What are Indirect Questions?

An Indirect Question is a polite or formal way of asking a question. Unlike direct questions, which go straight to the point, indirect questions are embedded inside a statement or another question.

Direct Question:

Where is the bank?

Indirect Question:
Can you tell me where the bank is?

In indirect questions, word order changes, and we do not use a question mark unless the sentence itself is a question.

Why Use Indirect Questions?

Using indirect questions helps you sound polite, respectful, and professional. They are especially useful:

• In customer service

• In job interviews

• When speaking to elders or strangers

• In written English (emails, letters)

Structure of Indirect Questions

The structure of an indirect question usually follows this pattern:

Introductory phrase + question word (what, where, why, etc.) + subject + verb

 Examples:

• Direct: What time is it?
  Indirect: Could you tell me what time it is?

• Direct: Why is she crying?
  Indirect: Do you know why she is crying?

Common Introductory Phrases for Indirect Questions

These are commonly used to start indirect questions:

• Can you tell me…

• Do you know…

• I wonder…

• Would you mind telling me…

• I’d like to know…

• Could you explain…

• May I ask…

 Example:

Do you know where he lives?
(Not: Do you know where does he live?)

Grammar Rules for Indirect Questions

1. No Auxiliary Verb in Wh- Questions

In indirect questions, you do not use do/does/did like you do in direct questions.

 Incorrect: Do you know where does she work?
 Correct: Do you know where she works?

2. Yes/No Questions → Use “if” or “whether”

When the direct question is a yes/no question (without a question word like what, where, etc.), we use if or whether in the indirect question.

Direct: Is he coming today?
Indirect: Do you know if he is coming today?

 Direct: Does she like tea?
 Indirect: I wonder whether she likes tea.

Changing Tenses in Indirect Questions

If the introductory phrase is in the past tense, the verb in the question may also need to change (backshift), especially in reported speech.

Direct: What does he want?
Indirect: She asked what he wanted.

Direct: Where did you go?
Indirect: He asked where I had gone.

 Indirect Question vs. Reported Speech

Indirect questions and reported speech can be similar, but they are not the same.

• Reported Speech: focuses on reporting what someone said.

• Indirect Question: is focused on politely asking.

 Example:

Reported speech: She said she was tired.
Indirect question: Can you tell me why she is tired?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

 Using direct question word order in indirect form
 Forgetting “if” or “whether” in yes/no indirect questions
 Using a question mark at the end of a sentence that’s not a direct question

Summary