Practice

Now, you try it!

When you are in a new city or place, you may have many questions. For example, maybe you are visiting a museum, restaurant or some other place. You don't know how to find it. So, you ask someone a question. Then, when you arrive at the place, you have more questions.

Read about indirect questions below. Then, use the Comments section to practice making indirect questions!

Indirect Questions
Direct questions are questions that we can ask family, friends, or other people with whom we are close.

Ex: “Where is the movie theater?”

Indirect questions are polite and a little more formal. We use them when we talk to strangers or people we are not close with and in work situations.

Ex: “Could you tell me where the movie theater is?”

Common indirect phrases:

Can/Could you tell me…
Would you mind…
Would it be possible
Is there any chance….
Do you know…
Do you have any idea...

Word Order

When we make indirect questions, the word order changes. Look carefully at the sentences below.

Direct: Why didn’t Penelope come?
Indirect: Can/could you tell me why Penelope didn’t come? 
WRONG: Can/could you tell me why didn’t Penelope come?

Direct: Where is my phone?
Indirect: Do you know where my phone is? 
WRONG: Do you know where is my phone?

Direct: Where is he?
Indirect: Would you mind telling me where he is? 
WRONG: Would you mind telling me where is he?

Using do/does/did

For direct questions with do, does or did, this word is removed from the noun clause in the indirect question. (The noun clause in the first example below is "what time the meeting starts.")

Direct: What time does the meeting start?
Indirect: Do you have any idea what time the meeting starts?
WRONG: Do you have any idea what time does the meeting start?

Direct: Where do you want to sit?
Indirect: Can you tell me where you want to sit?
WRONG: Can you tell me where do you want to sit?

Using can/could

With some direct questions that begin with can or could, this word is removed from the indirect question.

Direct: Can/could I come to the movie?
Indirect: Would it be possible for me to come to the movie? 
WRONG: Would it be possible can I come to the movie?

Direct: Can/could you share your popcorn?
Indirect: Would you mind sharing your popcorn? 
WRONG: Would you mind can you share your popcorn?

“Yes or No” Questions

A “yes or no” question is a question whose expected answer is “yes” or “no.”

For "yes or no" direct questions without what, where, why, who, when and how, we use if or whether in the indirect question.

Direct: Does Anna take movies seriously?
Indirect: Do you know if Anna takes movies seriously? 
Indirect: Do you know whether Anna takes movies seriously? 
WRONG: Do you know does Anna take movies seriously?

Direct: Is this the right theater?
Indirect: Can you tell me if this is the right theater? 
Indirect: Can you tell me whether this is the right theater? 
WRONG: Can you tell me is this the right theater?

Direct: Has the movie ended?
Indirect: Do you have any idea if the movie has ended? 
Indirect: Do you have any idea whether the movie has ended? 
WRONG: Do you have any idea has the movie ended?