B1+ UPPER INDIRECT QUESTIONS
Explicación
🔄
Indirect Questions in English
Grammar · B1
📌 What You Will Learn
How to form and use indirect questions to sound more polite, formal, and professional in English.
1️⃣ What Are Indirect Questions?
🔵 Definition
An indirect question is a question embedded inside another sentence.
We use them when we want to sound more polite, formal, or professional.
🗣️ We Use Them To Sound…
- ✔ More polite
- ✔ More formal
- ✔ Less direct
- ✔ More professional
📍 Very Common In…
💼 Business Communication
📧 Emails
🏨 Customer Service
🤝 Talking to Strangers
📞 Asking for Information
2️⃣ Direct vs Indirect Questions
🔹 Direct Question
Normal — Less Formal
"Where is the train station?"
"What time does the meeting start?"
Word order: Question word + auxiliary + subject + verb
🔹 Indirect Question
Polite — More Formal
"Could you tell me where the train station is?"
"Do you know what time the meeting starts?"
Word order: Subject + verb (normal sentence order — no inversion!)
⚠️ Notice the Key Difference
- The word order changes in indirect questions
- Use subject + verb (normal sentence order)
- Do NOT use question word order inside
3️⃣ Structure of Indirect Questions
A) Wh- Questions
With a question word (where, what, why, how…)
Expression
+
Question Word
+
Subject
+
Verb
"Can you tell me where the bank is?"
"Do you know why she left early?"
"Could you explain how this machine works?"
"I wonder when the bus arrives."
B) Yes/No Questions
No question word → use IF or WHETHER
Expression
+
if / whether
+
Subject
+
Verb
"Do you know if the store is open today?"
"Could you tell me whether the hotel has free Wi-Fi?"
"I'm not sure if he is coming to the party."
"She asked me whether I needed help."
💡 If vs Whether
Both if and whether are usually correct in everyday situations. Whether sounds slightly more formal and is common in written English and business contexts.
4️⃣ Common Expressions Used Before Indirect Questions
Can you tell me…
Could you tell me…
Do you know…
Would you mind telling me…
I'd like to know…
I wonder…
I'm not sure…
5️⃣ Real-Life Practical Examples
At a Hotel
"Could you tell me what time breakfast starts?"
"Do you know if the gym is open now?"
At a Bus Station
"Can you tell me where I can buy a ticket?"
"I wonder how long the trip takes."
At Work
"I'd like to know when the report will be ready."
"Do you know whether the manager is in the office?"
On the Phone
"Could you tell me who is calling, please?"
"I'm not sure if I saved your number correctly."
6️⃣ Useful Vocabulary
| Expression | Meaning / Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Could you tell me… | Polite request | Could you tell me where the restroom is? |
| Do you know… | Asking for information | Do you know when the class starts? |
| I wonder… | Showing curiosity | I wonder why she is upset. |
| I'm not sure… | Expressing doubt | I'm not sure if he understands. |
| I'd like to know… | Formal request | I'd like to know how this works. |
| Whether | Formal alternative to "if" | She asked whether I was available. |
7️⃣ Key Grammar Rule
📌 Always Remember These Three Rules
✔ Use normal sentence order
✔ Subject + Verb
✗ No "do / does / did"
💡 Indirect questions are statements embedded in a polite phrase — not real questions. That's why they don't follow question word order.
8️⃣ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do you know where is the bank?
Do you know where the bank is?
Can you tell me what time does the movie start?
Can you tell me what time the movie starts?
I wonder why did she leave.
I wonder why she left.
🎯 Pro Tip for Students
🎯 The "Remove the First Part" Test
When you form an indirect question, imagine you are making a sentence, not a question.
Step 1: Write your full indirect question:
"Can you tell me where she lives?"
"Can you tell me where she lives?"
Step 2: Remove the first part (Can you tell me…) and check what remains:
"She lives where" ✗ — wrong order
"Where she lives" ✔ — correct order
"She lives where" ✗ — wrong order
"Where she lives" ✔ — correct order
Step 3: Ask yourself — Does the second part look like a normal sentence?
If yes → ✔ it's correct!
If no → fix the word order.
If yes → ✔ it's correct!
If no → fix the word order.
Ejercicio 1
Instrucción: Select the correct option from the dropdown inside each sentence. Remember: indirect questions use normal sentence order — Subject + Verb, with no auxiliary inversion.
Key Rule
Subject + Verb · no "do/does/did" after question word
Wh- Questions
where / why / how / when + subject + verb
Yes/No Questions
if / whether + subject + verb
🔄 Choose the Correct Word Order
1
💭 Expressing uncertainty
I'm not sure why
so upset.
2
📋 Asking about plans
Do you know where
the conference?
3
💻 Technical support
Could you tell me how
this software?
4
🔍 Checking facts
I wonder whether
enough evidence.
5
✈️ Travel information
Do you have any idea when
?
6
💼 Business meeting
I'd like to know why
the proposal.
7
🔧 Explaining a process
Can you explain how
?
8
📅 Scheduling
She asked whether
available next week.
9
📝 Contract status
Do you know if
the contract yet?
10
📂 Finding files
I'm not certain where
the documents.
Ejercicio 2
Instrucción: Choose the correct completion for each sentence. Remember: indirect questions use normal sentence order — no auxiliary inversion, no "do/does/did" after the question word.
Key Rule
Subject + Verb · no "do/does/did" inversion
Wh- Questions
where / why / how / when + subject + verb
Yes/No Questions
if / whether + subject + verb
🔄 Choose the Correct Indirect Question Form
1
💼 Performance at work
I'd like to know ______.
2
📊 Waiting for results
I was wondering ______ the results.
3
🏥 Asking for directions
Do you know ______?
4
📋 Reporting a question
She asked ______.
5
🤔 Expressing no idea
I have no idea ______.
6
🏢 Office enquiry
Could you tell me ______?
7
💰 Checking a price
I'm not sure ______.
8
📅 Event scheduling
Do you happen to know ______?
9
🔑 Looking for something
I'd like to know ______.
10
💻 IT / Technical problem
Can you explain ______?