Why is 'He asked where was I' wrong?

Reported questions don't use question word order — they use statement word order. The correct form is 'He asked where I was'. Even though there's a question word ('where'), the verb stays after the subject, just like in a normal statement. Don't keep the inversion from the original question.

When do I use 'if' vs 'whether' in reported questions?

Both work for reported yes/no questions. 'She asked if I liked it' = 'She asked whether I liked it'. 'Whether' is slightly more formal and is preferred when the question has two clear alternatives ('whether to stay or leave'). In everyday English, 'if' is more common.

How do I report a command or request?

Use tell/ask + object + to + base verb: 'Wait here' → 'He told me to wait there'. 'Please help me' → 'She asked me to help her'. The infinitive ('to wait', 'to help') replaces the imperative form. For negative commands, use 'not to': 'Don't go' → 'He told me not to go'.

Why is 'She asked if do I like it' wrong?

Reported questions don't keep the do/does/did auxiliary from direct questions. Drop it and conjugate the main verb directly: 'She asked if I liked it'. The 'do-support' is only used in direct questions, not indirect ones. The same rule applies to 'does' and 'did'.

Can I use 'said' to report a question?

Generally no — 'say' isn't used for questions. Use 'ask' or 'wonder' instead: 'He asked if I was free' (not 'He said if I was free'). 'Say' works for statements; 'ask' works for questions. 'Inquire' is a more formal alternative to 'ask' in writing.

Do I still apply backshift in reported questions?

Yes — when the reporting verb is in the past, the tense of the reported clause backshifts the same way as in reported statements. 'Do you like it?' → 'She asked if I liked it' (present → past). 'Where are you?' → 'He asked where I was' (am/are → was/were).

Reported Questions & Commands

Reporting yes/no and wh- questions, and commands/requests

Last updated 13 June 2026

intermediate

Reported questions and commands follow special rules. Questions lose their inverted word order and use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions. Commands and requests are reported with 'tell/ask + object + to + base verb', or 'not to + base verb' for negative commands.

When to Use Reported Questions & Commands

•Report yes/no questions with if/whether: He asked if I liked it.
•Report wh- questions keeping word order (no inversion): She asked where I was.
•Report commands/requests with tell/ask + object + to + verb: He told me to wait.
•Use not to for negative commands: They told us not to leave.
•Backshift tenses after past reporting verbs when needed.

How to Form Reported Questions & Commands

Affirmative (+)

Question: reporting verb + if/whether or wh-word + clause (no inversion). Command: tell/ask + object + to + base verb

Negative (-)

tell/ask + object + not to + base verb

Question (?)

Reporting verbs: ask, wonder, inquire; use if/whether for yes/no

💡 Remove do-support and invert only once; keep pronouns/time/place shifts as needed.

Examples of Reported Questions & Commands

✓He asked if I could help.

✗He asked if could I help.

No inversion in reported questions.

✓She asked where you were.

✗She asked where were you.

Keep subject before verb in reported questions.

✓They told me to wait.

✗They told to wait me.

Use object + to + base.

Common Mistakes with Reported Questions & Commands

💡 Practice Tips for Reported Questions & Commands

• Yes/No: if/whether + subject + verb (no inversion).
• Wh-: wh-word + subject + verb (no inversion).
• Commands: tell/ask + object + to + base; use not to for negatives.
• Apply pronoun/time/place shifts and backshift tenses as needed.

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When to Use Reported Questions & Commands

How to Form Reported Questions & Commands

Examples of Reported Questions & Commands

Common Mistakes with Reported Questions & Commands

✗He asked me where was I.

✗She asked if do I like it.

✗They told don't go.