Reported Questions - Word Order - Part 5
Put the words in the correct order to make reported questions
“When do you go camping?” Gary asked me – Gary asked me
you
I
do
camping
went
when
if
Rule: Reported Speech ShowHide
When we report what somebody said, the tense usually goes one step back, and pronouns change to fit the speaker: "I like painting," said Edward. → Edward said he liked painting.
| They said | We report |
|---|---|
| Present Simple: "I don't need it." | Past Simple: You said you didn't need it. |
| Present Continuous: "It's raining." | Past Continuous: Sam told me it was raining. |
| Past Simple, Present Perfect: "I've lost my shoes." | Past Perfect: Peppa said she had lost her shoes. |
| will: "We'll never be friends again." | would: Suzy said they would never be friends again. |
| can: "You can go camping." | could: Mum said I could go camping. |
said or told
- say (that) …: He said (that) Jack was waiting.
- tell + somebody: He told me Jack was waiting – not
He said me.
Reported questions
- Yes / no questions take if or whether: "Will the medicine help?" → Carl asked if the medicine would help.
- Other questions keep the question word: "Where can I play football?" → Fred asked where he could play football.
- The word order is normal: no do / does / did and no question mark.
Time and place
- now → then · today → that day
- tomorrow → the next day
- yesterday → the day before
- here → there · this → that
Games on Reported Speech
Ready-made games on this topic. Open one on the board and play in teams.
Play this exercise
The sentences of this exercise as a game – nothing to set up.