the essence of a query.
- Modern Communication: Reported questions appear frequently in informal digital communication, such as texting or instant messages. You might text a friend, "My mom just asked
when I'd be homelol," demonstrating its use in everyday, informal contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Retaining Subject-Auxiliary Inversion: This is arguably the most prevalent error. Learners often mistakenly keep the subject-verb inversion pattern from direct questions. The reported clause, however, is a subordinate clause functioning as an object, and all subordinate clauses follow statement word order (Subject + Verb).
- Incorrect:
He asked where was I going? - Correct:
He asked where I was going. - Why it's wrong: The clause
where was I goingmaintains interrogative inversion, which is incorrect within a declarative reported structure. The question mark is also an error here.
- Using
iforwhetherwith Wh- Words: Learners sometimes incorrectly combineiforwhetherwith a Wh- word, conflating the rules forYes/Noreported questions with Wh- reported questions. The Wh- word itself serves as the connector. - Incorrect:
She asked if what I wanted. - Correct:
She asked what I wanted. - Why it's wrong:
iforwhetherare used forYes/Noquestions. Using them with a Wh- word is redundant and ungrammatical.
- Incorrect or Missing Tense Backshift: Forgetting to backshift the verb, or applying it inconsistently, is another common mistake, especially when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
- Incorrect:
He asked what do you want? - Correct:
He asked what I wanted. - Why it's wrong: The reported verb
do want(present simple) should backshift towanted(past simple) when the reporting verbaskedis in the past.
- Keeping
do,does, ordidas Auxiliaries: These auxiliary verbs are essential for forming direct questions in the simple present and simple past tenses, but they are removed in reported questions because the structure becomes declarative. - Incorrect:
She asked what did I do. - Correct:
She asked what I had done. - Why it's wrong:
didis an auxiliary for direct questions. In reported speech, the main verb is backshifted (e.g.,do→had done), anddidis no longer needed.
- Retaining the Question Mark: As previously noted, a reported question is a statement about a question, not a question itself. Therefore, it ends with a period.
- Incorrect:
He wanted to know when the meeting was? - Correct:
He wanted to know when the meeting was. - Why it's wrong: The interrogative punctuation is inappropriate for a declarative sentence.
- Dropping the Wh- Word Entirely: Omitting the Wh- word can make the sentence ungrammatical or alter its meaning to resemble a
Yes/Noquestion ififorwhetherare then introduced. - Incorrect:
He asked I was going. - Correct:
He asked where I was going. - Why it's wrong: The sentence is incomplete and unclear without the connector. It leaves the listener or reader guessing about the nature of the inquiry.
Real Conversations
Understanding the grammatical rules is one aspect; observing how reported Wh- questions are naturally integrated into everyday English conversation, professional exchanges, and informal communication is another. These examples illustrate the natural flow and utility of this structure across various contexts.
- Casual Conversation (Friends Discussing Plans):
- Direct Question: "What are you doing this weekend?"
- Scenario: You're talking to a friend about a mutual acquaintance, Alex.
- Reported: "I ran into Alex yesterday, and he asked what I was doing this weekend. I told him I didn't have any plans yet."
- Analysis: The reported question integrates seamlessly into the narrative about meeting Alex, providing context without an abrupt quote.
- Work Email (Project Update):
- Direct Question: "When will the final draft be submitted?"
- Scenario: You're responding to a client's email about a project timeline.
- Reported: "Thank you for your email. Regarding your question about when the final draft would be submitted, we are on track for completion by Friday, March 10th."
- Analysis: This demonstrates the politeness and formality of reported questions in professional correspondence, softening the direct inquiry.
- Narrating an Event (Explaining a Decision):
- Direct Question: "Why did you choose that specific software?"
- Scenario: You're explaining your recent technology purchase to a family member.
- Reported: "Before buying, I did a lot of research. My brother even asked why I had chosen that specific software, so I showed him the comparison charts and explained the features."
- Analysis: The reported question acts as a natural setup for providing an explanation, reflecting a common conversational pattern.
- Informal Text Message (Post-Class Discussion):
- Direct Question: "How do we submit the homework?"
- Scenario: You've just left a lecture, and your classmate texts you.
- Reported: "Hey, did you catch what the professor said? Maya just texted me asking how we submit the homework."
- Analysis: This highlights the use of reported questions in quick, informal digital communication, where conciseness and clarity are key.
- Job Interview Recount (Reflecting on Experience):
- Direct Question: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
- Scenario: You're debriefing with a mentor after an interview.
