Indirect questions

Rules

• Rule 1: No question order

  Inside an indirect question, the subject comes first and the verb comes after, just like in a normal statement.

  Pattern: Could you tell me + question word + subject + verb

  Example: Where is the gym? → Do you know where the gym is?

  Example: What can we do? → I wonder what we can do.

• Rule 2: do / does / did disappear

  The do / does / did of a direct question is not used in an indirect question. The tense and the -s go back to the main verb.

  Pattern: does + start → starts · did + go → went

  Example: What time does it start? → Do you know what time it starts?

  Example: Where did she go? → I wonder where she went.

• Rule 3: Yes/no questions → if / whether

  When there's no question word (Is…? Do…? Can…?), add if or whether. If “or not” comes right after, use only whether.

  Pattern: Do you know if / whether + subject + verb

  Example: Does Mia like jazz? → Do you know if Mia likes jazz?

  Example: I'm not sure whether or not it's true.

• Rule 4: Subject questions don't change

  When who / what is the subject (Who did it? What happened?), the order is already normal and there's no do/does/did. It stays the same.

  Pattern: Do you know who + verb …?

  Example: Who took my pencil? → Do you know who took my pencil?

  Example: What happened? → Tell me what happened.

Common mistakes

• Could you tell me where is the station? → Could you tell me where the station is?

  No question order in an indirect question.

• Do you know what time does the show start? → Do you know what time the show starts?

  does disappears and the -s goes back to the verb.

• I don't know is it true. → I don't know if it is true.

  Yes/no questions need if or whether.