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In this post I want to present a way to ask questions ‘indirectly’.

Let’s take a direct question and turn it into an indirect question, as an example.

• When is he coming?
• Do you know when he is coming?

After ‘Do you know’ the original question is turned into a positive clause. Other beginnings you can use in indirect questions are :

• Can you remember… ?
• Have you heard… ?
• Can you tell me… ?
• Have you any idea… ?
• I wonder… (not strictly speaking a question, but often used as one)
• Please explain… (more of an order than a question)

You have to be a bit careful with 一般動詞 in the present simple or past simple :

• Where does he live?
• Have you any idea where he lives?

• What did he say?
• Can you remember what he said?

• How well does he speak English?
• Do you know how well he speaks English?

In questions which do not have a question word (what, where, how, why, etc..), you have to add ‘if’ or ‘whether’ :

• Is he coming tonight?
• Have you heard whether he is coming tonight?

• Did anybody see you?
• Do you know if anybody saw you?

Try this practice exercise - change the direct questions into indirect questions, using the beginnings given :

1. Where has Tom gone? (Do you know…?)
2. Where is the Post Office? (Could you tell me…?)
3. What time did they leave? (Do you know…?)
4. Is there a bank near here? (Can you tell me…?)
5. Who is that woman? (Have you any idea…?)

Now try changing indirect questions back into direct questions to check you’ve got the grammar clear.

1. Can you tell me how far it is to the station?
2. Do you know if Ann received my letter?
3. Can you find out if anyone wants coffee?
4. Do you remember where I parked the car?
5. I wonder where he went.

The same grammatical change occurs in reported questions, though you also have to change the verb into the past tense, so we’ll practise that in a separate post.

This type of sentence occurs not only in questions, but also in plain statements, particularly after phrases like :

• I can’t remember…
• I can’t remember what time I am supposed to be there.

• I want to know…
• I want to know how he did it!

• I’ve no idea…
• I’ve no idea whether she will be there or not.

So, to summarize, you just have to remember that in an indirect question the normal question order changes into a positive sentence order. Next time we’ll practise reported questions, which are really very similar.