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Do You Know What an Indirect
Question Is? |
Imagine that your friend is starting a new job today.
She is traveling to work by train. She takes the F train
to West 4th Street. When she leaves the station, her
cell phone signal fails. So, she asks a stranger for
information:
Excuse me, where is MacDougal Street? Can you tell me
where MacDougal Street is?
You just heard a question asked in two ways. Did you
hear the difference?
The first was a direct question; the second was an
indirect question. In today’s program, we will talk
about indirect questions.
What's an indirect question?
Indirect questions are a more polite way to ask for
information or make requests. We often use them when
asking something of strangers or people we do not know
well, including coworkers. We also use them when asking
for favors from friends or when we want to avoid
sounding demanding.
When we make requests in English, we usually use the
modal verbs can, could and would. We also use these
modals to begin many indirect questions.
Here are a few common question phrases for indirect
questions:
Can/Could you tell me…?
Do you know…?
Would you mind…?
Do you have any idea…?
Would it be possible…?
Forming indirect questions
To form an indirect question, we start with phrases like
these. Then, we add direct questions to them, but the
word order changes.
Listen to our earlier direct and indirect questions
again.
Here’s the direct question:
Where is MacDougal Street?
And the indirect question:
Can you tell me where MacDougal Street is?
You should notice two things about the indirect
question:
First, it begins with the phrase “Can you tell me…?”
Second, the rest of the question -- where MacDougal
Street is -- does not use the verb-subject word order of
a normal question. It uses the word order of a statement
and it is a noun clause.
So, to form an indirect question, again start with an
indirect question phrase, such as “Can you tell me…?”
Then, for information requests, add one of the six
question words: where, what, when, who, why or how. We
call these “wh-question” words. For example, you heard
the word where in “where MacDougal Street is.”
“Yes or no” questions
But, some indirect questions do not contain wh-question
words. These are direct “yes or no” questions that we
convert into indirect questions. For example:
Has the game started yet?
That is a “yes or no” question. To form these into
indirect questions, we start with an indirect question
phrase, such as “Do you know…?” and then begin the noun
clause with if or whether. Let’s listen to the direct
“yes or no” question again:
Has the game started yet?
This example uses the present perfect verb has started.
Now, let’s listen to how it changes into an indirect
question using if and whether:
Do you know if the game has started yet?
Do you know whether the game has started yet?
You’ll notice that, in the indirect examples, the has
from the verb is no longer separated by the subject,
like in question word order. Instead it appears
together, as it would in a statement.
Here’s another example of a “yes or no” question. The
direct question uses the present continuous verb are
coming:
Are they coming with us?
In the indirect question, the words “are coming” go
together and we use if or whether. Listen:
Do you know whether they’re coming with us?
Many English learners forget to keep statement word
order in the noun clauses of indirect questions. For
“yes or no” questions, they may also forget to use if or
whether. For example, they may say: “Do you know are
they coming with us?”
But now that you know the correct way, you can avoid
these two common mistakes.
Asking for favors
Indirect questions are also useful when asking friends
or other people we know for a favor, especially when the
favor requires a lot of effort. Let’s listen to someone
asking a favor directly:
Can you please help me move on Saturday?
Even with “please” in the direct question, it sounds a
little too direct for such a major request. Now, listen
to the same question introduced by the indirect phrases:
“Is there any chance…?” and “Would it be possible…?”
Is there any chance you could help me move on Saturday?
Would it be possible for you to help me move on
Saturday?
These indirect questions let the listener know that you
understand that the favor is a big commitment.
You can also ask a big favor indirectly with the phrase
“I was wondering…”:
I was wondering if you could help me move on Saturday.
Notice anything different here? This example does not
have a question mark. It is not a question. However,
when we use “I wonder” or “I was wondering,” in a
statement, we usually are seeking information, just like
a question does.
Using “I was wondering” is a very common way to politely
ask a favor or seek information in English without
sounding too demanding.
Here’s another example. Listen to the direct question:
Did you finish the report?
And the indirect question:
I was wondering if you finished the report.
Now, you try it!
OK, now you try it. Make these direct questions into
indirect questions:
What time is it?
Where is the music shop?
Why did you move to D.C.?
Can we meet on Monday?
Can you loan me your car?
Don’t forget to use statement word order after the
indirect question phrases. And remember that “yes or no”
direct questions get if or whether in indirect
questions.
Well, that’s all the time we have today. Would you mind
telling us if you liked the program?
I’m Alice Bryant.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty
Weaver was the editor. |
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