The document provides examples and rules for changing direct questions into indirect questions in English. It begins with examples of a new employee asking direct questions on their first day. It then explains how to change yes/no questions into indirect questions using "if", "whether", or "whether or not". The document also demonstrates how to change wh- questions into indirect questions by using question words like "when", "how", and "why". It provides rules for word order and punctuation in indirect questions. Finally, it gives a practice section for readers to change additional direct questions into the proper indirect question form.

1. Indirect Questions
First Day on the Job
11
Focus on Grammar 4
Part X, Unit 28
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © 2005. Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. I think he did okay,
but he sure asked a
lot of questions.
I think he did okay,
but he sure asked a
lot of questions.
Well…Well…
How did the new
employee do on his
first day?
How did the new
employee do on his
first day?
Oh? What kinds of
questions did he ask
you?
Oh? What kinds of
questions did he ask
you?
Too Many QuestionsToo Many Questions

3. He asked me if he could get
a bigger office.
He asked me if he could get
a bigger office.
He also asked me why the
previous person had left.
He also asked me why the
previous person had left.
He asked me who fixed
the computers.
He asked me who fixed
the computers.
“Who fixes the
computers?”“Can I get a
bigger office?”
“Why did
the
previous
person
leave?”
Indirect QuestionsIndirect Questions

4. The new guy asked whether
the boss liked practical jokes.
The new guy asked whether
the boss liked practical jokes.
The new guy asked if we had
any more chocolate donuts.
The new guy asked if we had
any more chocolate donuts.
Indirect Yes / No Questions 1Indirect Yes / No Questions 1
Use if or whether in indirect yes/no
questions.
“Do you have any more
chocolate donuts?”
“Does the boss like
practical jokes?”

5. Indirect Yes / No Questions 2Indirect Yes / No Questions 2
Whether is more formal than if. We often use
whether or not to report yes/no questions.
The new guy asked whether or
not he could take a break.
The new guy asked whether or
not he could take a break. “Can I take a
break?”

6. Practice 1Practice 1
1. “Does the company provide a car?” They asked…
2. “Can I have a company credit card?” She asked…
3. “Did he order a new computer?” I asked…
Change the direct questions into
indirect questions. Use if,
whether, or whether or not.
They asked if the company provided a car.
She asked whether she could get a company credit card.
I asked whether or not he had ordered a new computer.
“Will I get a raise?” He asked…
Example:
He asked if he would get a raise.
He asked whether he would get a raise.
He asked whether or not he would get a raise.

7. The new guy asked when the
next office party was.
The new guy asked when the
next office party was.
He also asked how many
copies he could make.
He also asked how many
copies he could make. “How many copies
can I make?”
Wh- Questions 1Wh- Questions 1
Use question words in indirect
wh- questions.
“When is the next office
party?”

8. Word Order 1Word Order 1
Use statement word order (subject + verb), not
question word order, for indirect yes/no questions.
“Can you turn off the
fax machine?”
He asked me if I could turn
off the fax machine.
He asked me if I could turn
off the fax machine.

9. Word Order 2Word Order 2
Use statement word order (subject + verb), not
question word order, for indirect wh- questions about
the predicate (usually the last part of the sentence).
“Why do the meetings
last so long?”
He asked why
the meetings lasted so long.
He asked why
the meetings lasted so long.

10. Word Order 3Word Order 3
Use statement word order (subject + verb), not
question word order, for indirect wh- questions about
the subject (usually the first part of the sentence).
“Who made
the coffee?”
He asked who made the coffee.He asked who made the coffee.
SubjectSubject

11. Be Careful!Be Careful!
He asked what
was the dress code.
He asked what
was the dress code.
If a direct question about the subject has the form
question word + be + noun, then the indirect
question has the form question word + noun + be.
“What is the
dress code?”
the dress code was.

12. He asked me do I have
any new video games.
He asked me do I have
any new video games.any new video games.
if I had
AuxiliariesAuxiliaries
In indirect questions, do not use the auxiliary do,
does, or did.
“Do you have any
new video games?”

13. He asked me if I could wake
him up in an hour
He asked me if I could wake
him up in an hour?
PunctuationPunctuation
In indirect questions, do not end with a question
mark (end with a period).
“Could you wake
me up in an hour?”
.
?

14. Practice 2Practice 2
1. “What’s the name of the company?” They asked…
2. “How many people work for the company?” We asked…
3. “How long has the boss worked in the office?” I asked…
Change the direct questions
into indirect questions.
They asked what the name of the company was.
We asked how many people worked for the company.
I asked how long the boss had worked in the office.
“Where is my office?” She asked…
Example:
She asked where her office was.

15. Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.
ReferencesReferences