1. Lesson Overview
In this lesson, you will learn:
- How to report wh-questions
- Which reporting verbs to use
- How to remove inversion
- Tense backshift rules
- Pronoun and time changes
- Common transformation mistakes
Wh-questions include:
who • what • when • where • why • how • which • whose
2. Direct Wh-Question Structure
Direct:
She asked, “Where are you going?”
He asked, “Why did you leave?”
Notice:
- Wh-word
- Auxiliary before subject
- Question mark
3. Indirect Wh-Question Structure
Reporting verb + wh-word + subject + verb
No question mark.
No inversion.
Example 1
Direct:
She asked, “Where are you going?”
Indirect:
She asked where I was going.
Keep “where”
Remove “are you” inversion
Apply backshift
Example 2
Direct:
He asked, “Why did you leave?”
Indirect:
He asked why I had left.
did leave → had left
4. Removing Question Word Order
Direct:
Where is she going?
Incorrect:
He asked where is she going.
Correct:
He asked where she was going.
Always use statement word order.
5. Tense Backshift Rules
The same backshift rules apply.
|
Direct |
Indirect |
|
present simple |
past simple |
|
present continuous |
past continuous |
|
past simple |
past perfect |
|
will |
would |
|
can |
could |
Example
Direct:
She asked, “When will you arrive?”
Indirect:
She asked when I would arrive.
6. Pronoun and Time Changes
Direct:
He asked, “Why are you here today?”
Indirect:
He asked why I was there that day.
you → I
where → there
today → that day
7. Special Case: Subject Questions
When the wh-word is the subject, no inversion exists.
Direct:
Who called you?
Indirect:
She asked who had called me.
Do not add auxiliary unnecessarily.
Incorrect:
She asked who did call me.
Correct:
She asked who had called me.
8. When No Backshift Is Needed
If the reporting verb is present:
She asks, “Where are you going?”
She asks where I am going.
Universal truths also remain unchanged.
9. Common Errors
⚠ Keeping inversion
Incorrect: He asked where was she going.
Correct: He asked where she was going.
⚠ Adding “if” incorrectly
Incorrect: He asked if where she was going.
Correct: He asked where she was going.
⚠ Forgetting tense change
Incorrect: She asked where I am going.
Correct: She asked where I was going.
10. End of Lesson Check
You should now be able to:
✅Report wh-questions correctly
✅Maintain proper word order
✅Apply tense backshift
✅Change pronouns and time expressions
✅Avoid inversion errors