Introduction to Indirect Questions
Indirect questions (also called embedded questions) are a polite and formal way to ask for information or make requests. Unlike direct questions, they:
- Don’t use question word order
- Often appear after introductory phrases
- Are more common in formal contexts
Basic Structure
1. Key Components
- Introductory phrase: “Could you tell me…”, “Do you know…”, “I wonder…”
- Embedded question: The actual question content (in statement word order)
2. Word Order Rules
Unlike direct questions, indirect questions follow statement word order: Subject + Verb (no inversion)
Types of Indirect Questions
1. Yes/No Indirect Questions
Structure: If/Whether + subject + verb
Examples:
- “Could you tell me if the bank is open?”
- “Do you know whether they’ve arrived?”
- “I wonder if it will rain tomorrow.”
2. Wh- Indirect Questions
Structure: Wh-word + subject + verb
Examples:
- “Can you tell me where the station is?”
- “Do you remember what time the meeting starts?”
- “I’d like to know how much this costs.”
Formation Rules
1. From Direct to Indirect Questions
Transformation steps:
- Add introductory phrase
- Remove question mark
- Change to statement word order
- Adjust pronouns/tense if needed
Examples:
- Direct: “Where is the library?” Indirect: “Could you tell me where the library is?”
- Direct: “Does this train go to London?” Indirect: “Do you know if this train goes to London?”
2. Tense Agreement
When the introductory verb is in past tense, the embedded question often shifts tense:
- “She asked what time the movie started.”
- “I wondered where he had gone.”
Common Introductory Phrases
1. Requesting Information
- “Could you tell me…”
- “Would you mind telling me…”
- “Do you know…”
- “Can you explain…”
2. Expressing Uncertainty
- “I wonder…”
- “I’m not sure…”
- “I’d like to know…”
3. Making Suggestions
- “Could we find out…”
- “Would it be possible to know…”
Special Cases and Exceptions
1. With “to be”
When the direct question contains “to be” as the main verb, it stays in the same position:
- Direct: “Where is the manager?”
- Indirect: “Could you tell me where the manager is?” (NOT “where is the manager”)
2. Negative Questions
Negative forms maintain their structure:
- “Could you tell me why you didn’t attend?”
- “Do you know if they aren’t coming?”
3. Subject Questions
When the question word is the subject, word order doesn’t change:
- Direct: “Who called?”
- Indirect: “Do you know who called?”
Punctuation Rules
- Indirect questions end with periods, not question marks
- Exception: When the entire sentence is a question:
- “Do you know when the train arrives?”
- “Could you tell me where the restroom is?”
Politeness and Formality
Indirect questions are generally more polite than direct questions. Politeness increases with:
- Longer introductory phrases
- Conditional forms
- Past tense modals
Politeness scale examples:
- “Where’s the bank?” (direct – least polite)
- “Can you tell me where the bank is?” (neutral)
- “I was wondering if you could possibly tell me where the bank might be?” (very polite)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Incorrect word order:
- Wrong: “Could you tell me where is the station?”
- Right: “Could you tell me where the station is?”
- Unnecessary inversion:
- Wrong: “Do you know what time does the store close?”
- Right: “Do you know what time the store closes?”
- Missing introductory phrase:
- Wrong: “Where the post office is?”
- Right: “Could you tell me where the post office is?”
Advanced Usage
1. Reported Questions
Indirect questions are used in reported speech:
- Direct: “Where do you live?” she asked.
- Reported: She asked where I lived.
2. Embedded in Statements
Can be used to express thoughts or uncertainty:
- “I’m not sure what we should do next.”
- “It’s unclear how this happened.”
3. Formal Writing
Common in academic and professional contexts:
- “This study examines whether the treatment is effective.”
- “The report considers how these factors interact.”
Practice Exercises
- Convert direct to indirect questions:
- “What time does the show start?” →
- “Is there a vegetarian option?” →
- “Why did you leave early?” →
- Identify and correct errors:
- “Do you know where can I find a taxi?”
- “I wonder what time does the museum open.”
- “Could you tell me how much is this book?”
- Create polite indirect questions for these situations:
- Asking a stranger for directions
- Inquiring about job interview results
- Requesting information from a professor
Real-World Applications
- Customer Service:
- “Would you be able to tell me when my order will ship?”
- “I was wondering if you could explain the return policy.”
- Business Meetings:
- “Could you clarify how these changes will affect our timeline?”
- “We’d like to know whether the client approved the proposal.”
- Academic Research:
- “This investigation examines why participants responded this way.”
- “The study considers whether gender affects outcomes.”
Teaching Tips
- Contextual Practice:
- Role-play formal scenarios (hotel reception, business meetings)
- Compare direct vs. indirect in various social situations
- Visual Aids:
- Flowcharts showing transformation steps
- Color-coded sentence diagrams
- Error Correction:
- Collect real examples from student writing/speech
- Analyze why certain forms sound unnatural
Conclusion
Mastering indirect questions enables you to:
- Communicate more politely and formally
- Sound more natural in professional contexts
- Improve academic writing skills
- Better understand native speakers in formal situations
Key points to remember:
- Word order follows statement structure (no inversion)
- Introductory phrases make questions indirect
- Punctuation usually requires a period
- Politeness increases with longer, more tentative phrases
This grammatical structure is particularly valuable for:
- Professional communication
- Academic writing
- Customer service interactions
- Any situation requiring tact and diplomacy