Do you know where ... ? / I don't know why ... / Could you tell me what ... ? etc.
We say: Where has Tom gone?
but Do you know where Tom has gone? (not Do you know where has Tom gone?)
When the question (
Where has Tom gone?) is part of a longer sentence (
Do you know ... ? /
I don't know ... /
Can you tell me ... ? etc.), the word order changes. We say:
- What time is it? but Do you know what time it is?
- Who are those people? I don't know who those people are.
- Where can I find Louise? Can you tell me where I can find Louise?
- How much will it cost? Do you have any idea how much it will cost?
Be careful with
do/
does/
did questions. We say:
- What time does the film start? but Do you know what time the film starts? (not does the film start)
- What do you mean? Please explain what you mean.
- Why did she leave early? I wonder why she left early.
Use
if or
whether where there is no other question word (
what,
why etc.):
- Did anybody see you? but Do you know if anybody saw you? or ... whether anybody saw you?
He asked me where ... (reported questions)
The same changes in word order happen in reported questions. Compare:
- direct The police officer said to us 'Where are you going ?'
reported The police officer asked us where we were going. - direct Clare said 'What time do the banks close ?'
reported Clare wanted to know what time the banks closed.
In reported speech the verb usually changes to the past (were, closed etc.). See Unit 47.
Study these examples. You had an interview for a job and these were some of the questions the interviewer asked you:
Later you tell a friend what the interviewer asked you. You use
reported speech:
- She asked if (or whether) I was willing to travel.
- She wanted to know what I did in my spare time.
- She asked how long I had been working in my present job.
- She asked why I had applied for the job. (or ... why I applied)
- She wanted to know if (or whether) I could speak any other languages.
- She asked if (or whether) I had a driving licence.
50.1 Which is right? Tick (v) the correct alternative.
- a) Do you know what time the film starts?
- b) Do you know what time does the film start?
- c) Do you know what time starts the film?
- a) Why Amy does get up so early every day?
- b) Why Amy gets up so early every day?
- c) Why does Amy get up so early every day?
- a) I want to know what this word means.
- b) I want to know what does this word mean.
- c) I want to know what means this word.
- a) I can't remember where did I park the car.
- b) I can't remember where I parked the car.
- c) I can't remember where I did park the car.
- a) Why you didn't phone me yesterday?
- b) Why didn't you phone me yesterday?
- c) Why you not phoned me yesterday?
- a) Do you know where does Helen work?
- b) Do you know where Helen does work?
- c) Do you know where Helen works?
- a) How much it costs to park here?
- b) How much does it cost to park here?
- c) How much it does cost to park here?
- a) Tell me what you want.
- b) Tell me what you do want.
- c) Tell me what do you want.
50.2 Put the words in the correct order.
50.3 You have been away for a while and have just come back to your home town. You meet Tony, a friend of yours. He asks you a lot of questions:
Now you tell another friend what Tony asked you. Use reported speech.
