SPEECH/QUESTIONS

"How much pay rise can I expect?"

• She wondered how much pay rise she can expect.

• She wondered how much pay rise she could expect.

• She wondered how much pay rise I can expect.

• She wondered how much pay rise could she expect.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In what, where, why, who, when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

Our team leader:”What time are you going to finish the task tomorrow?”

• Our team leader asked what time we were going to finish the task the next day.

• Our team leader asked what time we are going to finish the task the next day.

• Our team leader asked what time we were going to finish the task tomorrow.

• Our team leader asked what time we are going to finish the task tomorrow.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In what, where, why, who, when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'Do you still work remotely?' he said.

• He said to me if I still work remotely.

• He asked me if I still worked remotely.

• He said to me if I still worked remotely.

• He asked if I still work remotely.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'Do you like working in sales?' he asked.

• He asked me if I have liked working in sales.

• He asked me if I had liked working in sales.

• He asked me if I have like working in sales.

• He asked me if I liked working in sales.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'Are you going to the Helsinki conference?'

• He asked me if I am going to the Helsinki conference.

• He asked me if I had been to the Helsinki conference.

• He asked me if I was going to the Helsinki conference.

• He asked me if I would go to the Helsinki conference.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'Have you finished the project yet?'

• She asked us whether we've finished the project yet.

• She asked us whether we finished the project yet.

• She asked us whether we would finish the project yet.

• She asked us whether we'd finished the project yet.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'What time does the train leave?'

• He asked me what time the train left.

• He asked me what time the train leaves.

• He asked me what time the train will leave.

• He asked me what time the train has left.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In what, where, why, who, when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'When could you get this done by?'

• He wondered when we could get it done by.

• He asked when could we get it done by.

• He wondered when could we get it done by.

• He asked when we will get it done by.

Answer explanation

In indirect speech, we change the question structure (e.g. Do you like) to a statement structure (e.g. I like). In what, where, why, who, when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

'Would you like me to help you?'

• He offered helping me.

• He asked to help me.

• He offered to help me.

• He asked if I help me.

Answer explanation

If the question is making an offer, request or suggestion, we can use a specific verb pattern instead, for example offer + infinitive, ask + infinitive or suggest + ing.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.L.8.1C

'Can you hold this for me, please?'

• She requested if I can hold it.

• She forced me to hold it.

• She offered me to hold it.

• She asked me to hold it.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.L.8.1C