- Reported: "The interview went well. They asked some interesting questions, like where I saw myself in five years, which always makes you think."
- Analysis: This example shows how reported questions are used to reflect on or analyze past interactions, particularly in evaluative contexts.
These examples underscore that reported Wh- questions are not merely a theoretical construct but a practical tool used constantly by English speakers to efficiently and appropriately convey information from past inquiries.
Quick FAQ
- Q: Do I always have to backshift the tense?
- A: Not always, but it is generally the safest and most common practice, especially when the reporting verb is in a past tense. Backshift is usually optional if the reported statement is a general truth, a habitual action, or something that is still true or relevant at the time of reporting. For example, if someone asked "
Where is London?", you could report "He askedwhere London is" because London's location is a permanent fact. However, if the question was about a specific past event, such as "Where were you last night?", backshift is mandatory: "She askedwhere I had been last night."
- Q: What if the Wh- word is the subject of the direct question?
- A: If the Wh- word (
whoorwhat) is the subject, the rule for removing inversion doesn't apply because there was no inversion to begin with. The word order remains Wh- word + Verb (with appropriate tense backshift). For example, "Who broke the window?" becomes "The police askedwho had broken the window." Here,whoacts as the subject ofhad broken. Similarly, "What caused the delay?" becomes "They wonderedwhat had caused the delay."
- Q: Can I use different reporting verbs besides
ask? - A: Absolutely. While
askis the most common and versatile, other reporting verbs can add nuance and convey the original speaker's intention or tone. These include: wonder: (e.g.,He wondered why she was late.) expresses curiosity.inquire: (e.g.,The customer inquired what the total cost was.) more formal thanask.want to know: (e.g.,I wanted to know where the entrance was.) similar towonder.question: (e.g.,The journalist questioned how the decision was made.) can imply doubt or scrutiny.demand: (e.g.,He demanded what they were hiding.) suggests a forceful or urgent inquiry.request to know: (e.g.,The manager requested to know when the project would be finished.) formal and polite.
- Q: What's the main difference between reported
Yes/Noquestions and reported Wh- questions? - A: The crucial difference lies in the connector used to introduce the reported clause.
- Reported
Yes/Noquestions useiforwhether(e.g.,She asked if I was coming.) - Reported Wh- questions use the original Wh- word itself (
what,where,why, etc.) as the connector (e.g.,She asked where I was going.)
- Q: Is it ever correct to use
thatbefore the Wh- word in reported questions? - A: No. It is never correct to use
thatbefore a Wh- word in a reported question.Thatis used to introduce reported statements (e.g.,He said that he was busy.). In reported questions, the Wh- word itself acts as the conjunction, makingthatredundant and grammatically incorrect. For example,He asked that where I was goingis a common error; the correct form isHe asked where I was going.
- Q: How do modal verbs change in reported questions?
- A: Most modal verbs also backshift. Common transformations include:
will→would(e.g.,She asked when he would arrive.)can→could(e.g.,He asked how she could do that.)may→might(e.g.,I wondered what he might be doing.)mustoften changes tohad to(e.g.,He asked why I had to leave so early.). In some cases,mustcan remainmustif it expresses a continuing obligation or deduction. However,had tois generally safer for B1 learners.should,would,could,might, andought togenerally do not change in reported speech (e.g.,He asked what I should do.).
- Q: Does formality or informality affect the rules of reported Wh- questions?
- A: The fundamental grammatical rules (no inversion, Wh- word as connector, general backshift) remain constant across registers. However, the choice of reporting verb can vary with formality. For instance,
inquireorrequest to knoware more formal thanask. In very informal speech, minor deviations from strict backshift might occur, but for B1 learners, adhering to the standard rules provides a solid foundation for clear and correct communication in any context. Contractions are also more common in informal reported speech (e.g.,He asked when I'd be readyinstead ofHe asked when I would be ready).
3. Direct vs. Reported Question Structure
| Tense | Direct Question | Reported Question | Key Change |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
Where is he?
|
She asked where he was.
|
is -> was
|
|
Present Continuous
|
What are you doing?
|
He asked what I was doing.
|
are doing -> was doing
|
|
Past Simple
|
Why did she leave?
|
I asked why she had left.
|
did leave -> had left
|
|
Present Perfect
|
Where have you been?
|
They asked where I had been.
|
have been -> had been
|
|
Future (Will)
|
When will it end?
|
We asked when it would end.
|
will -> would
|
|
Can
|
How can I help?
|
He asked how he could help.
|
can -> could
|
Meanings
Reported Wh- questions are used to tell someone else what a person asked using words like what, where, when, why, who, and how. Unlike direct questions, they do not use question marks or question word order.
