English Grammar - Reported questions

Form

When we are reporting questions, the subject comes before the verb.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Where are you going?"
REPORTED SPEECH: He asked me where I was going.

DIRECT SPEECH: "Why is he shouting?"
REPORTED SPEECH: He asked me why he was shouting.

DIRECT SPEECH: "What do you want?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me what he wanted.

Negative questions

We do not use the auxiliary verb 'do', except in negative questions.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Who doesn't like cheese?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me who didn't like cheese.

Yes/no questions

We report yes / no questions with 'if' or 'whether'.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Do you want me to come?"
REPORTED SPEECH: I asked him if he wanted me to come.

DIRECT SPEECH: "Have you fed the dog?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me whether I had fed the dog.

Who, what, which

When we report questions with 'who, what or which' + to be + complement, the verb 'to be' can come before or after the complement.
DIRECT SPEECH: "Who is the champion?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me who the champion was OR She asked me who was the champion.

DIRECT SPEECH: "What is your favourite colour?"
REPORTED SPEECH: She asked me what my favourite colour was OR She asked me what was my favourite colour.

See also: Reported speech / Say and tell

Teaching Reported questions

quote One of your students could be a famous personality visiting their town/city. Other students interview him/her and report back."
Rama

quote Example A
Student 1: Are they happy?
Student 2: Yes, they are.
Student 3: What did he ask you?
Student 2: He asked me if they were happy.

Example B
Student 1: What is your name?
Student 2: My name is Sami.
Student 3: What did he ask you?
Student 2: He asked me what my name was."
Khalid

quote I use a timeline:
I put the reporting verb in the "PAST" on the line in regard to "NOW".
---PAST (reporting verb)---NOW---
This is to better understand the logics of English, to see e.g. why the present tense in direct speech becomes the past tense in reported speech, in fact to show that it stays in the past together with the reporting verb.
Dada Santic