Ask an expert

Ask an expert

Many _______people never really become _____ because they are too shy

He's really ____ . He wants to become President one day

She is ____ to _____ the highest mark in her class.

If you want to become a ____ , you will need to train every day

She nerver won any ____ for her ______, but her research changed the world

Question Forms

Direct and indirect questions

The three experts all took part in an interview in a British newspaper. Look at the questions and answers and try to guess which person is answering. Discuss your answers with a partner

Where is the guitar?

Could you tell me where the guitar is?

Direct Questions

• Which living person do you most admire, and why?

• How would you like to be remembered?

• Would you mind telling us what you most dislike about your appearance?

• Do you like giving interviews?

• When were you happiest?

• What would your super power be?

• what makes you unhappy?

Direct Questions

• Which living person do you most admire, and why?

• How would you like to be remembered?

• Would you mind telling us what you most dislike about your appearance?

• Do you like giving interviews?

• When were you happiest?

• What would your super power be?

• what makes you unhappy?

Direct Questions

• These are general or normal questions that can be used to ask our family, friends or a close circle. 

  Following are some examples of direct questions:

• Why did you come?

• When will you start the show?

• Where is the supermarket?

• Where are you going?

• Who is that person?

• Where is she?

Indirect Questions

• indirect questions are a way to ask in a more polite and obedient way. These are generally used to ask strangers, officials etc.

  Following are some examples of indirect questions :

• Do you know why he came?

• Can you tell me where the supermarket is?

• Do you know who that person is?

Difference Between Direct and Indirect Questions

• DIRECT – What day does the school reopen?

  INDIRECT – Do you know what day the school reopens?

• DIRECT – Can we postpone the exam to Monday?

  INDIRECT – Is there any chance we could postpone the exam to Monday?

• DIRECT – Are you joining the club?

  INDIRECT – Could you tell me if you’re joining the club?

Indirect Questions for EFL

Indirect questions are a form used to be more polite in English. Consider the following situation: You are talking to a man at a meeting that you have never met. However, you know his name and also that this man knows a colleague named Jack. You turn to him and ask, "Where is Jack?" You might find that the man seems a little bothered and says he doesn't know. He isn't very friendly. You wonder why he seems bothered.

It's probably because you didn't introduce yourself, didn't say "excuse me," and—most importantly—you asked a direct question. Direct questions might be considered rude when speaking to strangers. To be more polite we often use indirect question forms. Indirect questions serve the same purpose as direct questions but are considered more formal. One of the main reasons for this is that English does not have a formal 'you' form. In other languages, it's possible to use the formal 'you' in order to make sure you are polite. In English, we turn to indirect questions

Introductory phrases for indirect questions

• Do you know … ?

• I wonder / was wondering ….

• Can you tell me … ?

• Do you happen to know ...?

• I have no idea ...

• I'm not sure ...

• Can I ask…? Would you mind telling me…? Do you have any idea…? I was wondering… I’d like to know… I don’t know…

Change direct questions into indirect questions. 

Example:

What did she do? - Can you tell me what she did?

Do we have enough sugar? - I wonder if we have enough suga

Fill in the Blanks

Why did she cry? - Can you tell me

?

Fill in the Blanks

Does she speak Greek? - I'd like to know

Greek.

Fill in the Blanks

Where is Joe? - Do you know

?

Fill in the Blanks

What time does the show start? - Do you have any idea

?

Fill in the Blanks

Is he all right? - I wonder

all right.

Fill in the Blanks

What did he want? - Would you mind telling me

?

Fill in the Blanks

Whose car was it? - Could you let me know

?

Fill in the Blanks

Is this the right train? - Do you have any idea

the right train?

Change indirect questions into direct questions.

Example:

Do you know where Marion lives?

Where does Marion live?

Fill in the Blanks

Would you mind telling me how old Jane is? -

?

Fill in the Blanks

I was wondering if Joe could help me. -

me?

Fill in the Blanks

I wonder what the weather will be like next week. -

next week?

Fill in the Blanks

Can you tell me where you have been so long? -

so long?

Fill in the Blanks

Do you know what Greg does? -

?

Fill in the Blanks

I'd like to know whether they agree. -

?

Fill in the Blanks

Could you tell me why you didn't come? -

?