Indirect Questions in English
Indirect questions are polite ways to ask a question using a phrase instead of question words.
In this lesson, you’ll learn some common phrases and practise using them.
How to use indirect questions?
Indirect questions are polite ways to ask a question.
Question marks are not used at the end unless a question word such as , could, can etc, is used. A full stop is the usual punctuation.
Common Indirect phrases
- I wonder if …
- Could you tell me ….?
- I was wondering …
- Would it be possible ….?
- I’d like to know ….
- Would you mind ….?
- Do you know ….?
Word Order
- Same as a statement sentence. Indirect question phrase + subject + verb
For example,
- Direct question = What time is it?
- Indirect question = Could you tell me what time it is?
Examples
I was wondering when the train is leaving.
Would it be possible to tell me where the museum is?
Do you know if the shop is closed?
Remember – same word order as a statement sentence
Practise
Match the indirect phrases to the rest of the question.
Common mistakes learners make
- Using a normal question word order
- Using question marks in wrong indirect questions
Common mistakes learners make
- Using a normal question word order
- Using question marks in wrong indirect questions