Collins Cobuild

Unit 75
Reported questions
Main points
You use reported questions to talk about a question that someone
else has asked.
In reported questions, the subject of the question comes before the
verb.
You use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ in reported ‘yes/no’-questions.
1
When you are talking about a question that someone has asked, you
use a reported question.
She asked me why I was so late.
He wanted to know where I was going.
I demanded to know what was going on.
I asked her if I could help her.
I asked her whether there was anything wrong.
In formal and written English, ‘enquire’ (also spelled ‘inquire’) is often
used instead of ‘ask’.
Wilkie had enquired if she did a lot of acting.
He inquired whether he could see her.
2
When you are reporting a question, the verb in the reported clause is

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often in a past tense. This is because you are often talking about the
past when you are reporting someone else’s words.
She asked me why I was so late.
Pat asked him if she had hurt him.
However, you can use a present or future tense if the question you are
reporting relates to the present or future.
Mark was asking if you’re enjoying your new job.
They asked if you’ll be there tomorrow night.
3
 In  reported  questions,  the  subject  of  the  question  comes  before  the
verb, just as it does in affirmative sentences.
She asked me why I was late.
I asked what he was doing.
4
You do not normally use the auxiliary ‘do’ in reported questions.
She asked him if his parents spoke French or German.
They asked us what we thought.
The  auxiliary  ‘do’  can  be  used  in  reported  questions,  but  only  for
emphasis, or to make a contrast with something that has already been
said. It is not put before the subject as in direct questions.
She asked me whether I really did mean what I‘d said.
I told him I didn’t like classical music. He asked me what kind of
music I did like.
5
You use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ to introduce reported ‘yes/no’-questions.
I asked him if he was on holiday.
The bride’s mother asked me if anything was wrong.
She hugged him and asked him whether he was all right.
I asked him whether he was single.

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‘Whether’ is used especially when there is a choice of possibilities.
I was asked whether I wanted to stay at a hotel or at his home.
They asked whether Tim was or was not in the team.
I asked him whether he loved me or not.
Note  that  you  can  put  ‘or  not’  immediately  after  ‘whether’,  but  not
immediately after ‘if’.
The police didn’t ask whether or not they were in.
See Units
74
,
76
, and
77
for more information on reporting.

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