Indirect speech: questions and answers

Word order: I asked where Alice was.

In reported questions the subject normally comes before the verb in standard English, and auxiliary do is not used.

• DIRECT: Where’s Alice?
  INDIRECT: I asked where Alice was. (not usually … where was Alice.)
• DIRECT: When are you leaving?
  INDIRECT: He wanted to know when I was leaving. (not usually … when was I leaving.)
• DIRECT: What do I need?
  INDIRECT: She asked what she needed. (not … what did she need.)
• DIRECT: Where are the President and his wife staying?
  INDIRECT: I asked where the President and his wife were staying. (not Where were staying …)

The same structure is used for reporting the answers to questions.

• I knew how they felt. (not … how did they feel.)
• Nobody told me why I had to sign the paper. (not … why did I have to sign …)
• She explained what the problem was.
• They haven’t told me where I’m going to work.

In very informal speech, indirect questions sometimes have the same word order as direct questions:

• He asked when was I leaving.
• We’re wondering will we get to Cardiff on time, will we be able to park.

No question marks

Question marks are not used in reported questions.

• We asked where the money was. (not … where the money was?)

yes/no questions: He asked if …

Yes/No questions are reported with if or whether (for the difference, (see here).

• The driver asked if/whether I wanted the town centre.
• I don’t know if/whether I can help you.

In reported questions, we do not use a present tense after if to talk about the future.

• I’m not sure if I’ll see her tomorrow. (not … if I see her tomorrow.)

say and tell: answers, not questions

Say and tell are not used to report questions.

• not The driver said whether I wanted the town centre.

But say and tell can introduce the answers to questions.

• Please say whether you want the town centre.
• He never says where he’s going.
• I told her what time it was.

note

For the difference between say and tell, (see here).