Indirect Questions for Polite, Natural English
Ask for information more diplomatically in professional, formal and everyday situations.
A clear route through the lesson
Ask for information in professional, formal and everyday situations. You will practise the form, listen to models, ask your own questions and respond to an unexpected answer.
On my own: Say your answer before opening a model. Compare the meaning and word order, then try one improved version. Writing is also fine when speaking is not practical.
With my tutor: Use the information gaps as real conversations. Your tutor will answer your questions, ask a follow-up and help you improve one useful point at a time.
A direct question can be perfectly appropriate. Adding an opening gives you another way to ask. Your relationship, situation and tone still matter.
Find the event details
You have been invited to a workshop. Before opening the event card, ask about its starting time, location and agenda. Use a different opening for at least two questions.
Optional language help
Could you tell me when…? Do you know where…? Could you tell me where I can…?
Reveal: Event card
The workshop starts at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in Room 4. The agenda is on the event website. Bring a laptop. Registration is still open. The room changed because the original room was too small. The information provided does not say whether lunch is included.
Reveal: Possible questions and responses
“Could you tell me when the workshop starts?” → “At 10 a.m. on Tuesday.”
“Do you know where the workshop is?” → “In Room 4.”
“Could you tell me where I can find the agenda?” → “On the event website.”
Check: The embedded parts are the workshop starts, the workshop is and I can find. Do not change them to direct-question order.
Listen, then change one detail
Listen for the opening and the word order that follows it. Replay one example, repeat it, then change one detail of your own.
Transcript
When does the workshop start?
Could you tell me when the workshop starts?
Does registration close today?
Do you know whether registration closes today?
Could you explain why the room changed?
I'm not sure whether lunch is included.
Reveal: A possible response
“Could you tell me when the workshop starts? Do you know whether registration is still open?”
“It starts at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and registration is still open.”
Check: Whether registration is still open, not whether is registration still open.
The essential pattern
Compare:
Direct: Where is the meeting room?
Less direct: Could you tell me where the meeting room is?
Keep the question word, but use the order you would use in a statement inside the embedded part: subject + verb. The opening can still have question order: Could you tell me…?
| Direct question | Embedded version |
|---|---|
| When does the presentation start? | Do you know when the presentation starts? |
| Where can I find the agenda? | Could you tell me where I can find the agenda? |
| Why has the room changed? | Could you explain why the room has changed? |
For a yes/no question, add if or whether:
“Has the client replied?” → “Do you know if the client has replied?”
“Is registration open?” → “Could you tell me whether registration is open?”
In these examples, either if or whether is possible. Lesson 2 explores contexts where whether is needed.
Useful openings
Question openings: Could you tell me…? Do you know…? Would you mind telling me…? Could you clarify…?
Statement openings: I'd like to know… I'm not sure whether… I was wondering if…
Complete the opening with the information you need. The word whether or if introduces a yes/no issue; use a question word such as where or why for that type of information.
Remove question-forming do, not every do
Remove do, does or did when it is there only to form the direct question. Keep the correct tense in the main verb:
“Why did she leave?” → “Do you know why she left?”
A negative still needs its auxiliary:
“Why didn't she reply?” → “Do you know why she didn't reply?”
And a meaningful main verb remains:
“What does she do?” → “Do you know what she does?”
Try it · Keep or remove?
Complete each embedded part.
- Why did the meeting end early? → Could you explain why ______?
- Why didn't the speaker attend? → Do you know why ______?
- What does the coordinator do? → Could you tell me what ______?
Reveal: Answers
- the meeting ended early. Remove question-forming did and use ended.
- the speaker didn't attend. Keep didn't because the clause is negative.
- the coordinator does. This does is the main verb meaning “performs as their work”.
When who is the subject
“Who contacted the client?” → “Do you know who contacted the client?”
“Who did the client contact?” → “Do you know who the client contacted?”
In the first sentence, who does the contacting. There is no question-forming did or inversion to remove. In the second, the client does the contacting. The two questions ask for different information.
Try it · Preserve the meaning
A. Someone emailed the manager. Ask who that person was. Start with “Do you know…?”
B. The manager emailed someone. Ask who that person was. Start with “Do you know…?”
Reveal: Answers
A. “Do you know who emailed the manager?”
B. “Do you know who the manager emailed?”
Check: Say who sent the email in each situation. A sentence can be grammatical and still ask the wrong question.
Questions, statements and earlier questions
The same embedded part can follow different openings:
| Whole-sentence purpose | Example |
|---|---|
| Ask for information | Could you tell me whether lunch is included? |
| Express uncertainty | I'm not sure whether lunch is included. |
| State a wish to know | I'd like to know whether lunch is included. |
In standard written English, the first is a question and takes a question mark. The other two are statements and normally take a full stop. A statement can encourage someone to answer without becoming a grammatical question.
Do not confuse this with reported speech
Asking now: “Where is the meeting?”
