3. Reported Questions

In reported questions we use the affirmative word order and the question mark changes into a full stop. Pronouns, possessive adjectives, tenses, time expressions etc. change as in statements.

e.g. He asked me, “What time is it?” → He asked me what time it was.

e.g. He asked me, “Did you phone her?” → He asked me if / whether I had phone her.

3.1 Turn these into indirect questions, beginning I asked:

1. What's Peter's address?

2. When's the new manager coming?

3. How does she know my name?

4. Why are all the windows open?

5. How many books does he want?

6. Does my hair look funny?

7. Has the postman been?

8. Do they speak English?

9. Am I doing the right thing?

10. Is the meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday?

3.2 * Write these sentences as reported questions, using the words given:

1. 'What's your name?' he asked. (wanted to know) – He wanted to know what my name was.

2. 'How old are you?' she said. (asked) – She asked how old I was.

3. 'When does the train leave?' I asked. (asked)

4. 'How are you?' he said. (asked)

5. 'Who did you see at the meeting?' my mother said. (wanted to know)

6. 'Why did you take my wallet?' he asked. (wanted to know)

7. 'How did you get to school?' she said. (asked)

8. 'Where do you live?' the boy asked. (wanted to know)

9. 'Why wasn't Judy at the party?' she asked. (asked)

10. 'Why didn't you telephone?' my father asked. (wanted to know)

4. Reported commands / requests / suggestions

To report commands / requests / suggestions we use a reporting word (ask, order, tell etc.) followed by a “to-infinitive”, a “not to-infinitive” or an “-ing form” according to the construction of the introductory verb.

e.g. He said to me, “Come with me!” → He told me to go with him.

He said to me, “Don’t lie to me!” → He told me not to lie to him.

He said, “Let’s go out.” → He suggested going out.

4.1 Write these sentences in Reported Speech, using the words given. Note that some words may have to be changed:

1. 'Sit down Mary.' (he told) – He told Mary to sit down.

2. 'Don't go near the sea, children.' (the children's mother warned) – The children's mother warned them not to go near the sea.

3. 'Don't be late, Tim.' (Tim's father told)

4. 'Be quiet, children.' (the librarian told)

5. 'Don't shoot, men!' (the officer ordered)

6. 'Have your tickets ready, please.' (the inspector told us)

7. 'Don't use the telephone after eleven o'clock.' (the landlady told us)

8. 'Leave your keys on the desk, please.' (the receptionist told us)

9. 'Have your passports ready, please.' (the customs officer told us)

10. 'Finish the job tonight, please.' (my boss told me)

11. 'Run!' (the general ordered the soldiers)

12. 'Open the door, please.' (my mother told me)

5. Modals in Reported Speech

Some modal verbs change their tenses in Reported Speech:

Direct Speech	Reported Speech
Will / shall → She said, “I will do it later.” She said, “When shall we reach New York?”	Would She said (that) she would do it later. She asked when they would reach New York.
Must → She said, “You must be back at 10.00.” She said, “He must be a liar.”	Must (probability) / Had to (obligation) She said (that) I had to be back at 10.00. She said (that) he must be a liar.
Shall → She said, “How shall I do this?”	Should (advice) She asked how she should do that.
May → She said, “I may speak to Ann.”	Might She said (that) she might speak to Ann.
Can → She said, “I can speak German.” She said, “I can come next Monday.”	Could / would be able to She said (that) she could speak German. She said (that) she would be able to go the following Monday.

Other verbs stay the same: would, could, should, might, ought to, had better.

5.1 Turn the following sentences into Reported speech:

1. "How shall I tell Tom the bad news?" she said. – She asked how she should tell Tom the bad news.

2. "You must try my home-made pie," she said.

3. "Can I go home now?" he asked.

4. "May I call you by your first name?" he asked her.

5. "You can come in, but you mustn't make any noise," she said to him.

6. "What time shall we arrive in London?" he asked.

7. "She must try harder if she wants to succeed," he said.

8. "My father will be angry with me if he finds out," she said.

9. "You ought not to drive so fast," he said to her.

10. "They don't have to come if they don't feel like it," he said.

5.2 Write the following in reported speech:

1. 'Where do you think we should advertise?' (He asked me) – He asked me where I thought we should advertise.

2. 'Are you going to audition for the play?' (Emma asked me)

3. 'Give me a ring if you need any help.' (She told me)

4. 'How is Laura getting on?' (She often asks me ____ you ____)

5. 'Shall I ask her out for a meal?' (He's been wondering)

6. 'Why did Matthew look so embarrassed when he saw Carole?' (He asked)

7. 'Must we stay here all evening?' (He asked)

8. 'What are they doing about publicity for the event?' (She wondered)

9. 'Will you send me the report when it's finished?' (He asked me)

10. 'What have you done with the student records?' (She asked me)