Reporting Past Inquiries
Describing a question that was asked in the past, requiring a tense shift.
“She asked why the train was late.”
“They wondered where the keys were.”
Polite Indirect Questions
Using reported structure in the present tense to be more polite or formal.
“Could you tell me where the station is?”
“I was wondering why the office is closed.”
Summarizing Conversations
Reporting the general topic of a question without quoting it exactly.
“The boss asked why the project failed.”
“The police asked where I had been.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Reporting Verb + Wh- + Subject + Verb
|
She asked why I was happy.
|
|
Negative
|
Reporting Verb + Wh- + Subject + Auxiliary + not + Verb
|
He asked why I didn't call.
|
|
Past Perfect
|
Reporting Verb + Wh- + Subject + had + V3
|
They asked where I had gone.
|
|
Continuous
|
Reporting Verb + Wh- + Subject + was/were + V-ing
|
I asked what they were eating.
|
|
Modal
|
Reporting Verb + Wh- + Subject + could/would + Verb
|
She asked how she could help.
|
|
Polite Present
|
I wonder + Wh- + Subject + Present Verb
|
I wonder where the bus is.
|
Formality Spectrum
The supervisor inquired as to where the employee was located. (Workplace vs. Friends)
He asked where I was. (Workplace vs. Friends)
He asked where I was at. (Workplace vs. Friends)
He was like, 'Where you at?' (Workplace vs. Friends)
The Anatomy of a Reported Question
Reporting Verbs
- asked asked
- wondered wondered
Connectors
- what what
- where where
- why why
Word Order
- Subject + Verb Subject + Verb
Direct vs. Indirect Order
Reporting a Question Step-by-Step
Is there a Wh- word?
Is there 'do', 'does', or 'did'?
Is the reporting verb in the past?
Common Reporting Verbs
Neutral
- • asked
- • wanted to know
Internal
- • wondered
- • pondered
Formal
- • inquired
- • queried
Examples by Level
He asked where I live.
She asked what I want.
They asked who he is.
I asked how you are.
He asked where the bus stop was.
She asked why I was late.
They asked what I did yesterday.
I asked when the movie started.
The manager asked why I had left my previous job.
She wondered how much the repairs would cost.
He wanted to know where I had been all night.
They inquired why the flight had been cancelled.
The professor asked to what extent the results were accurate.
I was wondering why you hadn't mentioned the problem earlier.
She asked where the documents were being kept.
They asked how the new policy would affect their salaries.
The board inquired as to why the merger had not been finalized.
He questioned how such a fundamental error could have occurred.
She asked why the witnesses were being so uncooperative.
The journalist asked what the implications of the new law might be.
The historian interrogated why the dynasty had collapsed so precipitously.
The critic pondered how the artist's upbringing had informed her aesthetic choices.
They queried why the philosophical underpinnings of the argument were so flawed.
The diplomat asked in what manner the treaty would be enforced across borders.
Easily Confused
Learners often use question word order in indirect questions because they feel like they are still 'asking'.
Using 'that' before a Wh- word.
Using 'if' with a Wh- word.
Common Mistakes
He asked where is the toilet?
He asked where the toilet is.
She asked what do you want.
She asked what I wanted.
I asked who are you.
I asked who you were.
He asked that where I live.
He asked where I lived.
He asked why did you go.
He asked why I went.
She asked how is your mother.
She asked how my mother was.
They asked where was the party.
They asked where the party was.
The boss asked why I haven't finished.
The boss asked why I hadn't finished.
She asked when will I arrive.
She asked when I would arrive.
He wondered where had I been.
He wondered where I had been.
The lawyer asked why was the contract signed so late.
The lawyer asked why the contract was signed so late.
Sentence Patterns
He asked me where ___ ___.
I wondered why ___ had ___.
They inquired how ___ would ___.
Could you tell me what ___ ___?
Real World Usage
He asked why I wanted to work for the company.
She asked what time we're going.
The officer asked where I had seen the suspect.
The agent asked what my order number was.
The study investigated how participants reacted to the stimulus.
Did he tell you why they broke up?
The 'Do' Eraser
No Question Marks
Still True? No Shift!
Politeness Hack
Smart Tips
Stop! Change the main verb to the past tense instead. 'Did' is for questions; your sentence is now a statement.
Move the 'is' (or 'was') to the very end of the clause.
Use 'I was wondering...' It uses the reported question structure to soften a request.
Check if you need 'had'. If the 'why' happened before the 'asking', use past perfect.