Asking less directly now: “Could you tell me where the meeting is?”
Reporting an earlier question: “She asked where the meeting was.”
An indirect opening does not automatically change the tense. Reporting an earlier question may involve backshift, depending on the situation. For example, could in “Could you tell me…” does not require changing is to was.
Reveal: A possible response
“Could you explain why the room changed? I'm not sure whether lunch is included.”
Check: The first asks for a reason. The second describes uncertainty. Written punctuation follows the whole-sentence form.
Listen to the contrasts
Listen once. On the second play, repeat each pair and say what stayed the same and what changed: the past-time meaning, the negative auxiliary, the person doing the action, or the opening. The polite opening does not automatically change the tense.
Transcript
Why did she leave?
Do you know why she left?
Why didn't she reply?
Do you know why she didn't reply?
Who contacted the client?
Do you know who contacted the client?
Who did the client contact?
Do you know who the client contacted?
Could you tell me whether registration is open?
I'm not sure whether registration is open.
Change it
Replace she with the organiser in the first two pairs. Then replace registration with the application process in the final pair.
Reveal: Possible responses
“Do you know why the organiser left?”
“Do you know why the organiser didn't reply?”
“Could you tell me whether the application process is open?”
“I'm not sure whether the application process is open.”
Check: Do not change didn't reply to didn't replied.
Choose an opening and build the sentence
Rewrite each direct question as an indirect question or a statement expressing a wish to know. Both whole-sentence forms are allowed. Use suitable punctuation, and preserve the original meaning.
- Where can I find the agenda?
- Has the manager approved the proposal?
- When will the interview finish?
- Why did the schedule change?
- Is the position still available?
Reveal: Possible answers and explanations
- “Could you tell me where I can find the agenda?” Keep I can find in statement order.
- “Do you know whether the manager has approved the proposal?” If is also possible here.
- “I was wondering when the interview will finish.” The whole sentence is a statement; the interview will finish is the embedded order. “Could you tell me when the interview will finish?” is equally suitable.
- “Could you clarify why the schedule changed?” Remove question-forming did and use changed.
- “I'd like to know if the position is still available.” Whether is also possible. A correctly formed question opening is another valid choice.
Check: A different opening is fine. Check the information requested, not whether you reproduced the model exactly.
Use it without a script
You are considering joining a professional course. Find out about the schedule, entry requirements and refund arrangements. Ask three questions without using the same opening twice. Then respond to one unexpected answer.
On my own: Ask your first question aloud. Open only the matching information card. Repeat for the other topics. Finally open the complication and ask a follow-up before revealing a model.
With my tutor: The tutor keeps the information below hidden and answers only what you ask. Listen and adjust your next question.
Reveal: Schedule
Read the exact recording transcript
Course organiser: The course lasts four weeks. Live sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from six to seven thirty p.m.
The fictional course lasts four weeks. Live sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6 to 7.30 p.m. All times are in your local time zone for this role-play.
Reveal: Entry requirements
Read the exact recording transcript
Course organiser: You need a B2 level of English. You don’t need a certificate; you can take a short speaking assessment instead.
You need a B2 level of English. A certificate is not required; a short speaking assessment is available instead.
Reveal: Refund arrangements
Read the exact recording transcript
Course organiser: A full refund is available until seven days before the first session. After that, we consider individual requests, but a refund isn’t guaranteed.
For this fictional course, a full refund is available until seven days before the first session. After that, a refund is not guaranteed; the organiser considers individual requests. These are invented role-play terms, not Hibiscus Teach's policies.
Reveal: Unexpected answer
Read the exact recording transcript
Course organiser: The Tuesday sessions are not recorded.
“The Tuesday sessions are not recorded.”
Before continuing, ask a follow-up that would help you decide whether the course suits you.
Reveal: Possible questions and a follow-up
“Could you tell me when the live sessions take place?”
“Do you know whether I need an English certificate?”
“Would you mind explaining what the refund arrangements are?”
After the unexpected answer: “Could you tell me what support is available if I miss a Tuesday session?”
Organiser’s reply: “You receive the slides and a written summary, but there is no replacement live session.”
Possible closing statement: “I understand what I would receive, but I'm not sure whether that would be enough for me.”
Self-check: Did I use embedded word order? Did my questions request three different kinds of information? Did my follow-up respond to what I actually heard?
Final check
Check your understanding
Choose one answer to each question. Some options are grammatical but do not express the required meaning. Read the whole instruction before answering.
Continue your learning
Continue to Indirect Questions 2
Go beyond forming the sentence. Practise expressing what you understand, identifying uncertainty, questioning vague answers and asking firmly without unnecessary confrontation.
Complete recording, including model answers
Practise this skill in a personalized lesson
Use these ideas in conversation, receive precise correction and build confidence with material adapted to your goals.
Choose a lesson platformRead student experiences