اللغة الإنجليزية فصل ثاني

 UNIT 7  

  Indirect questions 

• We can use indirect questions to ask questions in a polite, formal way.
• We can begin impersonal questions with:

Could you tell me …; Do you know …; Do you mind telling me …; Could you explain ….

• The structure is then the same as in reported questions. Unlike reported questions, the sentence ends with a question mark.

 

• Yes/No questions are introduced with if or whether.

Do you know if/whether there’s a library near here, please?

• Other questions are introduced with what, who, why, when, where, how, etc.

Could you tell me what the time is, please? Do you know who that man is?

Do you mind telling me why the train is late?

Could you tell me where the nearest bank is, please?

Could you explain how you solved this puzzle?

Examples:

• Is he Spanish?

       Could you tell me if he is Spanish?

• Is the restaurant closing now?

      Could you tell me if the restaurant is closing now?

• Was he late for the meeting?

      Could you tell me if he was late for the meeting?

• Were you watching TV at 3 pm?

      Could you tell me if you were watching TV at 3 pm?

• Has Lucy been to Mexico?

      Could you tell me if Lucy has been to Mexico?

• Has she been living here long?

      Could you tell me if she has been living here long?

• Had she found this job when she moved here?

      Could you tell me if she had found this job when she moved here?

• Had she been living here long when she met you?

     Could you tell me if she had been living here long when she met you?

• Will she start her new job next week?

     Could you tell me if she will start her new job next week?

• Is it going to rain later?

      Could you tell me if it is going to rain later?

• Should we start now?

      Could you tell me if we should start now?

• Does David live in London?

      Could you tell me if David lives in London?

• Did Amanda call John yesterday?

      Could you tell me if Amanda called John yesterday?

• Why is he unhappy?

      Could you tell me why he is unhappy?

• When is the restaurant closing?

      Could you tell me when the restaurant is closing?

• Why was he late for the meeting?

     Could you tell me why he was late for the meeting?    

• What were you doing at 3 pm?

     Could you tell me what you were doing at 3 pm?

• Where has Lucy?

     Could you tell me where Lucy has been?

• How long has she been living here?

     Could you tell me how long she has been living here?

• Why had she quit her job before she moved here?

     Could you tell me why she had quit her job before she moved here?

• How long had she been living here when she met you?

     Could you tell me how long she had been living here when she met you?

• When will she start her new job?

     Could you tell me when she will start her new job?

• When is it going to rain?

     Could you tell me when it is going to rain?

• What time will Lisa be meeting the boss?

     Could you tell me what time Lisa will be meeting the boss?

• What should we do now?

     Could you tell me what we should do now?