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Reporting Wh-Questions

Introduction

Wh-questions (What, Why, When, Where, Who, How, etc.)-ஐ Indirect Speech-ஆக மாற்றும்போது சிறப்பு கவனம் தேவை. Yes/No questions-ல் பயன்படுத்தப்படும் if/whetherக்கு பதிலாக, Wh-words sentence-ல் அப்படியே இருந்து, reported clause-ஐ அறிமுகப்படுத்தும்.

இந்த pattern முக்கியமானது; ஏனெனில் பல exam questions, Wh-questions-ஐ அர்த்தம் மாறாமல் சரியாக மாற்றும் திறனை சோதிக்கின்றன.

Pattern: Reporting Wh-Questions

Pattern

Key concept: Wh-word-ஐ வைத்துக்கொண்டு, question order-ஐ நீக்கி, ஒரு normal statement-ஆக மாற்றுங்கள்.

  • Wh-word மாறாது (what/why/how/when...)
  • Question order இல்லை → subject + verb (statement form)
  • Reporting verbs பயன்படுத்துங்கள்: asked, inquired
  • தேவையான இடங்களில் tense backshift பயன்படுத்துங்கள்
  • Question mark-ஐ நீக்குங்கள்

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.

    இந்த sentence Where என்ற Wh-word-ஐ கொண்டு தொடங்குகிறது.

  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 வைத்திருக்கிறது + statement order பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டது + backshift செய்யப்பட்டது → சரி. ✅

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 → Wh-word-ஐ அப்படியே வைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.
  • Step 2 → Question order-ஐ statement order-ஆக மாற்றுங்கள்.
  • Step 3 → “said to” → “asked” ஆக மாற்றுங்கள்.
  • Step 4 → Tense / pronoun / time மாற்றங்களைப் பயன்படுத்துங்கள்.

Summary

Summary

  • Wh-word, indirect speech-ல் எப்போதும் மாறாது.
  • Wh-questions-க்கு “if/whether” பயன்படுத்தக்கூடாது.
  • Inversion இல்லாமல் subject-verb order பயன்படுத்துங்கள்.
  • சரியான backshift மற்றும் pronoun மாற்றங்களை எப்போதும் செய்யுங்கள்.

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

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