Fill in the blanks with an appropriate phrase. This grammar exercise tests your ability to report questions.
1I asked who ............... at the party.
Wrong!
In this reported question, the correct word order and backshifted verb are "she was".
2She wondered why ............... a coat.
Wrong!
In this reported question, the subject comes before the auxiliary in "I wasn't wearing".
3We need to decide where ............... to sleep.
Wrong!
After "where" in an indirect question, the correct word order is "she is going".
4Grandma told me when ............... arriving, but I forgot, so nobody met her at the station.
Wrong!
In this reported question, the arrival is now in the past, so we use statement word order and the backshifted verb "she was".
5He explained what ...............
Wrong!
In this reported question, the subject comes before the verb in "his problem was".
6You haven’t said why ............... to come to the party tomorrow.
Wrong!
In this indirect question, the subject comes before the auxiliary in "you don't want".
7Tell me when ............... on holiday.
Wrong!
In this indirect question, the correct word order is "you are leaving".
8The traveller asked me if I knew where ...............
Wrong!
In this reported question, the subject comes before the verb in "the inn was".
9We need to know whether ............... interested in the proposal.
Wrong!
In this indirect question, the correct word order is "they are".
10Nobody told me why ............... to give up my rights.
Wrong!
In this reported question, we do not use question-word order, so the correct answer is "I had".
11I just want to know when ............... tomorrow.
Wrong!
In this indirect question, the subject comes before the auxiliary in "you are leaving".
12When she got home, she wondered who ............... the door open.
Wrong!
Because the leaving happened before she wondered, the correct past perfect form is "had left".
Answers
- I asked who she was at the party.
- She wondered why I wasn’t wearing a coat.
- We need to decide where she is going to sleep.
- Grandma told me when she was arriving, but I forgot, so nobody met her at the station.
- He explained what his problem was.
- You haven’t said why you don’t want to come to the party tomorrow.
- Tell me when you are leaving on holiday.
- The traveller asked me if I knew where the inn was.
- We need to know whether they are interested in the proposal.
- Nobody told me why I had to give up my rights.
- I just want to know when you are leaving tomorrow.
- When she got home, she wondered who had left the door open.