Indirect questions

• Form
Introductory phrase or question.
• Use
We use indirect questions when we
want to ask questions politely.
 Introductory phrases and questions
Introductory phrase
Can/ Could you tell ..?
Could you let me know ..?
Do you know ..?
I wonder if you know ..
I would like to know ..
Examples
Could you tell me what time it
is?
Could you let me know when it
starts?
Do you know where Akropolis
is?
I wonder if you know what the
salary is?
I would like to know what you
are going to do?
 We do not use question order in the
second part of the sentence.
When does the next train to London
leave?

I would like to know when the next

train to London leaves.
We say:
Where is the bus stop??

Do you know where the bus stop is??

Introductory phrases:

I’d like to know

where the bus stop is. (?)
Could you tell me
 Questions with do / does / did

Where does she live?

Do you know where she lives?

When did they arrive?

I was curious to find out when they arrived..

 Questions with
will / have / should / etc
How will they travel?
Do you know how they will
travel?
Why has he come back?
I don’t understand why he
has come back.

Where should I put

these keys?
Could you tell where I should
put these keys?
 Questions beginning with Is…? / Do… /
Can…? etc (yes / no questions)

Are they here?

My sister wants to
if/
they are here.
know whether here.

Can Claire knit?

Do you know if/ Claire can knit.?

whether