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Indirect Speech for question sentences - Rules

The rules for indirect speech generally remain same for all types of sentences; however, question sentences require specific considerations. The following rules and examples provide a comprehensive guide for converting question sentences into indirect speech.

1.
Inverted commas are removed in indirect speech.
2.
The conjunction ‘that’ is not used in indirect speech for question sentences. The conjunction ‘that’ is generally used in indirect speech for other types of sentences but it is not used in indirect speech for question sentences.
3.
In indirect speech, the question sentence is expressed in positive (or assertive) form rather than question form.
Example.
Direct speech:
He said, “Where are you going?”
Indirect speech:
He asked Where I was going. (correct)
Indirect speech:
He asked where was I going. (wrong)
4.
Since the question sentence is expressed as positive sentence, question mark (?) is not used in indirect speech for question sentence.
5.
The question sentence in direct speech may start with reporting verb such as ‘say’ or ‘tell’ (e.g., he said, she told). However, in indirect speech, the verbs such as ‘ask’ or ‘inquire’ are generally used instead of ‘say’ or ‘tell’ (e.g., he asked, she asked).
6.
The rules for changing the tense (helping verb or main verb) in indirect speech are similar to standard rules for all types of sentences (e.g., positive, negative and interrogative sentences).

These are the basic rules for all question sentences. Some additional rules apply depending on the type of question. Let’s first look at the types of questions and their specific rules.

Question sentences can be classified into two types:

  1. Questions that can be answered with YES of NO.
  2. Questions that cannot be answered only with YES or NO but requires a more detailed answer in the form of a few words or a sentence.

1. Question that can be answered with YES of NO.
These questions usually start with axillary verbs (or helping verbs) such as is, was, have, has, had, will etc. These can be answered simply by saying yes or no. See the following examples.

Do you like a mango?
Have you passed your exam?
Will you help me?

2. Question that cannot be answered with YES of NO.

This question usually starts with what, how, why, where, when etc. These cannot be answered simply by saying yes or no but requires a bit detailed answer in the form of a few words or a sentence. See the following examples.

What are you doing?
Where are you going?
Why are your crying?

  Indirect Speech for Questions That Can Be Answered with YES/NO

To convert these into indirect speech:

  • Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ before the reported clause.
  • Maintain the sentence in positive (or affirmative) form.

Examples:

Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
He said to me, “Do you like coffee?”
He asked me if I liked coffee.
She said to me, “Do you play football?”
She asked me if I played football.
He said to me, “Will you help me?”
He asked me if I would help him.
David said to me, “Can I use your phone?”
David asked me if he could use my phone.
She said to me, “Did you see my cat?”
She asked me if I had seen her cat.
He said to me, “Are you enjoying the music?”
He asked me if I was enjoying the music.
She said to me, “Have you gone to London?”
She asked me if I had gone to London.
John said to me, “Will you buy a camera?”
John asked me if I would buy a camera.
He said to me, “Are you waiting for me”.
He said to me if I was waiting for him.
She said to me, “Were you driving a car?
She asked me if I had been driving a car.
She said to the patient, “Are you feeling well?”
She asked the patient whether he was feeling well.
John said to me, “Have you eaten some food?”
John asked me whether I had eaten some food.
He said to me, “Have you won a prize?”
He asked me whether I had won a prize.
She said to me, “Is it raining?”
She asked me whether it was raining.
He said to me, “Do you need any help?”.
He asked me whether I needed any help.

  Indirect Speech for Questions That Cannot Be Answered with Only YES/NO

  • Do not use ‘if’ or ‘whether’.
  • Simply convert the question into positive (assertive) form and place it after the reporting verb.

Examples:

Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
He said to me, “What are you doing?”
He asked me what I was doing.
She said to me, “What is your name?”
She asked me what my name was.
David said to me, “How are you?”
David asked me how I was.
He said to me, “Where are you going?”
He asked me where I was going.
She said to me, “What are you eating?”
She asked me what I was eating.
He said to me, “Why did you break the cup?”
He asked me why I had broken the cup.
John asked me, “When will you buy a camera?”
John asked me when I would buy a camera.
He said to me, “When will you come?”
He asked me when I would come.
She said to me, “Why were you laughing?”
She asked me why I had been laughing.
He said to me, “Why were you waiting for me?”
He asked me why I had been waiting for him.
They said to me, “What have you bought?
They asked me what I had bought.
She said to me, “What have you eaten?
She asked me what I had eaten?
He said to me, “Why have you resigned from your job?”
He said to me why I had resigned from my job.
She said to me, “Where can I buy some food?”.
She asked me where she could buy some food.
He said to me, “How can I pass the exam?”
He asked me how he could pass the exam.
She said to me, “Why do you waste your time?”
She asked me why I wasted my time.
John said to me, “How old are you?”
John asked me how old I was.
They said to me, “How is the weather?”
They asked me how the weather was.

 



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