Level 42 - Unit 8 - Reported (indirect) speech - some easy examples
Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter.

Reported speech or indirect speech (both terms are used) with questions.

In reported speech the question form is often lost.

To take a simple question: "Where is the dog?"

This can be reported using phrases like He asked me... He's asking me... I want to know... Can you tell me... and many others, all followed by
"where the dog is."
"He's asking me where the dog is." "I want to know where the dog is. "Please tell me where the dog is." etc etc.

Note that this is often now not really a question but a statement so there is no "?"
"What time does the shop shut?" ---" I'm asking what time the shop shuts." (not a question)
But "Can you tell me what time the shop shuts?" is a new question.

Here are a few more examples:
Can you drive? --- I'm asking you if you can drive.
Is your parrot from Africa? --- He's asking her if her parrot is from Africa.
How did he catch ebola? --- The doctor is asking the patient how he caught ebola.
Did you see that film last week? --- I want to know if you saw that film last week.

"Who" questions can seem difficult because the "who" can refer to the subject or the object.
Take the sentence "John killed Mary."
There are two possible questions and the reported speech equivalent is given after each:
"Who killed Mary?" --- I'm asking you who killed Mary.
"Who did John kill?" --- I'm asking you who John killed.

This activity has simple examples most using the same formula "I'm a bit deaf..." as a reason to introduce the reported sentence.

More complex sentences can involve chages to tenses and time clauses. We will see them later.
Where is the cat? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you where .
What are you doing? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you what !
Are you going to John's party? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you if to John's party!
When did Orwell write "1984" Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you "1984".
Do you think it will rain tomorrow? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you it will rain tomorrow.
Do you come here often? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you here often?
Can you ice-skate? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you ice-skate.
How many times has Mary seen that film? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you how many times that film.
How long have you been deaf? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you how long deaf.
When are you coming back to work? --- Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I'm asking you when back to work.
Who's eaten my chocolates? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... I want to know my chocolates!
Who did you see opening the safe? Excuse me, I'm a bit deaf... We need to know opening the safe.