Page 27 - Grasp English B1+ (Grammar Book)

Senses and Emotions 4

Indirect questions

When want to sound more polite, we can use indirect question forms. See the details about the
usage and the structure below.

We can use the following expressions to make indirect questions and requests.

Do you know…?

Can you tell me…?

I was wondering…

I’d like to know…

Would it be possible…?

In indirect questions, verb to be, have/has, or modal verbs come after the subject.
“What time is it?” (direct question)
“Can you tell me what time it is?” (indirect question)
“How long has she worked here?”
“I was wondering how long she has worked here.”
“What should I wear to the party tonight?”
“Do you know what I should wear to the party tonight?”
In indirect questions with do/does/did, these helping verbs are omitted, and the question is formed
in the affirmative form.
“Where does Sam live?” (direct question)
“Do you know where Sam lives?” (indirect question)
When the direct question is a yes/no question, we make the indirect question/request using if or
whether, instead of a question word.
“Are you the new manager?” (direct question)
“I’d like to know if you are the new manager.” (indirect question)

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