Question 1

How do I transform yes/no questions into reported speech?

Accepted Answer

Add "if" or "whether" after the reporting verb to create the connection, then use statement word order with the subject before the verb. Remove the helper verb "do/does/did" and apply tense backshift as normal. "Do you speak English?" becomes "He asked if I spoke English." "Is she coming?" becomes "He asked if she was coming." "Did they arrive on time?" becomes "She asked if they had arrived on time." The key changes are: add the connector "if" or "whether," remove the subject-verb inversion, remove "do/does/did," and backshift the tense one step.

Question 2

What is the difference between "if" and "whether" in reported questions?

Accepted Answer

"If" and "whether" are interchangeable in most reported yes/no questions and both are considered correct. "She asked if I was coming" means exactly the same as "She asked whether I was coming." However, "whether" is preferred in three situations: in formal writing, when presenting alternatives ("She asked whether I wanted tea or coffee"), and with the phrase "or not" ("He asked whether or not I agreed"). In everyday spoken English, "if" is more common and natural. For exams, both forms are accepted unless the question specifically tests the distinction between the two words.

Question 3

What happens to auxiliary verbs like "do/does/did" and "is/are/can/will" in reported yes/no questions?

Accepted Answer

The auxiliary verbs "do," "does," and "did" disappear entirely in reported yes/no questions because the main verb now carries the tense directly. "Do you work here?" becomes "asked if I worked there" — "do" is removed and "work" backshifts to "worked." "Does she like coffee?" becomes "asked if she liked coffee" — "does" is removed and "like" gains the past tense. "Did they arrive?" becomes "asked if they had arrived" — "did" is removed and the verb shifts to past perfect. For auxiliary verbs like "is/are/can/will," they stay in the sentence but backshift: "is" → "was," "can" → "could," "will" → "would." Only "do/does/did" are removed entirely.

Reported Speech Yes/No Questions Exercises

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Present Simple

Past Simple

Reported Speech Error Correction

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect