Indirect Questions

TEACHER'S NOTES
ESL / EFL RESOURCES Direct and Indirect Questons
Activity Type Introduction

Reading, writing, This direct and indirect questions worksheet helps to teach
listening and speaking students how to change direct questions into indirect ones.
activity
Procedure
Language Focus Give each student a copy of the two-page worksheet.
Direct and indirect
Read through the grammar explanation and review the indirect
questions
question examples together as a class.
Students then use the information from the first page to change
Aim
direct questions into indirect questions using polite expressions.
To learn and practice
how to form indirect Exercise A - Answer key
questions.
1. Could you tell me where the station is?
2. Could you let me know if you are coming to the party?
Preparation 3. Could you explain how it works?
Make one copy of the 4. Could you tell me if Lucy has been to Mexico?
two-page worksheet for 5. I'd like to know where you are from.
each student. 6. Do you know how long it takes to get there?
7. Do you have any idea what you are doing?
8. Do you know what time you are leaving?
Level 9. Could you tell me if he is a lawyer?
10. I was wondering if you drink coffee.
Pre-intermediate (A2)
After that, students rewrite indirect questions in the correct word
order.
Time
Exercise B - Answer key
25 minutes
1. Would you mind telling me where the nearest bank is?
2. I'd like to know how to make an indirect question.
3. Could you tell me how to get an 'A' in this class?
4. Do you know what the weather will be like tomorrow?
5. Could you tell me how long you have been studying English?
6. I was wondering what you do in your free time?
7. I'd be interested to hear what you think of these questions.
Finally, divide the students into pairs. The students then practice
asking and answering the questions with their partner.
INDIRECT QUESTIONS
Indirect questions are polite longer forms of direct questions. We use them when talking to a person we don't know
very well or in professional situations.
Examples:
Where is the department store? - Direct question
Could you tell me where the department store is? - Indirect question What
is his name? - Direct question
Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question
Indirect questions are formed of two parts: a polite expression and a question that has no
subject/verb inversion like a direct question.
Examples:
Where is the post office? - Direct question
Do you know where the post office is? - Indirect question
What is the time? - Direct question
Do you have any idea what the time is? - Indirect question
Indirect questions do not use the auxiliary verbs 'do', 'does' or 'did'.
Examples:
When does the next train arrive? - Direct question
Do you know when the next train arrives? - Indirect question
Do you know when does the next train arrive? - Incorrect When
did the cinema close down? - Direct question
Could you tell me when the cinema closed down? - Indirect question Could
you tell me when did the cinema close down? - Incorrect
When the direct question is a yes or no question, we use 'if' and the word order of a normal
positive sentence.
Is the restaurant closing now? - Direct question
Can you tell me if the restaurant is closing now? - Indirect question Does
Sophia live in New York? - Direct question
Do you know if Sophia lives in New York? - Indirect question

INDIRECT QUESTIONS
A. Read the direct questions and change them into indirect questions using the polite expressions.
1. Where is the station? Could you tell me....................................................
2. Are you coming to the party? Could you let me know.............................................
3. How does it work? Could you explain....................................................
4. Has Lucy been to Mexico? Could you tell me....................................................
5. Where are you from? I'd like to know.......................................................
6. How long does it take to get there? Do you know..........................................................
7. What are you doing? Do you have any idea..............................................
8. What time are you leaving? Do you know..........................................................
9. Is he a lawyer? Could you tell me....................................................
10. Do you drink coffee? I was wondering.....................................................
B. Rewrite the indirect questions in the correct word order.
1. Would you mind telling me the is bank where nearest?
2. I'd like to know an question to indirect make how.
3. Could you tell me an to class this how 'A' get in?
4. Do you know what like tomorrow the be weather what will?
5. Could you tell me you been how English have long studying?
6. I was wondering free your do what time you in?
7. I'd be interested to hear questions of these you what think.
C. Now, ask and answer the questions with a partner.

Indirect Questions

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TEACHER'S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Direct and Indirect Questons

Activity Type Introduction

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Direct and Indirect Questons

Where is the department store? - Direct question

is his name? - Direct question

Do you know what his name is? - Indirect question

Where is the post office? - Direct question

Do you know where the post office is? - Indirect question

What is the time? - Direct question

When does the next train arrive? - Direct question

Do you know when the next train arrives? - Indirect question

did the cinema close down? - Direct question

you tell me when did the cinema close down? - Incorrect

Is the restaurant closing now? - Direct question

Sophia live in New York? - Direct question

Do you know if Sophia lives in New York? - Indirect question

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Direct and Indirect Questons

1. Where is the station? Could you tell me....................................................

2. Are you coming to the party? Could you let me know.............................................

3. How does it work? Could you explain....................................................

4. Has Lucy been to Mexico? Could you tell me....................................................

5. Where are you from? I'd like to know.......................................................

6. How long does it take to get there? Do you know..........................................................

7. What are you doing? Do you have any idea..............................................

8. What time are you leaving? Do you know..........................................................

9. Is he a lawyer? Could you tell me....................................................

10. Do you drink coffee? I was wondering.....................................................

B. Rewrite the indirect questions in the correct word order.

1. Would you mind telling me the is bank where nearest?

2. I'd like to know an question to indirect make how.

3. Could you tell me an to class this how 'A' get in?

4. Do you know what like tomorrow the be weather what will?

6. I was wondering free your do what time you in?

7. I'd be interested to hear questions of these you what think.

C. Now, ask and answer the questions with a partner.

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