Grammar: Indirect Questions - Uses and Examples

1. What are Direct and Indirect Questions in English?

🎯Indirect Questions sound more polite and formal.

We usually use them for:

• making enquiries,

• making polite requests,

• with people we don't know well, etc.

  
  
  
  

  

2. Direct vs Indirect Questions Uses & Examples

(Direct Question) e.g. Where is the nearest bus stop?

(Indirect Question)

e.g. >> Could you tell me where the nearest bus stop is?

3. How to form Indirect Questions?

We usually add these phrases to make the question sound polite :

• Do you know...?

• Can you tell me...?

• Could you tell me...?

🎯Vocabulary Check!

'could' is a little more formal than 'can'

4. How to change a Direct to an Indirect Question?

We'll be looking at the grammar rules of how to make an Indirect Question for the following:

1️⃣ Indirect Wh- Questions with - 'is', 'are'

2️⃣ Indirect Wh- Questions with - 'do', 'does', 'did'

3️⃣ Indirect Yes / No Questions with - 'Is...?', 'Do..?', 'Can...?

Let's go step-by-step for each of the above in the following examples:

(a) Wh-Questions with 'is' , 'are'

i) Wh-Questions with 'is'

(Direct Question) e.g. Where is the nearest bus stop?

(Indirect Question)

e.g. >> Do you know + where + the nearest bus stop is?

❶ ❷ ❸

b. How to change to Indirect form:

1️⃣ (add the phrase),

2️⃣ (wh-question),

3️⃣ (change verb order 'is' to after the Subject)

🎯Grammar Point!

(Indirect Question)

👉Do you know where the nearest bus stop is? ✅

(Common Mistake)

❌[Do you know where is the nearest bus stop?]❌

ii) Wh-Questions with 'are'

(Direct Question)

e.g. How much are those shirts?

(Indirect Question)

e.g. Can you tell me + how much + those shirts are?

❶ ❷ ❸

(add the phrase)      (wh-question) (change verb order after subject)

How to change to Indirect form:

❶ (add the phrase),

❷ (wh-question),

❸ (change verb order 'are' to after the Subject)

🎯Grammar Point!

(Indirect Question)

👉Can you tell me how much those shirts are? ✅

(Common Mistake)

❌[Can you tell me how much are those shirts?]❌

(b) Wh-Questions with 'do', 'does', 'did'

i. Wh-Questions with - 'do'

👉(Direct Question)

e.g. How often do they come here?

👉 (Indirect Question)

e.g. >> Could you tell me + how often + they come here?

   ❶          ❷    ❸

How to change to Indirect form with 'do':

i. (add the phrase),

ii. (wh-question),

iii. (drop 'do')

🎯Grammar Point!

- (Indirect Question) Could you tell me how often they come here? ✅

- (Common Mistake) [Could you tell me how often do they come here?]❌

ii) Wh-Question with - 'does'

- (Direct Question)

e.g. When does the mall open?

How to change to Indirect form with 'does':

1️⃣ add the phrase

2️⃣ wh-question,

3️⃣ drop 'does',

4️⃣ verb + 's'

- (Indirect Question)

👉 Do you know + when + the mall + opens?

 ❶          ❷    ❸ ❹

🎯Grammar Point!

(Indirect Question) Do you know when the mall opens? ✅

(Common Mistake) [Do you know when does the mall open?]❌

iii) Wh-Questions with - 'did'

(Direct Question)

e.g. What time did the last train leave?

How to change to Indirect form with 'did':

1️⃣ add the phrase,

2️⃣ + wh-question,

3️⃣ drop 'did',

4️⃣ change verb to past simple form

(Indirect Question) 👉 Could you tell me + what time + the last train left?

 ❶          ❷    ❸ ❹

🎯Grammar Point!

(Indirect Question) Could you tell me what time the last train left? ✅

(Common Mistake) [Could you tell me what time did the last train leave?]❌

(c) Yes / No Questions with 'Is ..?, 'Do..?, 'Can..?'

Yes / No Questions - 'Is ...?'

(Direct Question)

e.g. Is Eddy at the office?

👉(Indirect Question)

e.g. >> Could you tell me + if + Eddy is + at the office?

