Indirect Questions

Exercises

Explanation

1. How indirect questions are formed

Indirect questions usually begin with a polite introductory phrase such as:

• Could you tell me…

• Do you know…

• I wonder…

• I’d like to know…

• Would you mind telling me…

• Can you explain…

These expressions show interest or curiosity without sounding too direct.

Direct vs. Indirect

Direct: Where is the post office?
Indirect: Could you tell me where the post office is?

Important structure rule: In indirect questions, we do not use question word order. The sentence structure becomes the same as a statement:

question word + subject + verb

Not: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb

2. Indirect questions for Yes/No questions

When the direct question begins with do / does / did / is / are / can / will or any auxiliary verb, the indirect question must include if or whether.

Examples:

Direct: Do you enjoy jazz?
Indirect: I’d like to know if you enjoy jazz.

Direct: Is Anna at home right now?
Indirect: Could you tell me whether Anna is at home?

Whether sounds slightly more formal and is often used in written English.

3. Indirect questions with WH-words

If the direct question starts with: what, where, when, why, who, which, how …these words remain in the indirect form.

But again, we switch to statement word order: WH-word + subject + verb

Examples:

Direct: Why did the meeting finish early?
Indirect: Do you know why the meeting finished early?

Direct: How does this machine work?
Indirect: Can you tell me how this machine works?

Direct: What time does the shop close?
Indirect: Could you explain what time the shop closes?

4. Word order in different tenses (B1+ examples)

Present Simple

Do you know where she works?

Present Continuous

Can you tell me what they are discussing?

Past Simple

Could you tell me when the concert started?

Past Continuous

Do you know why he was driving so fast?

Future Simple (will)

Can you tell me when the guests will arrive?

Present Perfect

I wonder if they have finished their homework.

Present Perfect Continuous

I wonder whether she has been waiting long.

5. Common mistakes

Using question word order in indirect questions

Incorrect: Do you know where does she study?
Correct: Do you know where she studies?

Keeping the auxiliary verb from the direct question

Incorrect: Could you tell me what is this?
Correct: Could you tell me what this is?

Forgetting “if” or “whether”

Incorrect: I don’t know does he like it.
Correct: I don’t know if he likes it.

6. How to answer indirect questions

Although the question form is indirect, the answer is direct and clear.

Do you know where Tom is?
He is in the garden.

Could you tell me if the tickets are still available?
No, they are sold out.

I wonder when the bus arrives.
It arrives at 9:30.

We do not repeat the indirect structure when answering.

7. Punctuation in indirect questions

Indirect questions end with a full stop, not a question mark.

Correct: Could you tell me where the manager is.
Correct: I’d like to know what time we start.

They are grammatically statements, even though they request information.

8. Useful expressions for more polite indirect questions

To sound more diplomatic or gentle, especially in formal English, you can use:

• Do you happen to know…

• I was wondering…

• Would you mind telling me…

• Could you explain…

• Can you show me…

• I’d like to find out…

Examples:

I was wondering when your next class begins.
Do you happen to know why the flight was delayed?
Would you mind telling me where the conference room is?

Quick Summary

Use indirect questions to sound polite, formal, or less direct.
Change the word order to statement form (subject + verb).
For Yes/No questions, use if/whether.
Keep WH-words in WH-questions.
Indirect questions end with a full stop.