Indirect/Embedded questions
B1 IntermediateIndirect questions are questions placed inside another sentence or question to sound more polite or formal. They use statement word order instead of question word order.
Overview
Indirect questions, also known as embedded questions, are used to ask for information in a less direct way. They are common in formal situations or when speaking to strangers. When a question is embedded, it loses its question word order and functions as a noun clause.
Form
Introductory phrase + question word/if + subject + verb
In an indirect question, the subject comes before the verb, and auxiliary verbs like do, does, or did are removed. For yes/no questions, use if or whether.
Direct vs. Indirect Order
Notice that the indirect version does not use inversion (verb-subject) in the second half of the sentence.
| Direct Question | Indirect Question |
|---|---|
| Where is the station? | Do you know where the station is? |
| What time does it start? | Can you tell me what time it starts? |
| Is he coming? | I wonder if he is coming. |
Common mistakes
Do you know where is the bank?
Do you know where the bank is?
Do not use question word order (verb-subject) inside an indirect question.
Can you tell me what time does the bus leave?
Can you tell me what time the bus leaves?
Remove the auxiliary verb 'does' and conjugate the main verb.
Practice
Rewrite as an indirect question: 'Where did she go?' (Start with: 'Do you have any idea...')
Show answer
Do you have any idea where she went?
Answer:Do you have any idea where she went?
Why:The auxiliary 'did' is removed, and the verb 'go' changes to the past tense 'went' to match the original meaning, using statement word order.
Rewrite as an indirect question: 'Is the shop open?' (Start with: 'Could you tell me...')
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Could you tell me if the shop is open?
Answer:Could you tell me if the shop is open?
Why:For yes/no questions, 'if' or 'whether' must be used to connect the phrases.
Correct the error: 'I wonder why is he late.'
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I wonder why he is late.
Answer:I wonder why he is late.
Why:Even if the sentence ends in a period, the embedded clause must use subject-verb order.