Reported Speech Interrogative: Rules, Examples & Exercise

Reported Speech Interrogative: Imagine a scenario where you’re in a formal setting, addressing a respected individual. Instead of asking, “Can you please pass the salt?” ie, (Direct Speech), you could say, “I wondered if you could kindly pass me the salt.” (Indirect Speech). This is one of the many instances of Reported Speech Interrogative and how it changes the tone of your question. However, there are certain rules you would need to master to attain this subtle shift of tone and convey your request without losing the decorum of the situation. Therefore, without any further ado, delve deeper into this blog on Reported Speech Interrogative and learn in detail about its rules, skim through its examples and exercises. So that, you can attain a greater height of the mountain called English Grammar. 

Rules for Reported Speech Interrogative

When it comes to changing a Direct Speech to an Indirect Reported Speech Interrogative, you cannot skip following these essential rules:

Replace the reporting verb “said/told” with an appropriate interrogative verb.  

• Common interrogative verbs include “asked,” “enquired,” “wondered,” “wanted to know,” and “inquired.”
• The choice of verb depends on the context and the speaker’s tone.
• For example, “asked” is a neutral verb, while “wondered” suggests curiosity or uncertainty.

Example

Direct speech: “Are you going to the party?”

Indirect speech: She asked if I was going to the party.

Remove the question mark (?) from the direct interrogative and add a full stop (.) in the reported sentence. 

Example

Direct speech: “When will the results be announced?”

Indirect speech: He inquired when the results would be announced.

Place modal verbs like “could,” “might,” “should,” and “would” instead of “can,” “may,” “should,” and “will” in indirect speech.

Example

Direct speech: “Are you interested in joining the club?”

Indirect speech: She asked if I might be interested in joining the club.

Use appropriate phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” “I suppose,” and “I wonder” to express uncertainty in indirect speech.

Example

Direct speech: “I’m thinking of going to the beach this weekend.”

Indirect speech: He said that he thought he might go to the beach that weekend.

Yes/No Questions

Use “if/whether” to introduce indirect/yes/no questions. 

• When reporting questions begin with “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” or “how,” use “if” or “whether” to introduce the indirect question.
• If: Use “if” for questions that seek information or express uncertainty.
• Whether: Use “whether” for questions that seek a choice or confirmation.

Example

Direct speech: “Can you help me carry these boxes?”

Indirect speech: He wanted to know if I could help him carry those boxes.

WH-Questions

Convert the direct interrogative sentence (Wh-question) into a statement structure.

• Direct interrogative sentences have a subject-verb-object order.
• The sentence structure is changed to a statement form when converting to reported speech.
• The subject and verb tense remain the same, but the interrogative tone is removed.

Example

Direct speech: “When will the results be announced?”

Indirect speech: He inquired when the results would be announced.

Examples of Reported Speech Interrogative

Here are some more examples of Reported Speech Interrogative you can take a look at before practising the exercises:

Direct: I said to him, “Where are you going?”
Indirect: Tasked him where he was going.

Direct: He said to me, “Will you go there?”
Indirect: He asked me if I would go there.

Direct: My friend said to Deepak, “Have you ever been to Agra?”
Indirect: My friend asked Deepak if he had ever been to Agra.

Also Check: 50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Reported Speech Interrogative Exercise for Practise

Now the time comes to finally analyse your learning of Reported Speech Interrogative with us so far. Take your time to solve these exercises and check how many you got right from the answers below. 

Q1. Convert the following direct interrogative sentences into reported speech using the correct reporting verbs.

1. “Have you already seen the new movie?”
2. “Could you tell me the way to the nearest post office?”
3. “Do you think it’s going to rain tonight?”
4. “Can you please help me carry this heavy bag?”
5. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
6. “When will the train arrive at the station?”
7. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be late?”
8. “What time does the store close today?”
9. “Would you mind passing me the salt?”
10.  “Do you think you could lend me your car for the weekend?”

Q2. Convert the following reported speech interrogative sentences into direct speech.

1. She asked if I had finished my homework.
2. He inquired if I could help him with his computer problem.
3. She wondered if I knew the answer to the question.
4. He asked if I was interested in going to the movies with him.
5. She asked if I could give her a ride to the airport.
6. He enquired if I had heard the latest news about the election.
7. She wondered if I had any plans for the weekend.
8. He asked if I thought it would be a good idea to go out for dinner.
9. She asked if I could lend her her favourite book.
10. He enquired if I could give him some feedback on his new song.

 Answer Key 1:

1. Reported Speech: She asked if I had already seen the new movie.
2. Reported Speech: He enquired if I could tell him the way to the nearest post office.
3. Reported Speech: She wondered if it was going to rain that night.
4. Reported Speech: He asked if I could help him carry that heavy bag.
5. Reported Speech: She asked if I was sure I knew what I was doing.
6. Reported Speech: He enquired when the train would arrive at the station.
7. Reported Speech: She asked why I hadn’t told her I was going to be late.
8. Reported Speech: He asked what time the store closed that day.
9. Reported Speech: She asked if she could pass me the salt.
10. Reported Speech: He asked if I thought he could lend him my car for the weekend.

Answer Key 2:

1. Direct Speech: “Have you finished your homework?”
2. Direct Speech: “Could you help me with my computer problem?”
3. Direct Speech: “Do you know the answer to the question?”
4. Direct Speech: “Are you interested in going to the movies with me?”
5. Direct Speech: “Could you give me a ride to the airport?”
6. Direct Speech: “Have you heard the latest news about the election?”
7. Direct Speech: “Do you have any plans for the weekend?”
8. Direct Speech: “Do you think it would be a good idea to go out for dinner?”
9. Direct Speech: “Could you lend me your favourite book?”
10. Direct Speech: “Could you give me some feedback on my new song?”

Explore More on Reported Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech Rules & Examples	Types of Reported Speech
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