D) Indirect Questions

Requesting and stating information

There are in English some ways to request a piece of information depending on what we want to get from  the people therefore we  have to take into account some little structures that we have to use in order to express it correctly as it follows. 

can you tell me  ... + mediator?

do you know      ... + mediator?

both of these little structure are followed by the structure of the verbs as if they were in an affirmative way, although  it is  not because it keeps on being a question. further more we have to be careful when we have the normal question starting with an auxiliary instead of a question word then we will have to apply coherently the word it is a mediator, whereas when there is a question word, it will be the mediator.

Examples with Wh - Questions

Direct questions    - - - - -   where are you from?

Indirect questions  - - - - - - can you tell me where are you from?

D.Q. why did Mary study that career?

I.Q. Do you know why Mary studied that career?

D.Q. What are you doing here?

I.D. Can you tell me what time you get up?

D.Q. Why is Mike doing a lot of exercise?

I.Q. Do you know why Mike is doing a lot of exercise?

D.Q. When does John start to work in this enterprise?

I.D. Do you know when john start´s to work in this enterprise?

D.Q. how much money do you have yesterday?

I.Q. can you tell me how much money you had yesterday?

Examples with yes / no

Questions

Direct questions    ---   Are you tired?

Indirect questions  - - - Can you tell me if you are tired?

D.Q. Is everybody having fun?

I.Q. Do you know if everybody is having fun?

D.Q. Do they like English?

I.D. Do you know if the like English?

D.Q. Did you win the championship?

I.D.  Can you tell me if you know the championship?

D.Q.  Are languages easy to learn?

I.D. Do you know if languages are easy to learn?

D.Q.  Did she teach management last year?

I.D. Do you know if she taught management last year?  

Exercises

is she paying attention to the class?

where is the post office in this city?

are there some good hotels near here?

what kind of music they like?

what do you do in your free time?

did he understand the lesson?

where does the boss live?

has it been raining there lately?

how many brothers  do you have?

are they sick?

where does Bryan teach French?

is the lesson easy?