Sentence Structure
Indirect Questions: How to Ask Politely in English
Updated
An indirect question embeds a question inside another clause: "Where is the station?" becomes "Could you tell me where the station is?" In the embedded part, use statement word order: subject before verb. This guide focuses on polite information requests, rather than reporting what somebody asked in the past.
The basic indirect-question formula
For a wh-question, keep the question word and place the subject before its verb: polite opening + wh-word + subject + verb. Keep any preposition the original meaning needs. Do not move the auxiliary in front of the embedded subject.
| Direct question | Polite indirect question |
|---|---|
| Where is the parcel? | Could you tell me where the parcel is? |
| When does the workshop start? | Do you know when the workshop starts? |
| Why did the screen go blank? | Can you explain why the screen went blank? |
| How much will delivery cost? | Could you tell me how much delivery will cost? |
| Which desk should I use? | Do you know which desk I should use? |
| Who is this message for? | Could you tell me who this message is for? |
- Move is/are after the embedded subject: "where the keys are".
- Remove question-forming do/does/did and put the tense on the main verb: "when she arrives", "why they left".
- Keep modal and perfect auxiliaries after the subject: "where it might be", "whether they have arrived".
Use if or whether for yes/no questions
A yes/no question has no wh-word to introduce its embedded form. Use if or whether: "Is the room available?" becomes "Do you know if the room is available?" Both work in many everyday requests. Whether is especially useful when you state alternatives.
| Direct question | Indirect question |
|---|---|
| Does this printer scan? | Could you tell me if this printer scans? |
| Have they approved the change? | Do you know whether they have approved the change? |
| Will we meet online or in person? | Could you confirm whether we will meet online or in person? |
| Can I pay by card? | Could you tell me whether I can pay by card? |
- Use whether before to + verb: "I’m not sure whether to wait."
- Use whether directly before or not: "Please confirm whether or not you can attend." If ... or not is also possible when or not comes later.
- After a preposition, whether is the usual choice: "We talked about whether the plan would work."
- Do not add if before an existing wh-word: use "where the office is", not "if where the office is".
Does an indirect question need a question mark?
Punctuation follows the whole sentence. "Could you tell me where the office is?" is a question, so it takes a question mark. "I wonder where the office is." is a statement about your uncertainty, so it normally ends with a full stop.
A request starting Please tell me is an imperative, not an interrogative: "Please tell me when the package arrives." Its polite meaning does not require a question mark.
| Opening | Complete example | Typical tone |
|---|---|---|
| Could you tell me ...? | Could you tell me how long the visit lasts? | Polite request for information. |
| Do you happen to know ...? | Do you happen to know where the charger is? | Acknowledges that the listener may not know. |
| I was wondering ... | I was wondering whether you have a later appointment. | Tentative statement used to make a request. |
| Please let me know ... | Please let me know when the file is ready. | Direct but courteous request. |
- Politeness also depends on tone, context and the amount you ask of someone. A longer sentence is not automatically more considerate.
- Avoid stacking openings: "Could you possibly tell me, I was wondering, do you know..." is harder to follow than one clear request.
Subject questions and tense: two important exceptions
When who or what is itself the subject, there is no separate subject to move. "Who signed the form?" becomes "Do you know who signed the form?" Do not insert did. Compare the object question "Who did you call?" which becomes "Do you know who you called?"
A polite opening does not automatically move the embedded verb into the past. If you need a current timetable, ask "Could you tell me when the next train leaves?" Could softens the request; it does not turn a current timetable into a past event.
Reported questions are a related but different use: "She asked when the train left." They may involve changes in tense, pronouns and time expressions. Use the reported-speech lesson for that wider topic.
Three short dialogues for work and travel
Notice that each request asks for one clear piece of information. Practise by replacing the destination, time or document in the model, while keeping the statement word order inside the question.
