Indirect questions

and

Phrasal verbs

Ingrid Vooglaid

Forming indirect questions

Use of indirect questions

 

*formal and polite questions

*when speaking to strangers or

*in professional situations.

 

Forming indirect questions

Start the questions with:

• Is there any chance…
• Would it be possible…
• I’d like to know…
• Do you have any idea…
• I was wondering…
• Do you know…
• Could you tell me…

 

And add the question ending, e.g. where the train station is.

Changes

​*In direct questions the verb comes before the subject. In indirect questions the verb comes after the subject.

Where is the train station? Could you tell me where the train station is?

 

*Do/does/did disappear from indirect questions. Verbs change: did say -> said, can -> could, would, open -> opens.

Why did you say that? Could you tell me why you said that?  Can you take that? Would it be possible for you to take that? Can you tell me if you could take that?

 

 

Note that there is no comma between the beginning and ending of an indirect question. In Estonian there is.

 

Kas te ütleksite, kust ma leiaksin bussijaama?

Can you tell me where I could find a bus station?

Most popular phrasal verbs

 

​*add up - to add two numbers together; to make sense

*blow up -  to fill with air (e.g. balloons); to cause an explosion; to become very angry

*bring up - to raise a child; to mention in conversation

*call off - to stop doing or planning sth; to tell sb to stop

*carry on - to continue; to behave in a foolish way

*watch out - to be aware of sth dangerous

*turn up - to be found unexpectedly; to arrive at a place; to increase the volume, temperature etc.

*put up with - to allow sth unpleasant to exist or happen