11 Indirect Questions First Day on the Job

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

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

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

Indirect 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. “Can I take a break? ”

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

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

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

Word 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). He asked why the meetings lasted so long. “Why do the meetings last so long? ”

Word 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). Subject He asked who made the coffee. “Who made the coffee? ”

Be Careful! 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. He asked what was dress code. the dress code was. “What is the dress code? ”

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

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

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