 ❶           ❷    ❸

e.g. >> Could you tell me + whether + Eddy is + at the office?

 ❶          ❷    ❸

How to change to Indirect form 'Is...?':

1️⃣ add the 'phrase',

2️⃣ add 'if ' or 'whether',

3️⃣ verb 'is' after Subject

📌Grammar Point!

(Indirect Question) Could you tell me if / whether Eddy is at the office?✅

(Common Mistake) [Could you tell me if / whether is Eddy at the office?]❌

ii. Yes / No Question with - 'Do..?'

- (Direct Question)

e.g. Do the children walk to school?

- (Indirect Question)

Example: Do you know + if + the children walk to school?

Do you know + whether + the children walk to school?

 ❶     ❷    ❸

How to change to Indirect form 'Do...?':

1️⃣ add the phrase,

2️⃣ add if or whether

3️⃣ drop 'do'

Grammar Point!

- (Indirect Question) Do you know if / whether they know each other? ✅

- (Common Mistake) Do you know if / whether do they know each other?❌

iii. Yes/ No Question with - 'Can...?'

(Direct Question)

e.g. Can the students knit?

(Indirect Question)

>> Could you tell me + if + the students can knit?

 ❶      ❷    ❸

>> Could you tell me + whether + the students can knit?

 ❶          ❷    ❸

How to change to Indirect form 'Can...?':

1️⃣ add the 'phrase',

2️⃣add 'if ' or 'whether',

3️⃣ 'can' is after Subject

🎯Grammar Point!

- (Indirect Question) Could you tell me if / whether they can knit?✅

- (Common Mistake) [Could you tell me if / whether can they knit?]❌

5. Indirect Questions - More Conversation Sentences

Example:

(a) - At the Info Desk

👨🏻‍💼A: Hello, how may I help you?

🧕B: Oh, could you tell me what the theme park opens?

👨🏻‍💼A: Sure, it opens at 9.00 on weekdays.

🧕B: Do you know if I could get tickets there?

👨🏻‍💼A: Yes, you could. But it'll be cheaper to buy them online.

🧕B: Hmm...I think I'll do that. Do you know how often the buses leave for the park?

👨🏻‍💼A: The hotel shuttle service leaves every 15 minutes. The first one leaves at 8.00 am.

🧕B: Thank you so much for your help.

(b) - At the office

👩‍🦰A: Meg, Mike wants to see you and your team.

👩‍💼B: Do you know why he wants to see us?

👩‍🦰A: Maybe it’s about tomorrow’s event.

(c) - At the hotel reception

🧕Guest : Do you know if the shops are open tomorrow?

👨🏻‍💼Staff A : I’m not sure. Let me find out for you….Marie, do you know whether the shops are open tomorrow?

👩‍💼Staff B : The shops close early tomorrow at 3pm. The street parade starts at 5pm.

🧕Guest : Thank you. Could you show us where the train station is?

👨🏻‍💼Staff A: Sure. Here, let me show you...

🎬6. Let's Recap!

i. When to Use Indirect Questions & Example

Indirect Questions form are used when:

- making enquiries,

- making polite requests,

- with people we don't know well, etc.

ii. We usually add these phrases to make the question sound polite or formal :

- Do you know...?

- Can you tell me...?

- Could you tell me...?

📌Review the rules!

a. Indirect Wh-Questions with - 'is' , 'are'

- (change verb order to after Subject)

b. Indirect Wh-Questions with - 'do', 'does', 'did'

i. (drop 'do')

ii. (drop 'does' , verb + s)

iii. (drop 'did' , verb to (past simple)

c. Indirect Yes / No Questions - 'Is ...?' 'Do..?' 'Can...?'

i. (add 'if ' or 'whether')

ii. (verb 'is' after Subject)

💬7. Over to You!

Change the following to Indirect Questions.

1. Excuse me, what is the time?

...................................................................

2. Sir, is there a bookstore in the next town?

....................................................................

3. Do they sell flowers at the train station?

....................................................................

4. What time does the movie start?

....................................................................

5. When did the last train leave?

....................................................................

Thanks so much for reading. Happy Learning!

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