Treat 'what time' as a single Wh- unit that stays together.
Pronunciation
Falling Intonation
Unlike direct questions which often have rising intonation, reported questions end with falling intonation because they are statements.
Stress on Wh- word
The Wh- word is usually stressed to highlight the topic of the inquiry.
Statement Fall
I asked where he went. ↘️
Conveys that the speaker is providing information, not asking a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember: 'Wh- word, then the person, then the action.' No 'do' allowed!
Visual Association
Imagine a question mark (?) being flattened into a period (.) by a heavy weight labeled 'Subject + Verb'. The question mark loses its 'do/does/did' tail in the process.
Rhyme
When reporting what they say, throw the 'do' and 'did' away. Put the subject in the lead, that is all the help you need!
Story
A detective is writing a report. He hears a witness ask 'Where is the money?'. In his notebook, he writes: 'The witness asked where the money was.' He knows he can't use question marks in a formal report, so he straightens the sentence out.
Word Web
Challenge
Look at your last 3 sent text messages. If they were questions, try to report them to an imaginary friend using 'I asked...'.
Cultural Notes
In formal British English, 'inquired' is very common in written reports, whereas 'asked' is preferred in speech.
Americans often use 'wanted to know' as a more casual alternative to 'asked' in storytelling.
Using indirect questions (reported structure) is considered more polite when asking for favors or information from strangers.
The 'Wh-' words in English come from the Proto-Indo-European root '*kwo-', which also produced 'quis' in Latin and 'wer' in German.
Conversation Starters
Tell me about a time someone asked you a strange question. What did they ask?
In your last job interview, what did the interviewer ask you?
If you could ask a famous person one thing, what would it be? Now, tell me what you would ask them using reported speech.
Think about a recent news story. What are people asking about it?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
He asked...
She asked what I ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
He asked why was I crying.
He wanted to know...
I asked him what time it was.
A: 'Where are you going?' B: 'What did he say?' C: 'He asked...'
Select the correct one:
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesHe asked...
She asked what I ___.
Find and fix the mistake:
He asked why was I crying.
He wanted to know...
I asked him what time it was.
A: 'Where are you going?' B: 'What did he say?' C: 'He asked...'
Select the correct one:
1. 'Why are you sad?' 2. 'Where do you live?'
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesHe wanted to know `what her favorite color ___` .
The tourist asked if where was the museum.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella preguntó por qué estaba él tan enojado.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct question opening with its reported form:
They wanted to know `how many people ___ to the party` the previous night.
She asked what you wanted for your birthday?
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'El reportero quiso saber cómo la empresa planeaba abordar el problema.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
She wanted to find out `where the ancient manuscript ___ discovered` .
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
Because a reported question is actually a statement *about* a question. It's a noun clause, not an interrogative sentence.
No. In English, we never use `that` and a Wh- word together in reported speech. The Wh- word is the only connector you need.
If the reporting verb is in the present (e.g., 'He asks'), you don't change the tense. If it's in the past (e.g., 'He asked'), you usually backshift, unless the fact is still true.
They disappear! They are only used to help form questions. Since reported questions use statement order, they are no longer needed.
No. 'He asked where was I' is grammatically incorrect in standard English. You must put the subject first.
Yes! `Wonder` is great for reporting questions you ask yourself or when you don't have a specific person you are asking.
Yes, for the purposes of this rule, `how` behaves exactly like `what`, `where`, and `why`.
Change `will` to `would`. For example, 'When will you call?' becomes 'He asked when I would call.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Preguntó dónde estaba.
English requires strict Subject-Verb order, while Spanish is more flexible.
Il a demandé où j'habitais.
French uses 'ce que' for 'what' in reported questions, whereas English just uses 'what'.
Er fragte, wo ich wohne.
In German, the verb goes to the end; in English, it stays after the subject.
どこに住んでいるか聞きました (Doko ni sunde iru ka kikimashita)
Japanese uses a question particle; English uses word order and removes question markers.
سأل أين كنت (Sa'ala ayna kunta)
Arabic V-S order vs. English S-V order.
他问我住在哪里 (Tā wèn wǒ zhù zài nǎlǐ)
Chinese has no tense changes; English requires backshifting.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
English Wh-Questions: What, Where, When (Wh-Questions)
Overview Wh-questions help you ask for specific information. They are better than just "yes" or "no" questions. You use...
Reporting What People Said (Tense Backshift)
Overview Reporting what someone said, also known as `reported speech` or `indirect speech`, is a fundamental aspect of E...
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