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Man asking questionsYes-No Question Clauses

Changing questions answered by yes or no to reported speech

 

 

Yes-No questions differ from WH-questions.

 

Quoted vs. Reported Questions
QUOTED  QUESTION REPORTED QUESTION

Quoted questions restate speech exactly. The quoted speech is set off from the main clause by enclosing it in quotes (" ").

When we repeat a wh-question that someone has asked, we place the quoted words within another clause. (We subordinate the clause within a main clause.)  The quoted question adjusts to the time and location of the main sentence.   The pronoun, verb tense and adverbs adjust to the speaker's point of view.  A subordinator such aswhether or if joins the clause to the main clause.

MAIN CLAUSE

My friend said,

QUESTION ANSWERED BY YES OR NO

"Are you coming?"

MAIN CLAUSE

My friend asked

REPORTED SPEECH

whether I was coming or not.

My friend asked,

"Is your brother coming too?"

My friend asked

if my brother was coming too.

My friend asked,

"Can you drive us?'

My friend asked

whether I could drive them.

My friend asked,

"Will you have enough gas?"

My friend asked

if I would have enough gas.

My friend asked, 

"Do we have enough money for gas?"

My friend asked

whether we had enough money for gas.

Related pages  if vs. whether  | Adjusting perspective

 

 

 

 

Subordinating a Question
SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION INDEPENDENT CLAUSE SUBORDINATED QUESTION

1.   Remove comma, quotes and question mark.

My friend

"Are you coming?".

2.   Change said to asked

My friend asked 

 

3.   Join the clauses using: whether or if    (Using if vs whether )

 

if  are you coming.

4.   Adjust point of view of 1) pronoun to speaker's P.O.V.; 2) 2nd verb to time frame of 1st verb .  

My friend asked 

if  was I coming.

5.   Put the subject before the verb.

My friend asked 

if    I        was     coming.
moveoverswitch subj and aux verb  


 

 

Verb Tense Adjustment
QUESTION  VERB TENSE STATEMENT VERB TENSE

PRESENT

"Are you tired? "
"Do you live here?'
"May I come too? "
"Can I help?" "
"Will you leave soon? "
"Must you do that? "

PAST

She asked whether I was/were tired.
She inquired if I lived there.
She asked whether she might come too.
She asked if she could help.
She inquired whether we would leave soon.
She questioned if I had to do that exactly then.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

"Are you working?"

PAST PROGRESSIVE

She asked whether I was/were working.
 

PAST

" Were you married?"
" Did you get married?"

PAST PERFECT

She asked whether I had been married.
She asked if I had gotten married.
 

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

" Were you calling?"

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

She asked whether I had been calling.
 

PRESENT PERFECT

" Have you called yet?"

PAST PERFECT

She asked if I had called yet.
 

PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

" Have you been calling me?"

PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

She asked if I had been calling her.
 

PRESENT – GENERAL TRUTH

"Do you like dancing?"

PRESENT – GENERAL TRUTH

*She asked whether I like dancing.
 

*must changes to need to or had to in past tense
* If the tense reflects "general truth", it does not change to past form.

 

Synonyms
SYNONYM MEANING SENTENCE

ask

request information or something

My neighbor asked if I was going to go on vacation.

inquire

request information (formal)

Mr. Smith inquired whether there were any more books available.

question

settle doubt

My instructor questioned if I  am/was working hard enough.

query

settle doubt (data)

The accountant queried whether I had checked the numbers.


* If tense reflects "general truth", it does not adjust to past form.

 

 

 

Cal TrainPractice

Planning a Day Trip

 

 

  1. Change the quoted question to a reported question.
  2. Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence. 
  3. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER
1.
2. before boarding.
3. on board?
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. "Is there a special fare for students?"  
10.
11.
12. reserved for handicapped people?
13.
14.
15.