Wh Questions in Narration
What You Will Learn
In this lesson, you will learn:
In the previous lesson, you learned how to change yes or no questions.
Now we will learn the second type of question:
Wh questions
These questions begin with words like:
what
where
when
why
who
how
This lesson will show you how to change them correctly.
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What Is a Wh Question
A wh question is a question that begins with a question word.
Examples:
Where do you live
Why are you late
What do you want
When will he come
How can I help you
These questions do not take yes or no as the answer.
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Main Idea
To change a wh question, we follow these rules:
said to becomes asked
Keep the wh word
Change question order into statement order
Apply pronoun change
Apply tense backshift
Apply time/place change if needed
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Basic Structure
Reporting part + wh word + statement form
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Important Rule
In yes or no questions, we use if or whether.
But in wh questions, we do not use if or whether.
We keep the original wh word.
Example:
He said to me, “Where do you live?”
He asked me where I lived.
Here, where stays where.
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Example 1
Direct:
He said to me, “Where do you live?”
Step 1
Remove quotation marks
Step 2
said to → asked
Step 3
Keep the wh word:
where
Step 4
Change question form to statement form:
you live
Step 5
Change pronoun:
you → I
Step 6
Backshift tense:
live → lived
Final:
He asked me where I lived
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Example 2
Direct:
She said to him, “Why are you sad?”
Step 1
Remove quotes
Step 2
said to → asked
Step 3
Keep why
Step 4
Change structure:
you were sad
Step 5
you → he
Step 6
are → was
Final:
She asked him why he was sad
Example 3
Direct:
Father said to me, “When will you go?”
Step 1
said to → asked
Step 2
Keep when
Step 3
you → I
Step 4
will → would
Final:
Father asked me when I would go
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Example 4
Direct:
The teacher said to the boy, “What do you want?”
Step 1
said to → asked
Step 2
Keep what
Step 3
Change structure:
you wanted
Step 4
you → the boy or he
Step 5
do want → wanted
Final:
The teacher asked the boy what he wanted
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Wh Word Stays the Same
This is the most important point in this lesson.
In wh questions:
what stays what
where stays where
when stays when
why stays why
who stays who
how stays how
Only the rest of the sentence changes.
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Question Form Becomes Statement Form
This rule is very important.
Wrong:
He asked me where did I live.
He asked me why was I late.
Correct:
He asked me where I lived.
He asked me why I was late.
So always remember:
Indirect speech uses statement order, not question order.
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One Sentence Step by Step
Sentence:
Rina said to me, “How can you solve it?”
Step 1
said to → asked
Step 2
Keep the wh word:
how
Step 3
Change question form to statement form
Step 4
you → I
Step 5
can → could
Final:
Rina asked me how I could solve it
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Another Step by Step Example
Sentence:
The man said to me, “Who are you?”
Step 1
said to → asked
Step 2
Keep who
Step 3
Change question form to statement form
Step 4
you → I
Step 5
are → was
Final:
The man asked me who I was
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Common Mistakes
Mistake 1
Using if or whether in a wh question
Wrong:
He asked me if where I lived.
Correct:
He asked me where I lived.
Mistake 2
Changing the wh word
Wrong:
He asked me that where I lived.
Correct:
He asked me where I lived.
Mistake 3
Keeping question order
Wrong:
She asked him why was he sad.
Correct:
She asked him why he was sad.
Mistake 4
Forgetting pronoun change
Mistake 5
Forgetting tense backshift
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Quick Revision
Wh question begins with:
what
where
when
why
who
how
Steps:
said to → asked
Keep the wh word
Change to statement form
Change pronoun
Backshift tense
Change time/place if needed
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Practice
A. Change into indirect speech
1. He said to me, “Where do you live?”
2. She said to him, “Why are you sad?”
3. Father said to me, “When will you go?”
4. The teacher said to the boy, “What do you want?”
5. Rina said to me, “How can you do this?”
6. The man said to me, “Who are you?”
7. Mother said to me, “Where have you kept the book?”
8. The teacher said to us, “Why are you making noise?”
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B. Fill in the blanks
1. In wh questions, we keep the ______ word
2. said to usually becomes ______
3. Question form becomes ______ form
4. We do not use ______ or ______ in wh questions
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C. Choose the correct answer
1. In wh questions, we use
if
whether
the wh word
2. Reporting verb usually becomes
asked
told
said
3. Indirect speech takes
question order
statement order
random order
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Answers
A.
1. He asked me where I lived.
2. She asked him why he was sad.
3. Father asked me when I would go.
4. The teacher asked the boy what he wanted.
5. Rina asked me how I could do that.
6. The man asked me who I was.
7. Mother asked me where I had kept the book.
8. The teacher asked us why we were making noise.
B.
1. wh
2. asked
3. statement
4. if, whether
C.
1. the wh word
2. asked
3. statement order
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Self Check
Can I identify a wh question
Can I keep the wh word correctly
Can I change question order to statement order
Can I apply pronoun change and tense backshift
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Homework
Write five wh questions in direct speech.
Use different wh words like where, why, when, what, and how.
Then change them into indirect speech.