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These questions are followed by a "wh word" or if. Then you add the subject,
then the rest of the question. The word order is the same as an affirmative
sentence. You don't need an 'auxiliary', such as 'do', 'does' or 'did'.
For example:
"Can you tell me where the bus station is, please?" (Indirect question: where
+ noun + verb)
"Where is the bus station, please?" (Direct question: where + verb + subject)
"I'd like to know how long the journey takes." (Indirect question: how long +
noun + verb)
"How long does the journey take?" (Direct question: how long + auxiliary does
+ subject + verb)
"Can you tell me what you like most about your present job?" Not "Can you tell
me what do you like?"
If the direct question is a "yes/no" question (such as "Have you applied for a
similar job before?") the indirect question includes "if" or "whether".
For example:
"Would you mind telling me if you have applied for a similar position before?"
"I'd like to know whether you can work on Saturdays." (Direct question: "Can
you work on Saturdays?")
You can also follow an indirect question phrase with about:
"I'd be interested to hear about your experiences."
"Can you tell us about your background?"
Now try this quiz on Indirect questions at work!
1. Can you tell me
if
that
do
if
could I
I could
9. Do you know __