While the specific question you are referring to was not provided, you can change a question into reported speech by following a few key rules, as illustrated by the examples you provided.
The core idea is to report what someone asked without using their exact words. This involves using a reporting verb, changing the structure from a question to a statement, and often backshifting the verb tense.
## Understanding Reported Speech for Questions
When we report a question, we don't use question marks or question word order (like `verb + subject`). Instead, we use statement word order (`subject + verb`). We also typically use a reporting verb like "asked".
### Key Steps for Wh-Questions
Based on the examples provided, here's how to change a Wh- question (starting with "Who," "What," "Where," "When," "Why," "How") into reported speech:
1. **Use a Reporting Verb:** Start the reported sentence with a verb like `asked` followed by the person who was asked (if mentioned).
* *Example:* "He asked me..."
2. **Keep the Wh- Word:** Use the original question word (where, why, what, etc.) as the conjunction to introduce the reported question.
* *Example:* "He asked me **where**..."
3. **Change to Statement Word Order:** After the Wh- word, use the subject followed by the verb, just like in a statement.
* *Example:* "He asked me where **I was going**." (Not "where was I going?")
4. **Backshift the Tense:** Move the verb tense back in time.
* *Present Simple* usually becomes *Past Simple*.
* *Present Continuous* usually becomes *Past Continuous*.
* *Past Simple* usually becomes *Past Perfect*.
* *Will* usually becomes *Would*.
* *Can* usually becomes *Could*.
* *Example:* "are going" (Present Continuous) becomes "was going" (Past Continuous).
* *Example:* "do you want" (Present Simple) becomes "I wanted" (Past Simple).
5. **Change Pronouns and Adverbs:** Adjust pronouns (like 'you' to 'I' or 'he') and time/place adverbs (like 'now' to 'then', 'here' to 'there') if necessary to reflect the new context of reporting.
* *Example:* "are **you** going" becomes "I was going".
* *Example:* "**you** want" becomes "**I** wanted".
### Examples from References
Here is a table summarizing the provided examples, showing the transformation:
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech | Changes Made |
| :---------------------- | :------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------- |
| “Where are you going?” | He asked me where I was going. | Reporting verb ('asked'), Wh- word ('where'), Statement word order ('I was going'), Tense backshift ('are going' -> 'was going'), Pronoun change ('you' -> 'I') |
| “Why is he shouting?” | He asked me why he was shouting.| Reporting verb ('asked'), Wh- word ('why'), Statement word order ('he was shouting'), Tense backshift ('is shouting' -> 'was shouting') |
| “What do you want?” | She asked me what I wanted. | Reporting verb ('asked'), Wh- word ('what'), Statement word order ('I wanted' - 'do' dropped), Tense backshift ('do you want' -> 'I wanted'), Pronoun change ('you' -> 'I') |
These examples clearly demonstrate the shift from the question structure in direct speech to a statement structure in reported speech, along with the tense backshifting and pronoun changes.
### What About Yes/No Questions?
While not shown in your references, for questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no" (like "Are you coming?" or "Did you see that?"), you use "if" or "whether" instead of a Wh- word after the reporting verb.
* *Direct:* "Are you coming?"
* *Reported:* He asked me **if** I was coming.
* *Direct:* "Did you see that?"
* *Reported:* She asked me **whether** I had seen that.
In both cases, the structure becomes `reporting verb + if/whether + subject + verb (backshifted tense)`.
By applying these steps, you can correctly transform direct questions into reported speech, accurately conveying the original meaning while following grammatical rules.
