INDIRECT QUESTIONS

WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S Direct and Indirect Questions

Indirect questions are polite longer forms of direct questions. We use them when
talking to a person we don't know very well or in formal situations.

Examples:

Direct question: Where is the department store?

Indirect question: Could you tell me where the department store is?

Direct question: What is his name?

Indirect question: Do you know what his name is?

Rule 1: Indirect questions are formed of two parts: a polite expression and a question that
places the verb after the subject unlike a direct question.

Examples:

Direct question: Where is the post office?

Indirect question: Could you tell me where the post office is?

Direct question: What is the time?

Indirect question: Do you know what the time is?

A. Read the direct questions and change them into indirect questions using the polite
expressions: Could you tell me...? and Do you know...?

1. Where is the station? ...............................................................................

2. What is your job? ...............................................................................

3. How big is the apartment? ...............................................................................

4. When is the next train to Osaka? ...............................................................................

5. Who is our new English teacher? ...............................................................................

Rule 2: Indirect questions do not use the helping verbs do, does or did.

Examples:

Direct question: When does the next train arrive?

Indirect question: Do you know when the next train arrives?

Do you know when does the next train arrive? - Incorrect

Direct question: When did the cinema close down?

Indirect question: Could you tell me when the cinema closed down?

Could you tell me when did the cinema close down? – Incorrect

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WORKSHEETS, ACTIVITIE S & GA ME S Direct and Indirect Questions

B. Put the words in the correct order to form a direct question that uses do, does, and
did. Then, underneath make the direct question indirect.

1. go / Bus 119 / where / to / does .................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

2. you / name / last / your / spell / do / how .................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

3. leave / does / the / boat / when .................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

4. to / book / this / belong / does / who .................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

5. early / close / shop / the / does / so / why .................................................................

..................................................................................................................................

Rule 3: When the direct question is a yes/no question, the indirect question uses the word if
and the word order of a normal positive sentence.

Direct question: Is the restaurant closing now?

Indirect question: Can you tell me if the restaurant is closing now?

Direct question: Does Sophia live in New York?

Indirect question: Do you know if Sophia lives in New York?

C. Read the direct yes/no questions and change them into indirect questions using a
polite expression with if.

1. Does she like Indian food? ............................................................................

2. Has the game started yet? ............................................................................

3. Does he speak English? ............................................................................

4. Is there a public toilet near here? ............................................................................

5. Is this house for sale? ............................................................................

D. Now, write three indirect questions of your own and ask them to your classmates.

1. ...............................................................................................................................

2. ...............................................................................................................................

3. ...............................................................................................................................

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