Reported yes/no questions
Use asked if / asked whether + statement word order (no inversion, no do/does/did).
| Direct question | Reported question |
|---|---|
| "Are you coming?" | She asked if I was coming. |
| "Do you like coffee?" | He asked whether I liked coffee. |
| "Have you finished?" | She asked if I had finished. |
| "Did you see the film?" | He wanted to know if I had seen the film. |
No question mark in reported speech:
Reported questions use statement order (subject + verb) and end with a full stop, not a question mark.
Reported wh-questions
Use wh-word + statement order (subject before verb, no inversion).
| Direct question | Reported question |
|---|---|
| "Where do you live?" | She asked me where I lived. |
| "What are you doing?" | He asked what I was doing. |
| "Why did she leave?" | I wondered why she had left. |
| "How long have you been waiting?" | She asked how long I had been waiting. |
Reported commands and requests
Use told / asked / warned / advised + object + to infinitive (positive) or not to infinitive (negative).
| Direct speech | Reported speech |
|---|---|
| "Sit down!" | She told me to sit down. |
| "Don't touch it!" | He told me not to touch it. |
| "Please call me later." | She asked me to call her later. |
| "Don't open the door." | He warned us not to open the door. |
| "Take your medicine." | The doctor advised me to take my medicine. |
Common reporting verbs for questions and commands
| Type | Verbs | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | ask, want to know, wonder, inquire | asked if/whether/wh-word + statement |
| Commands | tell, order, command | told + object + to-inf |
| Requests | ask, beg, request | asked + object + to-inf |
| Advice | advise, recommend, urge | advised + object + to-inf |
| Warnings | warn | warned + object + not to-inf |
Exercises
Choose the correct reported form.
1. "Where do you work?" → She asked me ___.
2. "Are you free tonight?" → He asked if ___.
3. "Don't make any noise!" → She told us ___.
4. "Please help me with this." → She asked me ___.
5. "Have you ever been to Japan?" → He asked me ___.