Indirect questions
Form
If we do not begin a question directly, but begin it with something like:
Can you tell me...? Do you know...? I wonder if...? the word order is the same as in an
affirmative statement.
Direct question: What is he doing?
Indirect question: Do you know what he is doing?
Direct question: Where have they been?
Indirect question: I wonder where they have been?
Do, does, did
If the direct question contains do, does or did, we omit it in the indirect question.
Direct question: What do you want?
Indirect question: Can you tell me what you want?
Direct question: When did she leave?
Indirect question: Do you know when she left?
Yes/no questions
In yes / no questions, we use if or whether (the word order is the same as in reported
questions).
Direct question: Have you seen my dog?
Indirect question: Could you tell me if you have seen my dog?
Indirect Questions Exercises
"What's this?"
"Do you know what
this is?"
I. Fill the gaps.
1 "Where's the station?"
"Can you tell me ___________________________________________ ?"
2 "Are you coming to the party?"
"Can you let me know if
___________________________________________ ?"
3 "How does it work?"
"Can you explain ___________________________________________ ?"
4 "What's the the matter?"
Please tell me ___________________________________________ ."
5 "Where are you from?"
"I'd like to know ___________________________________________ ."
6 "How long does it take to get there?"
1
"Do you know ___________________________________________ ?"
7 "Has she reached a decision yet?"
"Has she told you whether
___________________________________________ ?"
8 "What time are you leaving?"
"Do you know ___________________________________________ ?"
9 "Does Annie know about computers?"
"I wonder whether ___________________________________________ ."
1
"Excuse me. How do you get to the post office from here?"
0
"Could you tell us ___________________________________________ ?"
1
"What are you doing?!"
1
"Do you have any idea ___________________________________________
?!"
1
"Could you lend me 50 Euros?"
2
"I don't suppose ___________________________________________ ."
1
"Could you take me to the airport?"
3
"Is there any chance
___________________________________________ ?"
1
"Does Susana like classical music?"
4
"I can't remember if ___________________________________________ ."
II. Example: Peter: "Did John clean the black shoes yesterday?"
Peter asked me _________________________________________
Answer: Peter asked me if John had cleaned the black shoes the day before.
1) Mandy: "Are the boys reading the book?"
Yesterday Mandy asked me__________________________________________________
2) Jason: "Who gave you the laptop?"
Yesterday Jason wanted to know _____________________________________________
3) Robert: "Is Tim leaving on Friday?"
Yesterday Robert asked me _________________________________________________
4) Daniel: "Will it rain tomorrow?"
Yesterday Daniel asked me _________________________________________________
5) Jennifer: "Where do you play football today?"
Yesterday Jennifer wanted to know ___________________________________________
6) Nancy: "Why didn't Nick go to New York last summer?"
Yesterday Nancy wanted to know _____________________________________________
7) Barbara: "Must I do my homework this afternoon?"
Yesterday Barbara asked me _________________________________________________
8) Linda: "Did Max fly to London two weeks ago?"
Yesterday Linda wanted to know _____________________________________________
9) Grandmother: "Where are my glasses?"
Yesterday Grandmother asked me ____________________________________________
10)
A man: "When does the train to Liverpool leave?"
Yesterday a man asked me __________________________________________________
