Indirect Questions

Indirect Questions

Indirect questions are more polite and less direct than direct questions. They often begin with phrases such as Could you tell me...?, Do you know...?, I wonder..., I'd like to know... or I'm not sure....

Some indirect questions are real questions and end with a question mark. Others are part of a statement and therefore end with a full stop. Have a look at the examples (direct questions reworked into indirect):

• Where does she live?
  Indirect Q: Do you know where she lives?
• What did he buy? 
  Indirect Q: Could you tell me what he bought?
• When is the train leaving? 
  Indirect: Do you know when the train is leaving?
• Who wrote this book?
  Indirect Q: I wonder who wrote this book.

Notice that in an indirect question, we use normal statement word order (not question word order = we don't use do/does, or did):
 → Subject + verb.

For yes/no questions, we use if or whether.

• Is Tom at home?
  Indirect Q: Do you know if Tom is at home?
• Did she call? 
  Indirect Q: Could you tell me whether she called?

• Indirect Wh- question: normal statement word order
  → Phrase + question word + subject + verb
  Do you know where she lives?
• Indirect Yes/No question:
  → Phrase + if / whether + subject + verb
  Could you tell me if Tom is at home?