Indirect questions
Use indirect questions to ask politely: Could you tell me where the station is? After the opening phrase, use statement order: the subject comes before the verb, and there is no do, does or did.
How it works
- Polite openings: Could you tell me…, Do you know…, Can I ask…, I'd like to know…, I wonder…
- After the opening, use statement order: subject + verb. Where is the station? → Could you tell me where the station is?
- Drop do/does/did and put the verb in its normal form: What time does it open? → Do you know what time it opens?
- Yes/no questions need if or whether: Is the shop open? → Do you know if the shop is open?
- Could you tell me…? and Do you know…? end with a question mark; I wonder… and I'd like to know… end with a full stop.
- If the question word is the subject, the order does not change: Who won? → Do you know who won?
Examples
Could you tell me where the nearest ATM is?
Do you know what time the last bus leaves?
Can I ask how much you paid for that phone?
Do you know if the pharmacy is open on Sundays?
I wonder why Minh didn't come to class today.
Do you know who left this bag here?
Common mistakes
Wrong: Could you tell me where
is the station?Right: Could you tell me where the station is?
Wrong: Do you know what time
does the bank open?Right: Do you know what time the bank opens?
Wrong: Can you tell me
is the shopopen today?Right: Can you tell me if the shop is open today?
Wrong: I wonder where
did she buy that dress?Right: I wonder where she bought that dress.
Practice
1 of 16Fill the gap.
Level: EGP Questions and Clauses: embedded wh-questions after polite openings (Can you tell me / Do you know) are a B1 point. If/whether for yes/no questions is taught alongside at B1; longer and more formal embedded questions are B2. Written for Gloss.