Asking politely

AT WORK
Could you tell me I wonder where my
what your name is? new office is I don’t know where
today’s meeting starts.
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Do you know what an embedded

question is? ➜ Is a question that is included inside
another question or statement. They are
common after introductory phrases,
such as:

Why do we use embeded questions for?

➜ This questions are often used to be
polite.
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Indirect questions
➜ 1: we can use embedded questions as part of other
questions. this is sometimes called an indirect question
and is often used to be polite.

➜ normal question: where is the station?

➜ indirect question (that includes an embedded question):
could you tell me where the station is?
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Indirect questions
➜ 2: We can also use embedded questions as part of statements.
The embedded question is a noun clause and can be used in a
similar way to a noun. For example, we can use it as the
subject or the object of the main clause.

➜ Normal question: Where does she work?

➜ Embedded question in a statement: I don't know where she
works. (Here 'where she works' is the object.)
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Indirect questions
➜ Normal question: Where does she work?
➜ Embedded question in a statement: Where she works is
very far. (Here 'where she works' is the subject.)
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Forming embedded
questions
• If there is a question word, we keep it.
• If there is no question word, we use 'if' or
'whether'.
• We use normal sentence grammar (so we don't
need 'do / does / did').
• We use normal sentence word order (subject +
verb, not the opposite).
• We use a full stop and not a question mark at the
end of the sentence.
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verbs that we often use with embedded

questions:
➜ Wonder: I wonder why she said that.
➜ Know: They don't know what they're doing.
➜ Remember: We don't remember where the house is.
➜ Be sure: I'm not sure when we're going to arrive.
➜ Find out: Let's find out what time the show starts.
➜ Think about: She's thinking about how she's going to do it.
➜ Forget: I've forgotten why I started this.
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 SITUATIONS PRACTICE 11

COLUMN A COLUMN B
• Do you know 1. When does today´s meeting
• Who knows start?
• 2. What is the correct procedure
Do you think
to follow?
• I wonder 3. What is the correct procedure
• Could you tell me for this activity?
• Would you mind telling me 4. What is the correct procedure
to send an email to our boss?
5. Where is the manager office?
 Alex wants to ask polite 6. Is there the printer?
questions to Bob about 7. What time is it?
work, martch column a BOB
and column b . ALEX
 Share your answers
with the class.
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SITUATIONS PRACTICE
 imagine which context would be the appropriate to ask each question

Can you imagine what the common question is?

Where's the station?“

2"Are you coming to the party?“

1. Can you tell me where the station is?
2. Can you let me know if you're/are coming to the party? 3"How does it work?“
3. "Can you explain (to me) how it works?“
4. Please tell me what the matter is?“ 4"What's the matter?“
5. "I'd like to know where you are from?
6. "Do you know how long it takes to get there?“ 5"Where are you from?“
7. "Has she told you whether she has reached a decision
yet?" 6"How long does it take to get there?“

7"Has she reached a decision yet?"

Bring your copy
of

“THE MARY
CELESTE
MYSTERY”

Get in pairs or
work in groups to
make polite
questions about the
missing
information
built polite questions about
the missing information on
the text.
1- I’d like to know
2- I wonder
3- Does anybody know …?
4- Do you happen to know …?
5- I’m not sure

6- Do you have any idea…?

7- I have no idea …
8- Would you mind telling me …?
9- I don’t know …
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 The missing information is in the box below. Put the pieces
of information in the right places.

25th November - family - food - plates and saucepans

- November 5th, 1872 - years - Dei Gratia – logbook

– the middle of the Atlantic – six in the right places.

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• 1. I’d like to know ……………………………………………………………..
2 .I wonder …………………………………………………………………….
2. Does anybody know ……………………………………………………...?
3. Do you happen to know …………………………………………………..?
4. I’m not sure …………………………………………………………………
5. Can you tell me ……………………………………………………………?
6. Do you have any idea……………………………………………………?
7. I have no idea ………………………………………………………………
8. Would you mind telling me ………………………………………………?
9. I don’t know ……………………………………………….……………….

when the Mary Celeste left New York.

who Captain Briggs was on the ship with.
how many other men were on the ship?
what the other ship was called?
where the other ship was.
what there was on the ship?
what there were in the kitchen?
what the captain looked at.
what the last date in it was?
how long people have tried to answer those questions.
 HOMEWORK!
Create groups of 4 people. The characters will be divided as follows:

1) Trainer
2) Salesman #1
3) Salesman #2
4) Customer

The conversation takes place in a sales room where the trainer gives instructions to
his salesmen on how to sell X product (you can choose between telephone service,
insurance and shipping logistics). This must be defined in class because the situations
cannot be repeated. All the characters involved, without excuses, must use embedded
questions. They must be creative, clear and NO READING IS ALLOWED.