Indirect and Embedded Questions

B1 · IntermediateQuestions

Could you tell me where the station is? I wonder what time it is. An indirect question drops the inversion and reads like a calm statement.

What you'll learn

  • An indirect/embedded question uses ordinary statement word order — subject before verb — never inversion
  • A yes/no question becomes an embedded clause starting with if or whether
  • A WH- question keeps its question word, but drops do/does/did and inversion
  • Common starting phrases: Could you tell me..., Do you know..., I wonder..., I'm not sure...

Softening a question by embedding it

An indirect or embedded question is a question tucked inside a larger sentence — often to sound more polite, or to report what someone asked. The key change: no inversion. The word order goes back to normal, subject-before-verb order.

"Where is the station? → Could you tell me where the station is?"
"What time is it? → I wonder what time it is."

Embedding a yes/no question

A yes/no question has no question word to carry over, so it uses if or whether to introduce the embedded clause instead.

"Do you know if she's coming?"
"Do you know whether the shop is open?"

Embedding a WH- question

A WH- question keeps its question word (where, what, why, how...), but everything after it goes back to statement word order — no do/does/did, no inversion.

"Can you tell me how this works?"
"I'm not sure what he wants."
"I don't know why he left."

Real English

"I'd like to know what happened."
"Could you tell me how much this costs?"
"I'm curious whether they agreed."
"Do you remember where we parked?"

Watch out

✗Could you tell me where is the station?
✓Could you tell me where the station is?

Once a question is embedded, drop the inversion — go back to ordinary subject-before-verb word order.

✗Do you know is she coming?
✓Do you know if she's coming?

A yes/no question needs if or whether to introduce it when embedded — it can't just keep its direct-question shape.

✗I'm not sure what does he want.
✓I'm not sure what he wants.

Drop do/does/did in an embedded question — the verb just takes its ordinary statement form instead.

Real life — Asking a stranger for help

"Excuse me, could you tell me where the nearest ATM is?"

"Sure, do you know if you need cash right now, or can it wait?"

"I'd rather not wait. Do you know how far it is from here?"

"Not far at all — I can show you if you'd like."

Practice

Exercise 1 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct polite question.

Exercise 2 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question.

Exercise 3 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question — yes/no question uses 'if' or 'whether'.

Exercise 4 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question.

Exercise 5 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question.

Exercise 6 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question.

Exercise 7 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct polite question.

Exercise 8 · Choose the correct question

Choose the correct embedded question.

Exercise 9 · Make the question polite and indirect

Make this polite and indirect: 'Where is the bathroom?' → 'Could you tell me ___?'

Exercise 10 · Embed the question

Embed this yes/no question: 'Is he coming?' → 'I don't know ___.'

Exercise 11 · Sort into groups

Where is it?
Do you know where it is?
What does she want?
I wonder what she wants.
Is he ready?
Can you tell me if he's ready?

0 / 6 sorted

Quick challenge

Five quick questions to check what stuck.

Question 1 / 5

Score: 0/0

Choose the correct embedded question.

You learned

  • An embedded question uses ordinary statement word order — never inversion.
  • A yes/no question becomes an embedded clause starting with if or whether.
  • A WH- question keeps its question word but drops do/does/did.
  • Common polite starters: Could you tell me..., Do you know..., I wonder...

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