Indirect Questions Practice Tests with B1 Grammar Rules & Examples

Indirect Questions in English

When we want to ask a question politely, or when we ask a question inside another sentence, we use indirect questions. Indirect questions are very useful in everyday English. They sound more polite and formal than direct questions.

Compare these two sentences:

Direct question: Where is the bank?
Indirect question: Could you tell me where the bank is?

The meaning is the same, but the indirect question sounds much more polite. At B1 level, learning to use indirect questions will help you communicate more naturally in English.

What Are Indirect Questions?

An indirect question is a question that is included inside another sentence. Instead of asking a question directly, we "embed" it inside a polite phrase.

We often use indirect questions when:

• We want to be polite (for example, asking a stranger for help)
• We are not sure of the answer and want to ask carefully
• We are asking in a formal situation (for example, at work or in a shop)

Here are some typical phrases we use to introduce indirect questions:

• Could you tell me …
• Do you know …
• Can you tell me …
• I'd like to know …
• I was wondering …
• Would you mind telling me …
• Do you have any idea …

Rule Breakdown

The Key Rule: Word Order Changes

In a direct question, we use question word order. This means the auxiliary verb (helping verb like do, does, is, can) comes before the subject.

In an indirect question, we use statement word order. This means the subject comes before the verb. We do not use auxiliary verbs like do or does inside the indirect question.

Look at this pattern:

Direct question word order: verb + subject
Indirect question word order: subject + verb

Direct: Where does she live?
Indirect: Do you know where she lives?

Notice that does disappears and the verb live becomes lives (because the subject is she).

Indirect Questions with WH- Question Words

WH- question words are: where, when, what, who, why, which, how. When we make an indirect question with these words, we keep the WH- word but change the word order.

Pattern:
Introductory phrase + WH- word + subject + verb

Important: Notice that in each indirect question, the subject comes before the verb, just like a normal sentence (statement word order).

Indirect Questions with Yes/No Questions

Some direct questions do not have a WH- word. These are called yes/no questions because the answer is yes or no. Examples:

• Is the café open?
• Does he speak French?
• Did they arrive on time?

When we make these into indirect questions, we cannot use a WH- word because there is no WH- word in the original question. Instead, we use if or whether.

Pattern:
Introductory phrase + if / whether + subject + verb

Note: If and whether have the same meaning here. Whether is slightly more formal than if.

Punctuation of Indirect Questions

This is very important! Look at the introductory phrase. If the introductory phrase is itself a question (for example, Could you tell me …? or Do you know …?), then we use a question mark at the end.

But if the introductory phrase is a statement (for example, I'd like to know … or I was wondering …), then we use a full stop at the end.

Important Differences and Special Cases

No Do/Does/Did Inside the Indirect Question

In direct questions, we often use do, does, or did as helping verbs. In indirect questions, we remove these helping verbs and change the main verb to the correct form.

Direct: Where does he work?
Indirect: Do you know where he works? (NOT: where does he work)

Direct: What did she say?
Indirect: Can you tell me what she said? (NOT: what did she say)

Questions with "Is" and "Are"

When the direct question uses is or are, we keep is or are in the indirect question but we move it after the subject.

Direct: Where is the toilet?
Indirect: Could you tell me where the toilet is?

Direct: How old is she?
Indirect: Do you know how old she is?

Questions with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are words like can, will, should, would, might. When the direct question contains a modal verb, we keep the modal verb in the indirect question but change the word order.

Direct: When can we meet?
Indirect: Do you know when we can meet?

Direct: Where should I go?
Indirect: Could you tell me where I should go?

Common Mistakes

❌ Could you tell me where does she live?
✅ Remove "does" and use statement word order: Could you tell me where she lives?

❌ Do you know what time is it?
✅ The subject comes before the verb: Do you know what time it is?

❌ I'd like to know where did he go?
✅ Remove "did", use past tense of main verb, and no question mark: I'd like to know where he went.

❌ Can you tell me is the museum open?
✅ Use "if" or "whether" for yes/no questions: Can you tell me if the museum is open?

❌ I was wondering where is the nearest shop?
✅ Use statement word order and a full stop (not a question mark): I was wondering where the nearest shop is.

❌ Do you know if does he have a car?
✅ Remove "does" after "if": Do you know if he has a car?

A Quick Mini-Story to Remember the Rules

Imagine you are travelling in a new city. You want to ask a local person for help. You could say:

"Excuse me. Where is the hotel?" — This is correct, but it sounds a little direct.

Instead, try this:

"Excuse me. Could you tell me where the hotel is?" — This sounds polite and friendly!

Or maybe you are not sure if the museum is free:

"Is the museum free?" — direct question.
"Do you know if the museum is free?" — indirect question. Much more polite!

Remember: indirect questions use normal sentence order (subject + verb), not question order (verb + subject).

Indirect Questions: Quick Summary

Here are the key rules to remember about indirect questions:

• Indirect questions are used to ask questions politely or formally.
• We introduce them with phrases like Could you tell me …, Do you know …, I'd like to know …, I was wondering …
• Use statement word order (subject + verb) inside the indirect question — NOT question word order.
• Remove do, does, or did from inside the indirect question and change the main verb to the correct form.
• Keep WH- question words (where, when, what, why, how, etc.) at the start of the embedded question.
• Use if or whether for yes/no questions (when there is no WH- word).
• Use a question mark if the introductory phrase is a question; use a full stop if it is a statement.

Now practise indirect questions in the exercises below.