Unit 13 - Indirect Questions

Indirect Questions

Unit 13 - Indirect Questions

Indirect questions are polite, longer forms of normal questions. For example:
- Where's the department store? - Direct question
- Could you tell me where the department store is, please? - Indirect question
- What's his name? - Direct question
- Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question

Form

Indirect questions are formed of two parts: a polite expression, and a question which has no subject/verb inversion like a normal question . For example:
- What's his name? >>
- Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question
Here the polite expression is "Do you know...", and the question part is "...what his name is?". Note that the subject and verb have not changed place in the question part. So if you said "Do you know what is his name?", this would be incorrect.

Another example:
- What's the time? >>
- Do you have any idea what the time is? - Indirect question
The polite expression is "Do you have any idea...?", and the question is "...what the time is?".
The question is not "...what is the time?" - you don't invert the subject and verb kike a normal question.

Auxiliary Verb "To do"

The auxiliary verb "to do"is used in questions when there is no other auxiliary verb. For example:
- You like Chinese food. >>
- Do you like Chinese food?

Indirect questions do not use the auxiliary verb "to do" in the main question. For example:
- When does the next train arrive? - Direct question
- Do you know when the next train arrives? - Indirect question
- Do you know when does the next train arrive? - Incorrect

Another example:
- When does the restaurant close? - Direct question
- Could you tell me when the restaurant closes? - Indirect question
- Could you tell me when does the restaurant close? - Incorrect

There are infinite ways to make indirect questions. Not all indirect questions are questions at all, rather they are polite statements which encourage some kind of response. Some common polite expressions include:
- I wonder if/whether...?
- I can't remember if/whether...?
- Could you tell me if/whether...?
- Would you mind telling me if/whether...?
- Would it be possible for you to...?
- Is there any chance you could...?
- I don't suppose you could...
- I'd like to know if/whether...
- I can't remember...

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Grammar Exercises

Example: Do you know _______ ?

a) where the bus station is
b) the bus station is where

The answer is: a) where the bus station is
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1. I can't remember if ______ ?
a) we have class today
b) do we have class today

2. I don't suppose you ______ ?
a) give me a loan
b) could give me a loan

3. _______ the checks come in the mail?
a) You know
b) When do

4. ________ if he trusts me?
a) Does
b) Do you know

5. ________ what time the sporting match starts?
a) Do you know
b) When

6. ______ happen to know his name?
a) What
b) Do you

7. Do you know ______ ?
a) what the luckiest number is
b) luckiest number

8. Where _____ the bus station?
a) is
b) do you know

9. ______ happen to know the recipe for this dish?
a) What
b) Do you

10. I can't remember ________ homework?
a) if we have any
b) we have any

Answers

"a","b","b","b","a","b","a","a","b","a"

Tyler: Do you know the name of the other chemistry teacher?
Sylvia: Yes, her name is Professor Silver.

John: Oh no, I missed the bus!
Erica: Which bus were you trying to catch?
John: The one to Maple Street. Do you by chance know the next time that bus will come?
Erica: I believe it will come again in 20 minutes.

Jill: I wonder what the world record for the fattest cat is?
Robert: That’s funny, I sometimes wonder about things like that too. Let’s look it up on the Internet!