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Question Formation Indirect Questions: Phone. Coming Home. (Whether) James Is On Holiday This Week?

The document discusses indirect questions and question formation. 1) Indirect questions are used to ask questions in a more polite way and begin with phrases like "Could you tell me..." instead of directly inverting the subject and auxiliary verb. 2) Question formation involves inverting the subject and auxiliary/modal verb when asking direct questions, and keeping the normal subject+verb order for indirect questions. 3) Indirect questions can be used after expressions like "I wonder", "I'm not sure", and "Do you have any idea".

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Jesús Fernández Moreno
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263 views1 page

Question Formation Indirect Questions: Phone. Coming Home. (Whether) James Is On Holiday This Week?

The document discusses indirect questions and question formation. 1) Indirect questions are used to ask questions in a more polite way and begin with phrases like "Could you tell me..." instead of directly inverting the subject and auxiliary verb. 2) Question formation involves inverting the subject and auxiliary/modal verb when asking direct questions, and keeping the normal subject+verb order for indirect questions. 3) Indirect questions can be used after expressions like "I wonder", "I'm not sure", and "Do you have any idea".

Uploaded by

Jesús Fernández Moreno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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question formation indirect questions


1 Should we buy her a present? How long have 1 2 >)) Could you tell me what time the shop next door 3 >))
you been waiting? How many children does your sister opens? Do you know if (whether) Mark's coming to the
have? meeting?
2 Why didn't you like the film? Isn't this a beautiful place?
3 What are they talking about? Who does this bag belong We use indirect questions when we want to ask a question in
t o? a more polite way, and begin with Can / Could you tell me ...?
4 Who lives in that house? How many people follow you or when we introduce a question with, e.g. Do you know ... ?
on Twitter? Do you remember...?
Compare
1 We make questions with modal verbs and with tenses where What time does the shop next door open? (direct question), and
there is an auxiliary verb (be, have, etc.) by inverting the Could you tell me what time the shop next door opens? (indirect
subject and the modal/ auxiliary verb. With the present and question)
past simple, we add the auxiliary verb do / does or did before
• In indirect questions the order is subject+ verb. Can you
the subject.
tell me where it is? NOT Ca:nyott tell me whe1 e is it?
2 We often use negative questions to show surprise or when we
• We don't use do /did in the second part of the question.
expect somebody to agree with us.
Do you know where he lives? NOT whe1 e does he li11e.
3 If a verb is followed by a preposition, the preposition comes at
• You can use if or whether in questions without a question
the end of the question, not at the beginning NOT libottt what
word (What, How many, etc.) and after Can you tell me,
a:i eyott talking?
Do you know, etc.
• We often just use the question word and the preposition,
e.g. A I'm thinkinB. B What about?
4 When who /what/ which, etc. is the subject of the question, we
p Other expressions followed by the word order of indirect
questions
don't use do/ did, e.g. Who wrote this? NOTV9ql0 did w1 ite this? The word order of indirect questions is used after:
I wonder.. ., e.g. I wonder why they didn't come.
I'm not sure .. ., e.g. I'm not sure what time it starts.
I can't remember..., e.g. I can't remember where I left my
phone.
I want to know... , e.g. I want to know what time you're
coming home.
Do you have any idea ...?, e.g. Do you have any idea if
(whether) James is on holiday this week?

a Order the words to make questions. b Complete the questions with the words in brackets.
Where didyou&o on holiday last year? (you / go)
1 How often exercise? (you / usually do)
2 Who Oliver Twist? (write)
3 Could you tell me how much ?
(this book/ cost)
4 I can't remember where _______ my car this
morning. (I /park)
tomorrow can't Why come you ?
5 _______ your trip to Paris last weekend?
Why can't you come tomorrow?
(you/ enjoy)
1 I Should her tell I feel how ?
6 What kind of work ? (your sister / do)
2 friend known long best have How you your ?
7 Who the last biscuit? (eat)
3 tell when you train next leaves the Could me ?
8 Do you know what time on a Saturday?
4 housework family in Who your the does ?
(the swimming pool / open)
5 are What about you thinking ?
9 the present you gave her? (your sister /
6 at don't weekend you What doing the like ? not like)
7 music to does What Jane kind like listening of ? 10 play your music so loud? I can't
8 you time film know finishes Do what the ? concentrate. (you / have to)
9 class students yesterday to many came How ?
-<Ill( p.5
10 you remember is where Do the restaurant ?

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