0
0

Reporting Wh-Questions

Introduction

Wh-questions (What, Why, When, Where, Who, How, etc.) require special handling during indirect speech conversion. Instead of using if/whether (used in Yes/No questions), Wh-words stay in the sentence and introduce the reported clause.

This pattern is important because many exam questions test your ability to convert Wh-questions accurately while preserving meaning.

Pattern: Reporting Wh-Questions

Pattern

Key concept: Keep the Wh-word, remove the question order, and convert to a normal statement.

  • Wh-word stays the same (what/why/how/when...)
  • No question order → use subject + verb (statement form)
  • Use reporting verbs: asked, inquired
  • Apply tense backshift where required
  • Remove question marks

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Convert into Indirect Speech:
He said to me, “Where are you going?”

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the Wh-word.

    The sentence starts with Where.

  2. Step 2: Change reporting verb.

    “said to me” → asked me.

  3. Step 3: Use statement order.

    “are you going” → “I was going”.

  4. Step 4: Apply pronoun/tense changes.

    I → speaker; “are going” → “was going”.

  5. Final Answer:

    He asked me where I was going.

  6. Quick Check:

    Wh-word kept + statement order used + backshift applied → correct. ✅

Quick Variations

1. “Why were you late?” → asked why he had been late.

2. “When will they come?” → asked when they would come.

3. “How did she solve it?” → asked how she had solved it.

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Keep the Wh-word as it is.
  • Step 2 → Change question order into statement order.
  • Step 3 → Convert “said to” → “asked”.
  • Step 4 → Apply tense/pronoun/time changes.

Summary

Summary

  • Wh-word never changes in indirect speech.
  • Do not use “if/whether” for Wh-questions.
  • Use subject-verb order, not inversion.
  • Always apply proper backshift and pronoun changes.

Example to remember:
“Why are you crying?” → He asked why I was crying.

Practice

(1/5)
1. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>She said to him, “Why are you shouting?”
easy
A. She asked him why he was shouting.
B. She asked him why was he shouting.
C. She told him why he was shouting.
D. She asked that why he was shouting.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify Wh-word.

    Wh-word = why.

  2. Step 2: Change reporting verb.

    “said to him” → “asked him”.

  3. Step 3: Change question order to statement.

    are you shouting → he was shouting.

  4. Final Answer:

    She asked him why he was shouting. → Option A

  5. Quick Check:

    Wh-word kept + correct tense/backshift. ✅
Hint: Keep Wh-word; remove question form.
Common Mistakes: Using 'why was he shouting' (question order).
2. Choose the correct Indirect Speech:<br><br>He said to me, “Where do you live?”
easy
A. He asked me where do I live.
B. He asked me where I lived.
C. He told me where I lived.
D. He asked that where I lived.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify Wh-word.

    Where.

  2. Step 2: Convert reporting verb.

    said to → asked.

  3. Step 3: Change do you live → I lived.

  4. Final Answer:

    He asked me where I lived. → Option B

  5. Quick Check:

    No inversion + tense changed. ✅
Hint: Drop 'do/does' in indirect speech.
Common Mistakes: Keeping question order (where do I live).
3. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>She said, “What is your name?”
easy
A. She asked that what my name was.
B. She said what my name is.
C. She asked what my name was.
D. She told what my name was.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Wh-word identified.

    What.

  2. Step 2: Change reporting verb.

    said → asked.

  3. Step 3: Inversion removed.

    is your name → my name was.

  4. Final Answer:

    She asked what my name was. → Option C

  5. Quick Check:

    Wh-word kept + correct tense shift. ✅
Hint: Use 'asked + Wh-word + clause'.
Common Mistakes: Adding 'that' before Wh-word.
4. Choose the correct Indirect Speech:<br><br>He said, “When will the train arrive?”
medium
A. He asked when the train will arrive.
B. He asked when the train would arrive.
C. He told when the train would arrive.
D. He asked that when the train would arrive.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify Wh-word.

    When.

  2. Step 2: Use correct reporting verb.

    said → asked.

  3. Step 3: Apply backshift.

    will arrive → would arrive.

  4. Final Answer:

    He asked when the train would arrive. → Option B

  5. Quick Check:

    Correct modal backshift applied. ✅
Hint: Will → would in reported speech.
Common Mistakes: Keeping ‘will’ unchanged.
5. Convert into Indirect Speech:<br><br>They said, “How did she solve the puzzle?”
medium
A. They asked how did she solve the puzzle.
B. They asked that how she solved the puzzle.
C. They told how she had solved the puzzle.
D. They asked how she had solved the puzzle.

Solution

  1. Step 1: Wh-word = How.

  2. Step 2: Remove question form.

    did she solve → she had solved.

  3. Step 3: Apply backshift.

    did → had + past participle.

  4. Final Answer:

    They asked how she had solved the puzzle. → Option D

  5. Quick Check:

    Correct tense + proper structure. ✅
Hint: Convert ‘did + verb’ → ‘had + past participle’.
Common Mistakes: Keeping ‘did she solve’ intact.

Mock Test

Ready for a challenge?

Take a 10-minute AI-powered test with 10 questions (Easy-Medium-Hard mix) and get instant SWOT analysis of your performance!

10 Questions
5 Minutes