Indirect Questions

The verb ask is usually used to report questions.

direct speech indirect speech

Sally said, “Where is my backpack?” Sally asked where her backpack was.

Peter said, “Have you finished your Peter asked if I had finished my homework?” homework.

To report a question, put the subject before the verb or helping verb. Remember that the subject comes after the helping verb when you ask a question. Here are some examples. The subjects are printed in bold and the verbs are printed in color.

asking a question reporting a question

“Where are they going?” I asked where they were going.

“Can Jack ride his bike?” I asked if Jack could ride his bike.

“Did Miss Lee sing a song?” I asked whether Miss Lee sang a song.

“Has she finished her homework?” I asked if she had finished her homework.

To report a question-word question, use the same question word in direct speech.

direct speech indirect speech

Mom said, “Where are your shoes?” Mom asked where my shoes were.

Maggie said, “Who has taken my Maggie asked who had taken her pen. pen?”

“What time does the show start?” Sue asked what time the show started. asked Sue.

Peter said, “Why did you leave Peter asked why I left before the end of before the end of the movie?” the movie.

When you are reporting yes or no questions, use if or whether after the verb.

direct speech indirect speech

“Is it raining?” asked Tom. Tom asked if it was raining. Alice said, “Can you help us?” Alice asked whether I could help them. Dad said, “Is the train on time?” Dad asked if the train was on time.

Exercise 1

Fill in the blank spaces with a verb in the correct tense. The first one has been done for you.

direct speech indirect speech

1. “I am very tired,” said Dad. Dad said that he

was

2. “You look very handsome, Mike,” Mom told Mike that he said Mom. very handsome.

3. The teacher said, “Sam has not The teacher said that Sam made any mistakes.” not made any mistakes.

4. “I am losing my patience,” said Mr. Carter said that he

Mr. Carter. his patience.

5. “You can come to my house for Maggie told Jason that he dinner,” Maggie told Jason. come to her house for dinner.

6. Dad said, “Hurry up or we will be Dad told us to hurry up or we late.” be late. very tired.

losing

7. “The train is coming,” said Peter. Peter said that the train coming.

8. “I have cleaned up my room,” said Kathleen said that she cleaned

Kathleen. up her room.

9. The teacher said, “It is time to stop The teacher said that it writing.” to stop writing.

10. “I don’t want to watch TV,” said John said that he John. watch TV. time

want to

Exercise 2

Complete these indirect speech sentences with the correct pronoun or determiner. The first one has been done for you.

direct speech indirect Speech

1. “My head is aching,” said Sarah. Sarah said that aching.

her

2. “I like your new bike,’ Dan told Dan told me that he liked me. new bike. head was

3. Tom and Peter said, “We’ll give you Tom and Peter said that they would give us our seats.” seats.

4. “You can borrow my book,” Michael Michael said that I could borrow said. book.

5. “I haven’t brushed my teeth,” said Paul said that he hadn’t brushed

Paul. teeth.

6. “You are late again,” Mr. Chen told Mr. Chen said that me. again. was late

7. “We have finished our homework,” The boys said that they had finished said the boys. homework.

8. Sue and Maggie said, “We want Sue and Maggie said that to watch football on TV.” wanted to watch football on TV.

9. “I don’t like your green hair,” said Uncle David said that

Uncle David. like my green hair.

10. Dad said, “We’ll have to phone for a Dad said that taxi.” phone for a taxi. didn’t

would have to

Rewrite the following sentences as indirect questions or indirect commands. The first one has been done for you.

1. “Are you feeling ill?” Mom asked.

2. “When will you finish the work?” Dad asked the plumber.

3. The teacher said, “Open your books, children.”

4. “Turn the music down, Maggie,” said Mom.

5. “Please take your shoes off at the door, Tom,” said Uncle David.

6. “Have you read the Harry Potter books?” Michael asked.

7. Jenny said, “Would you like some more orange juice, Peter?”

8. “Don’t be rude to your teacher, children,” said the principal.

9. “Write your name at the top of the page, everyone,” said Miss Lee.

10. “Does the ball belong to you boys?” the woman asked.

Mom asked if I was feeling ill.