Transcript Indirect question - TESOL/TESL/TEFL/EFL/ESOL/ESL Resources

Look at these sentences:
1.
2.
3.
Where does she live?
I want to know where she lives.
Can you tell me where she lives?
What is the difference?
 There is no “does” in sentences 2 and 3.
 They are indirect questions.
And sentence 1 is direct question.
What is indirect question?
A sentence that reports a question and ends
with a period rather than a question mark.
>< Direct question: A sentence that asks a
question and ends with a question mark.
 They demand a response, but they are
expressed as declarations without the formal
characteristics of a question. So, they have
no inversion, no interrogative words, and no
special intonation.

Direct questions  Indirect questions

Question with question word
Question words:






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Who: Who is that man?
Whom: To whom did you talked to yesterday?
Which: Which does she like, milk or wine?
What: What have you finished?
Where: Where will Mary spend on holiday?
When: When did the children go to bed?
How: How could they do that?
Direct questions  Indirect questions
Question with question word
What time did the train leave?
She wonders what time the train leaved.
When will Susan arrive?
Could you tell me when Susan will arrive?
Introductory phrase + wh-word + positive statement
Direct questions  indirect questions
Question without question word
Are they in the garden?
if
Do you know
they are in the garden?
whether
Did he break the vase?
Mom wants to know
if
he broke the vase.
whether
Direct questions  indirect questions
Question without question word
Do you like tea or coffee?
I can’t remember
if
you like tea or coffee.
whether
Introductory phrase + whether/if + positive statement
Direct questions  indirect questions
In general
wh-word
Positive
Introductory
+ if + statement
phrase
whether
Direct questions  indirect questions
Asking for instruction
How can I start this machine?
Do you know how to start this machine?
How do you do this exercise?
Would you mind telling me how to do this exercise?
Use to – infinitive
Introductory phrase
Could you tell me
 Do you know
 Do you happen to know
 Have you got any idea
 Do you remember
 Would you mind telling me

…?
Introductory phrase
I don’t know
 I wonder
 I can’t remember
 I have no idea
 I’d like to know
 I’m not sure

….
When do we use indirect question?
Consider the following situation:
At a meeting you, are talking to a man 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?”
The man seems a little bothered and says he
doesn't know. He isn't very friendly.
Why so?
When do we use indirect
question?

To make the questions sound “softer” or
more polite
Did you use my pen?
vs. I’d like to know whether you used my pen.
 What does he want?
vs. Would you mind telling me what he wants?
 Have you finish your work?
vs. I wonder if you have finished your work.
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Role – play
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Student A: You are at the information desk of
a hotel / an office block / a museum / etc. and
want information about services, people,
exhibitions, etc. Think of as many Indirect
question as you can
Student B: You are a new receptionist and
don’t know any information
Ex: A: Can you tell me where the toilet is?
B: Sorry, I don’t know where it is.
Suggestion

You can ask about:
Where is the lift?
 How can I get to my room?
 Is there refrigerator in the room?
 Who is the manager here?
 When should I come back here?
 Which stamp should I buy?
