Yes or No Questions in Narration

In the previous lesson, you learned how to change assertive sentences.

Now we will learn how to change questions.

There are two types of questions:

Yes or no questions

Wh questions

In this lesson, we will focus on yes or no questions.

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What Is a Yes or No Question

A yes or no question is a question that can be answered with:

Yes

No

Examples:

Are you ready

Do you like tea

Is he happy

Will you come

These questions do not start with wh words.

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Main Idea

To change a yes or no question, we follow these rules:

said to becomes asked

Use if or whether

Change question into statement form

Apply pronoun change

Apply tense backshift

Apply time/place change

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Basic Structure

Reporting part + if or whether + statement form

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Example 1

Direct:

He said to me, “Are you ready?”

Step 1

Remove quotation marks

Step 2

said to → asked

Step 3

Add if

He asked me if you are ready

Step 4

Change structure (question → statement)

you are ready

Step 5

Change pronoun

you → I

Step 6

Backshift tense

are → was

Final:

He asked me if I was ready

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Example 2

Direct:

She said, “Do you like tea?”

Step 1

Remove quotes

Step 2

said → asked

Step 3

Add if

Step 4

Change structure:

you like tea

Step 5

you → I

Step 6

like → liked

Final:

She asked if I liked tea

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Example 3

Direct:

Rafi said to me, “Will you come?”

Step 1

Remove quotes

Step 2

said to → asked

Step 3

Add if

Step 4

you → I

Step 5

will → would

Final:

Rafi asked me if I would come

Example 4

Direct:

The teacher said, “Is he absent?”

Step 1

Remove quotes

Step 2

said → asked

Step 3

Add whether

Step 4

he is absent → he was absent

Final:

The teacher asked whether he was absent

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if or whether

Both if and whether can be used.

Example:

He asked if I was ready

He asked whether I was ready

Both are correct.

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Important Change

Question form becomes statement form.

Wrong:

He asked if was I ready

Correct:

He asked if I was ready

Always remember:

Subject comes before verb in indirect speech.

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One Sentence Step by Step

Sentence:

He said to me, “Do you play football?”

Step 1

said to → asked

Step 2

Add if

Step 3

you → I

Step 4

play → played

Step 5

Statement form:

I played football

Final:

He asked me if I played football

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1

Not using if/whether

Mistake 2

Keeping question structure

Wrong:

He asked if was I ready

Mistake 3

Not changing verb

Mistake 4

Forgetting pronoun change

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Quick Revision

Yes/No question = answer yes or no

Steps:

said to → asked

Use if/whether

Change to statement form

Change pronoun

Backshift tense

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Practice

A. Change into indirect speech

1. He said to me, “Are you happy?”

2. She said, “Do you like mangoes?”

3. Rafi said to me, “Will you help me?”

4. The teacher said, “Is he present?”

5. Mina said to me, “Can you swim?”

6. He said, “Did you go to school?”

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B. Fill in the blanks

1. said to becomes ______

2. We use ______ or ______ in yes/no questions

3. Question becomes ______ form

4. “you” changes according to the ______

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C. Choose the correct answer

1. Yes/no question uses

   that

   if/whether

   because

2. Reporting verb becomes

   said

   asked

   told

3. Question structure becomes

   question

   statement

   command

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Answers

A.

1. He asked me if I was happy.

2. She asked if I liked mangoes.

3. Rafi asked me if I would help him.

4. The teacher asked whether he was present.

5. Mina asked me if I could swim.

6. He asked if I had gone to school.

B.

1. asked

2. if, whether

3. statement

4. listener

C.

1. if/whether

2. asked

3. statement

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Self Check

Can I identify yes/no questions

Can I use if or whether

Can I change question to statement

Can I apply all rules

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Homework

Write five yes/no questions in direct speech.

Then change them into indirect speech.