GV

Indirect Questions

Embedded questions with statement word order: I wonder where she is

intermediate

When to Use Indirect Questions

  • •Polite questions: Could you tell me where the station is?
  • •Reporting questions: She asked where I lived.
  • •Wondering/not knowing: I don't know what time it starts.
  • •Embedded in statements: I wonder if she's coming.
  • •After phrases like: Do you know, Can you tell me, I'm not sure, I wonder.

How to Form Indirect Questions

Affirmative (+)

Intro phrase + question word + subject + verb (no inversion)

Negative (-)

Intro phrase + question word + subject + don't/doesn't + verb

Question (?)

Do you know + question word + subject + verb?

💡 No auxiliary inversion. Use if/whether for yes/no questions. No question mark if main clause is a statement.

Examples of Indirect Questions

✓Do you know where she lives?

✗Do you know where does she live?

No inversion in indirect question.

✓I wonder if he's coming.

✗I wonder is he coming.

Use if/whether + statement order.

✓Could you tell me what time it is?

✗Could you tell me what time is it?

Statement word order after intro phrase.

Common Mistakes with Indirect Questions

💡 Practice Tips for Indirect Questions

  • • Indirect = statement word order (subject before verb).
  • • Remove do/does/did; conjugate the main verb instead.
  • • Use if/whether for yes/no indirect questions.
  • • Question mark only if the main clause is a question.
Quick Quiz
  1. 1.Could you tell me where  ?
  2. 2.Do you know  ?
  3. 3.I wonder   tomorrow.
  4. Question 4: Convert to indirect: 'Where does he live?' → I don't know where blank.
    4.Convert to indirect: 'Where does he live?' → I don't know where .
  5. Question 5: Convert to indirect: 'How much does it cost?' → Could you tell me how much blank?
    5.Convert to indirect: 'How much does it cost?' → Could you tell me how much ?
  6. Question 6: Convert to indirect: 'Where did she go?' → I wonder where blank.
    6.Convert to indirect: 'Where did she go?' → I wonder where .
  7. Question 7: Convert to indirect: 'Is he coming?' → I don't know blank ___ ___ ___.
    7.Convert to indirect: 'Is he coming?' → I don't know ___ ___ ___.
  8. Question 8: Punctuation: 'I wonder where she lives' — does it end with a question mark? (Yes/No)blank
    8.Punctuation: 'I wonder where she lives' — does it end with a question mark? (Yes/No)
  9. Question 9: Convert: 'When does the film start?' → Can you tell me when blank?
    9.Convert: 'When does the film start?' → Can you tell me when ?
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