How do you report questions in reported speech?

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How do you report questions in reported speech?

When reporting questions in reported speech, there are a few key steps to follow.

Firstly, it is important to note that the reporting verb (the verb used to introduce the reported speech) is usually changed to a verb such as 'asked', 'inquired', 'wondered', or 'wanted to know'.

Secondly, the reporting verb is followed by the reporting clause, which includes the subject and the reporting verb in the past tense. For example, if the original question was "Where are you going?", the reporting clause could be "He asked me where I was going."

Thirdly, the question word (such as 'where', 'when', 'why', 'how', etc.) is usually changed or omitted in the reported speech. For example, if the original question was "What time is it?", the reported speech could be "She asked me the time."

Fourthly, if the original question is a yes/no question, the word 'if' or 'whether' is often used in the reported speech. For example, if the original question was "Did you see the movie?", the reported speech could be "He asked me if/whether I had seen the movie."

Fifthly, the tense of the reported speech is usually shifted back in time. For example, if the original question was in the present tense, the reported speech would be in the past tense. If the original question was in the past tense, the reported speech would be in the past perfect tense.

Lastly, if the reported speech is a direct question, it is important to use the appropriate question mark at the end of the reported speech.

Overall, when reporting questions in reported speech, it is crucial to change the reporting verb, adjust the tense, and potentially modify or omit the question word, while still maintaining the meaning and intention of the original question.