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| At reception | Visitor: Could you tell me which floor the interview is on? Receptionist: The fourth. Please sign in here first. |
| Checking a delivery | Customer: Do you know whether the driver has my new address? Agent: Yes, the address was updated this morning. |
| During a meeting | Colleague: Could you explain how this estimate was calculated? Presenter: It uses the average of the last three months. |
Common indirect-question mistakes
| Avoid | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Do you know where is she? | Do you know where she is? | Embedded subject comes before be. |
| Could you tell me when does it close? | Could you tell me when it closes? | Remove question-forming does; add -s to close. |
| I wonder did they receive it. | I wonder if they received it. | Add if and use statement order. |
| Do you know who did send it? (neutral meaning) | Do you know who sent it? | Who is the subject; ordinary neutral wording needs no do. |
| Please tell me where the room is? | Please tell me where the room is. | The complete sentence is an imperative. |
15 practice exercises with explained answers
Rewrite each direct question using the opening provided. Preserve the original time reference. Compare your wording with the model answer. Write your answer before opening the explanation.
Where is the entrance? Begin: Could you tell me ...
Show answer and explanation for question 1
Answer: Could you tell me where the entrance is?
Place the entrance before is in the embedded question.
When does the class finish? Begin: Do you know ...
Show answer and explanation for question 2
Answer: Do you know when the class finishes?
Remove does and use the singular present form finishes.
Why did they cancel? Begin: Can you explain ...
Show answer and explanation for question 3
Answer: Can you explain why they cancelled?
Remove did and make the main verb past. Canceled is the American spelling.
Is the ticket refundable? Begin: Could you tell me ...
Show answer and explanation for question 4
Answer: Could you tell me if the ticket is refundable?
Use if or whether for a yes/no question, then statement order.
Have the guests arrived? Begin: Do you know ...
Show answer and explanation for question 5
Answer: Do you know whether the guests have arrived?
Keep have after the guests. If is also possible.
How much will it cost? Begin: Could you confirm ...
Show answer and explanation for question 6
Answer: Could you confirm how much it will cost?
Keep will after the embedded subject it.
Who approved the invoice? Begin: Do you know ...
Show answer and explanation for question 7
Answer: Do you know who approved the invoice?
Who is already the subject, so its order stays the same.
Who did you invite? Begin: Could you tell me ...
Show answer and explanation for question 8
Answer: Could you tell me who you invited?
Who is the object; remove did and retain the subject you.
Can we reschedule? Begin: I wonder ...
Show answer and explanation for question 9
Answer: I wonder if we can reschedule.
Use if/whether, subject before can, and a full stop for the statement.
Where are the spare keys? Begin: Please tell me ...
Show answer and explanation for question 10
Answer: Please tell me where the spare keys are.
Place are after the subject; the imperative ends with a full stop.
Which file should I open? Begin: Do you know ...
Show answer and explanation for question 11
Answer: Do you know which file I should open?
Which file stays together; I comes before should.
What does this button do? Begin: Could you explain ...
Show answer and explanation for question 12
Answer: Could you explain what this button does?
Remove question-forming does; the main verb do becomes does.
Has the office moved? Begin: Could you confirm ...
Show answer and explanation for question 13
Answer: Could you confirm whether the office has moved?
Use whether/if and put has after the office.
Where did she park? Begin: Do you happen to know ...
Show answer and explanation for question 14
Answer: Do you happen to know where she parked?
Remove did and use parked for the original past event.
Will the session be online or in person? Begin: Please confirm ...
Show answer and explanation for question 15
Answer: Please confirm whether the session will be online or in person.
Whether introduces the explicit alternatives; the request is an imperative.
Common questions
Do indirect questions always use the past tense?
No. Polite could does not require a past-tense embedded clause. "Could you tell me where she works?" asks about her current job.
Can I use if instead of whether?
Often, when embedding a yes/no question. Use whether before to-infinitives, after prepositions and directly before or not.
Why does “who called” keep the same order?
Who is the subject in that question. "Do you know who called?" already has subject-before-verb order and needs no extra do.
Continue practising
Further reading
These references offer additional explanations. The examples and exercises above were written for this guide.