Reported Speech: Questions MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This is an MCQ quiz for Class 9 English Language and Literature (Code 184), from Section B: Grammar. The topic is Reported Speech: Questions, covering Yes/No and Wh- questions in indirect speech, correct word order, and tense shifts. Answer all the questions, click ‘Submit Quiz’, and download your answer sheet as a PDF.
Understanding Reported Speech for Questions
Reported speech (or indirect speech) is used to report what someone else has said without using their exact words. When we report questions, the structure of the sentence changes significantly from direct speech. The interrogative form (question form) changes to the assertive form (statement form), and the question mark is replaced by a full stop.
Key Rules for Converting Questions into Reported Speech
There are two main types of questions we need to consider: Yes/No questions and Wh- questions. Both follow some general rules, such as changes in tense, pronouns, and adverbs of time/place, but they differ in the conjunction used.
1. Converting Yes/No Questions
Yes/No questions are those that can be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. They usually begin with an auxiliary verb like do, have, is, are, can, will, etc.
- Reporting Verb: Change verbs like said or said to to asked, inquired, or wondered.
- Conjunction: Use if or whether to introduce the reported question. The comma and quotation marks are removed.
- Word Order: The question structure (Verb + Subject) changes to a statement structure (Subject + Verb). For example, “Are you…” becomes “…if I was…”.
- Tense Shift: The tense of the verb in the direct question is usually shifted back one tense in the reported speech (e.g., Present Simple becomes Past Simple).
Example:
Direct: He said to me, “Do you like coffee?”
Reported: He asked me if I liked coffee.
2. Converting Wh- Questions
Wh- questions begin with question words like what, where, when, why, who, which, how, etc. They ask for specific information.
- Reporting Verb: Similar to Yes/No questions, use asked or inquired.
- Conjunction: The Wh- word itself acts as the conjunction. No ‘if’, ‘whether’, or ‘that’ is used.
- Word Order: The word order changes from interrogative to assertive (Subject + Verb). The auxiliary verb ‘do/does/did’ is removed.
- Tense Shift: Tense, pronoun, and adverb rules apply just like in other forms of reported speech.
Example:
Direct: She said, “Where are you going?”
Reported: She asked where I was going. (NOT where was I going)
Summary of Tense Shifts
The following table shows the most common tense changes when reporting questions:
| Direct Speech Tense | Reported Speech Tense |
|---|---|
| Simple Present (do/does) | Simple Past (did) |
| Present Continuous (is/am/are) | Past Continuous (was/were) |
| Simple Past (did) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Present Perfect (has/have) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Will / Can / May | Would / Could / Might |
Quick Revision Points
- Always change the reporting verb to ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’.
- For Yes/No questions, use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ as the connector.
- For Wh- questions, use the Wh-word itself as the connector.
- Crucially, change the question’s word order to that of a statement (Subject before Verb).
- End the reported question with a full stop, not a question mark.
- Apply the standard rules of tense, pronoun, and adverb changes.
Extra Practice Questions
Test your understanding with these additional questions.
- Direct: The teacher said to the student, “Why are you late today?”
Reported: The teacher asked the student why he/she was late that day. - Direct: My mother said to me, “Have you finished your lunch?”
Reported: My mother asked me if I had finished my lunch. - Direct: The tourist asked, “How can I get to the museum?”
Reported: The tourist asked how he/she could get to the museum. - Direct: I said to my friend, “Will you come to the party tomorrow?”
Reported: I asked my friend if he/she would come to the party the next day. - Direct: He said, “What is your name?”
Reported: He asked what my name was.
