Indirect questions
Indirect questions are more polite than direct
questions.
For example:
| Direct question | Indirect polite question |
| Where is the hospital? | Can you tell me where the hospital is? |
| Will she be late? | Could you tell me if she will be late? |
The important thing is the word order here.
 |
 |
Task 1:
Translate this sentence into your language word for word: Can you tell me where I must wait, please? |
In some languages, the answer is:
Can you tell me where
must I
wait, please?
And that is not correct in English. In
English, we must say:
Can you tell me where
I must wait, please?
What does your language do?
In English, the word order for indirect questions is:
Questions form + wh- word +
subject + verb phrase
OR
Question form + if + subject +
verb phrase
Like this:
| Question form | wh-word or if | subject | verb |
| Can you tell me ... | where | the hospital | is? |
| Do you do you know ... | if | she | will be late? |
 |
Task 2: Click here to try a short test to see if you can put the words in the right order. |
Did you get them right? If you did not, go back and try again.
 |
Some more examples of forming indirect questions |
Indirect questions are formed like this:
| Form | Examples |
| Question form + if + subject + verb phrase | Can you let
me know if you can help? Do you know if you are going? Can you tell me if they want it? |
| Questions form + wh- word + subject + verb phrase | Can you
tell me where the hospital is? Do you know how he can get here? Could you tell me what your full name is? |
 |
Introducing indirect questions |
An indirect question can be introduced in many
ways.
The most common are
Can you
tell me ...
or
Could you tell me ...
But it is not the only way. Here are some other examples:
| Form | Example |
| Could you tell me + wh- word + subject + verb phrase | Could you tell me when the bus leaves? |
| Could you tell me + if + subject + verb phrase | Could you tell me if this train goes to London? |
| Can you tell me + wh- word + subject + verb phrase | Can you tell me where the toilet is? |
| Can you tell me + if + subject + verb phrase | Can you tell me if this is the bus for Margate? |
| Do you know + wh- word + subject + verb phrase | Do you know where the hospital is? |
| We can also use another verb instead of tell: | |
| Could you let me know + wh-word + subject + verb phrase | Could you let me know when to get off? |
| Can you say + wh- word + subject + verb phrase | Can you say when we will arrive? |
|
|
Task 3: Now click here to try a test to match the direct and indirect questions. |
 |
Using indirect questions |
We use indirect question forms in English to be more polite.
|
|
Task 4:
Which of these are polite and which are direct (and may be
rude)? Click here when you have thought about that. |
- Can you tell me when the train leaves?
- Do you know when the train leaves?
- When does the train leave?
- Does the train leave at 6?
- Can you tell me if the train leaves at 6?
- I was wondering if you know what time the train leaves
- Is it possible you could let me know what time the train leaves?
- Could you tell me what time the train leaves?
3 and 4 are direct and a most people will think you are rude.
1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are all polite ways to ask questions. The
most polite (and the longest!) is question 7.
The general rule is that long,
complicated questions are usually more polite!
|
|
Task 5: Try another test to find the most polite question. |
 |
Finally ... |
|
|
Task 6:
Make the indirect questions from the direct questions. Click on the table when you have written your answers. |
Did you get them all right?
No: go back to the beginning.
Yes: go to the lesson index.