INDIRECT QUESTION

INDIRECT QUESTION

●     An indirect question can be more formal and polite than a direct question.

●     Whether we use direct and indirect questions depends on the situation, who we are talking to and what we are talking about. We tend to use direct questions with people we know well, in more informal situations and/or when the topic is not ‘sensitive’. Indirect questions are often used when talking to someone we don’t know well, in formal / professional situations, and / or where the topic might be ‘sensitive’.

●     Compare the following direct and indirect questions:

○     When can we discuss this problem? – Direct question which in some cases is not very polite; e.g. when asking your boss to discuss a payment problem.

○     Would it be possible to discuss this problem soon? – Indirect question which is considered more polite; e.g. a polite way of stating that there is a problem you want to talk about.

●     Here are some ways of asking indirect questions.

Direct Question	Indirect Question
How old are you?	Would you mind telling me how old you are?
Where’s the bank?	Could you tell me where the bank is?
How old are you?	Would you mind telling me how old you are?
Why are they late?	I wonder why they are late?
What time is it?	Do you have any idea what time it is?
Help me!	Is there any chance you could help me?
Who’s that?	Do you happen to know who that is?

 

Grammar differences in direct and indirect questions

●     There are three important grammatical changes between direct and indirect sentences.

1.   When we start using an indirect question form (such as those on the right hand side of the table above), the word order is the same as a positive statement, not a question

Direct Question	Indirect Question
What is his name?	Do you know what his name is? NOT Do you know what is his name?
What are you doing?	Can you tell me what you are doing? NOT Can you tell me what are you doing?

 

2.   If the direct question uses the auxiliary verb ‘do’ (i.e. does, did, do), it is left out of the indirect question.

Direct Question	Indirect Question
Where does she live?	Do you know where she lives? NOT Do you know where she does live?
Who did she work for?	Can you tell me who she worked for? NOT Can you tell me who she did work for?

 

3.   If the direct question can be answered with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, the indirect question needs “if” or “whether”.

Direct Question	Indirect Question
Is she coming back soon?	Do you know if she is coming back soon?
Have you seen this man before?	Can you tell me whether you have seen this man before?

●     This form uses an introductory question or phrase with the question you want to ask in sentence format after it. The difference is that the verb goes after the sentence as it would in a positive sentence.

●     Direct question: Where IS the bank?

●     Indirect question: Could you tell me where the bank IS?

Introductory Questions:	Introductory Phrases:
Could you tell me…?                                                                      Could you let me know…?                                                             Do you know…?	I wonder if you could tell me… I wonder if you know… I would like to know…

●     Could you tell me where the bank is?

●     Could you let me know when you are available for an appointment?

●     Do you know how much a ticket is

Notice that after the introductory question, we use a phrase/sentence.

●     I wonder if you know where the bank IS.

●     I wonder if you could tell me when you ARE available for an appointment.

●     I would like to know how much a ticket IS.

Note that there is no question mark at the end of the question phrase.

●     If your indirect question gets a yes/no answer in the direct form, then we use if/whether after the introductory question or phrase. If it doesn’t get a YES/NO answer, then you use the question word that you would use in the direct form.

○     Could you tell me if/whether the train leaves from this platform? (Does the train leave from this platform?)

BUT

○     Could you tell me what time the train leaves?

An indirect question can be embedded in a statement, another question, or an order.

●     I wonder whether Anne is happy.

(The embedded direct question is "Is Anne happy?". This is a direct question within a statement, i.e., within a declarative sentence.)

●     Do you know if anyone was listening?

(The embedded direct question is "Was anyone listening?". This is a direct question within a question, i.e., within an interrogative sentence.)

●     Please find out what time the train is due.

(The embedded direct question is "What time is the train due?". This is a direct question within an order, i.e., within an imperative sentence.)