Question 1

How do I transform "Where are you going?" into reported speech?

Accepted Answer

To report "Where are you going?", keep the question word "where" after the reporting verb, change to statement word order, and apply tense changes: "She asked where I was going." Note: no "if" or "whether" is used with WH questions.

Question 2

What is the word order for WH questions in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

WH questions in reported speech use statement word order (subject before verb), not question order. For example, "What is your name?" becomes "He asked what my name was" (not "what was my name"). The question word stays, but the inversion is removed.

Question 3

Do I use "if" or "whether" with WH questions in reported speech?

Accepted Answer

No, never use "if" or "whether" with WH questions. The WH word (what, where, when, why, who, how) itself acts as the connector. "If" and "whether" are only used for yes/no questions in reported speech.

Question 4

How do tenses change in reported WH questions?

Accepted Answer

Tenses shift back one step: present simple becomes past simple ("Where do you live?" → "asked where I lived"), present continuous becomes past continuous ("What are you doing?" → "asked what I was doing"), and present perfect becomes past perfect ("What have you done?" → "asked what I had done").

Question 5

What common mistakes should I avoid with reported WH questions?

Accepted Answer

Avoid these mistakes: (1) Using question word order ("asked where was I" instead of "asked where I was"), (2) Adding "if" or "whether" with WH questions, (3) Forgetting to change pronouns ("you" to "I/he/she"), (4) Not shifting tenses when required.

Continue Practicing

Present Simple

Past Simple

Present Continuous

Conditionals

Present Perfect

Passive Voice

Reported Speech WH Questions Exercises