Embedded Questions (Indirect Questions)
Embedded (indirect) questions are questions inside a longer sentence or another question. They are more polite, and the word order changes back to normal sentence order (subject + verb).
Embedded (indirect) questions are questions inside a longer sentence or another question. They are more polite, and the word order changes back to normal sentence order (subject + verb).
Direct vs indirect
| Direct question | Embedded/indirect |
|---|---|
| Where is the station? | Could you tell me where the station is? |
| What does it mean? | I don’t know what it means. |
| Is he coming? | Do you know if he is coming? |
Two key changes(1) No inversion: the verb goes after the subject, like a statement (“where the station is,” not “where is the station”). (2) No do/does/did: “what it means,” not “what does it mean.” For yes/no questions, add if or whether.
Useful openers
Could you tell me… / Do you know… / I wonder… / I’d like to know… / Can you explain…
Examples from EduCareer
- Could you tell me when the course starts?
- I’d like to know how much it costs.
- Do you know if there are evening classes?
- I’m not sure what level I am.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersThe biggest change is dropping the inversion. After “Could you tell me…,” use statement order: “…where the office is,” not “…where is the office.” And remove the helper “do/does/did” completely.
Common mistakes
- Could you tell me where is the station? → Could you tell me where the station is?
- Do you know what does it mean? → Do you know what it means?
- I don’t know does he come. → I don’t know if he comes.
Practise with the 20 questions below.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.
1."Could you tell me where the station ___?"
statement order: the station is.
2."Do you know what it ___?"
no 'does'; what it means.
3."Do you know ___ he is coming?" (yes/no)
yes/no → if.
4.Embedded questions use which word order?
statement order.
5.Which is correct?
no inversion.
6.Which is correct?
no 'does'.
7."I'd like to know how much it ___."
it costs.
8."I'm not sure what level I ___."
what level I am.
9.For a yes/no embedded question, add:
if or whether.
10."Can you explain how this ___?"
how this works.
11."Do you know where she ___?"
where she lives.
12."I wonder why he ___ late."
why he was late.
13."Could you tell me when the course ___?"
when the course starts.
14."Do you know ___ there are evening classes?"
yes/no → if.
15.Which opener makes a question more polite?
indirect = more polite.
16."I don't know ___ he comes."
if he comes.
17."Can you tell me who that ___?"
who that is.
18."I'd like to know what time it ___."
what time it starts.
19."Do you know how long the lesson ___?"
how long it lasts.
20.Which is correct?
if + statement order.
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