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
When we use these phrases, we have to remember certain rules:
1. The word order is the same as it is for statements (subject+verb)
e.g. Could you tell me where the library is? (Not: Could you tell me where is the library?)
2. We don’t use the auxiliaries do, does or did
e.g I’d like to know how much you earn. (Not: I’d like to know how much do you earn?)
3. For indirect yes/no questions we use if or whether
e.g. Could you tell me if this is the train for Birmingham?
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:
- Do you know…?
- Could you tell me if/whether...?
- Would you mind telling me if/whether...?
- I'd like to know if/whether...
Rewrite these sentences making them indirect.
What's this?""Do you know what this is?"
e.g.
1 / "Where's the station?""Can you tell me ______?"
2 / "Are you coming to the party?"
"Can you let me know if ______?"
3 / "How does it work?"
"Could you explain ______?"
4 / "Where are you from?"
"I'd like to know ______."
5 / "How long does it take to get there?"
"Do you know ______?"
6 / "What time are you leaving?"
"Do you know ______?"
7 / "Does Annie know about computers?"
"I wonder whether ______."
8 / "Excuse me. How do you get to the post office from here?"
"Could you tell us ______?"
9 / "What are you doing?!"
"Do you have any idea ______?!"
10 / "Does Susana like classical music?"
"I’d like to know if ______