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Questions in direct and indirect speech
 
 
QUESTION WORDS STATEMENTS

Questions in direct and indirect speech in English

Uses of Questions in direct and indirect speech

"In indirect questions, we can use - asked, inquired / wanted to know / wondered. We should not use ‘said’ in indirect question."

Those sentences, which ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence ends at a sign of interrogation.
Indirect question are always in statement form, therefore, question mark is dropped. We also drop Do, Dose and Did which are necessary in forming direct questions. We can use if/whether in indirect questions.

Example:
  • • He said to me, "Do you like to read books?" (Direct)
  • • He asked me if I liked to read books. (Indirect)
  • • She said to me, "Was it a good book?" (Direct)
  • • She wanted to know whether the book was good. (Indirect)
Usage of Questions in direct and indirect speech:
Question with SHALL:
Example:
  • • He said to me, "Shall I order a coffee?" (Direct)
  • • He asked me if he should order a coffee. (Indirect)
  • • He said, "Shall we go for a movie?" (Direct)
  • • He wondered if we should go for a movie. (Indirect)
Question with question words in direct and indirect speech:
Example:
  • • He said to the servant, "What are you doing here?" (Direct)
  • • He asked the servant what he was doing there. (Indirect)
  • • She said to him, "Where was he this morning?" (Direct)
  • • She wanted to know where he was that morning. (Indirect)
  • • He said to her, "When are you coming for holidays?" (Direct)
  • • He asked her when was she coming for holidays. (Indirect)
  • • The watchman said to him, "Who are you?" (Direct)
  • • The watchman enquired who he was. (Indirect)
  • • The policeman said to him, "Why you steal money?" (Direct)
  • • The policeman asked him why he stole money. (Indirect)
  • • He said to his friend, "How are you ?" (Direct)
  • • He asked his friend how he was. (Indirect)
  • • He said, ‘Whose book is this?" (Direct)
  • • He inquired whose book was that. (Indirect)
  • • He said, "To whom should I ask?" (Direct)
  • • He inquired whom he should ask. (Indirect)
  • • She said, "Which dress is good?" (Direct)
  • • She asked which dress was good. (Indirect)

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