Indirect questions
Unlike direct questions, indirect questions are not normal questions. They have the same word order as statements and we do not use the verb 'do' to form a question.
Example:
What did she do?
Can you tell me what she did?
Do we have enough sugar?
I wonder if we have enough sugar.
Indirect questions exercises, grammar rules with examples and PDF worksheets.
Indirect questions examples
The indirect questions are more polite and more formal than the direct questions.
They come after introductory phrases combined with interrogative pronouns and adjectives (who, whom, what, which, whose), adverbs (when, where, how, why) or if, whether.
We can use many introductory phrases such as I ask, I wonder, I want/would like to know, I can't remember, I have no idea, I am sure etc., or they can be introduced by expressions such as Can you tell me, Do you know, Do you remember, Have you any idea.
Examples:
What did she want? - Do you know what she wanted?
Where was it? - Do you remember where it was?
Will they come? - I wonder if they will come.
How much is it? - I'd like to know how much it is.
Is this seat free? - He is asking if this seat is free.
Where did she go? - Have you any idea where she went?
Does he want to buy it? - Do you know whether he wants to buy it?
Why did you do it? - Could you tell me why you did it?
Could I use your telephone? - Do you think I could use your telephone?
Are you married? - I wonder if you are married.