Indirect (Embedded) Questions
Embed a question inside a polite carrier phrase (Can you tell me, Do you know, I wonder, Could you tell me) using statement word order, not question word order — and add if/whether for yes/no questions; keep the question mark when the carrier phrase itself is a question.
Formula
Examples
Usage
- •Embed a question inside a polite carrier phrase (Can you tell me, Do you know, Could you tell me, I wonder)
- •Keep statement word order after the question word — no auxiliary inversion
- •Add if/whether instead of a question word for yes/no embedded questions
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Try 5 cards free — no signup →What is an indirect (embedded) question?
An indirect or embedded question wraps a direct question inside a carrier phrase like "Can you tell me...", "Do you know...", or "I wonder..." to sound more polite or tentative — mostly used for asking strangers or in formal situations.
The embedded question keeps its question word (where, what, when, why, who, how) but drops the question word order — the subject and verb stay in normal statement order, with no auxiliary before the subject.
How do you form embedded questions?
Direct question: "Where is the station?" (auxiliary "is" before the subject "the station"). Embedded: "Could you tell me where the station is?" (subject "the station" before the verb "is" — statement order, no inversion).
For yes/no questions (no question word), add "if" or "whether" after the carrier phrase: "Is she coming?" becomes "Do you know if she is coming?"
Do embedded questions end with a question mark?
It depends on the carrier phrase, not the embedded question. If the carrier phrase is itself a question ("Could you tell me...?", "Do you know...?", "Can you tell me...?"), the question mark stays: "Could you tell me where the bank is?"
If the carrier phrase is a plain statement ("I wonder...", "I'd like to know..."), there's no question mark: "I wonder where he went." Most everyday embedded questions are polite requests, so keeping the question mark is actually the more common case.
Comparison Table
| Form | Direct question | Embedded question |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Where is the station? | Could you tell me where the station is? |
| What time | What time does the train leave? | Do you know what time the train leaves? |
| Yes/no | Is she coming? | Do you know if she is coming? |
| Who | Who is that man? | I wonder who that man is. |
Save this comparison chart
More Examples
Could you tell me where the bank is?
Carrier phrase is a question — keep the question mark
I wonder where he went.
Carrier phrase is a statement — no question mark
Do you know if she is coming to the party?
Yes/no embedded question uses "if"
I'd like to know whether the shop is still open.
"whether" is a slightly more formal alternative to "if"
Common Mistakes
- ✗❌ "Could you tell me where is the station?" → ✓ "Could you tell me where the station is?" (no inversion after the carrier phrase)
- ✗❌ "Do you know is she coming?" → ✓ "Do you know if she is coming?" (yes/no embedded questions need if/whether, not inversion)
- ✗❌ "I wonder where is he." → ✓ "I wonder where he is." (statement word order even after "wonder")
- ✗❌ Dropping the question mark on a polite request: "Could you tell me where the bank is." → ✓ "Could you tell me where the bank is?" (the carrier phrase is itself a question, so the "?" stays)
Tips
- ✓Punctuation depends on the CARRIER phrase, not the embedded question: a declarative carrier ("I wonder...", "I'd like to know...") takes no question mark; a carrier that is itself a question ("Could you tell me...?", "Do you know...?") keeps the question mark.
- ✓This is the more common real-world case — most embedded questions are polite requests ("Could you tell me...?", "Do you know...?"), so they DO end in a question mark.
Advanced Notes
Indirect (embedded) questions are not the same transformation as reported speech: reported speech backshifts tense to report what someone ELSE said in the past ("She asked where I was going"), while an embedded question wraps a question inside a present-tense polite carrier phrase to ask it more softly, right now, in your own voice ("Could you tell me where the station is?" — the speaker is asking now, not reporting a past question). Both share the same statement-word-order rule for the embedded clause, but tense backshift and pronoun-perspective shifts are irrelevant here — the person asking and the time of asking haven't changed.
FAQ
How do you make an indirect question?
Start with a polite carrier phrase (Can you tell me, Do you know, Could you tell me, I wonder), then add the question word and keep statement word order — subject before verb, no auxiliary inversion: "Where is the bank?" becomes "Could you tell me where the bank is?"
Do you use a question mark for indirect questions?
Yes, when the carrier phrase is itself a question: "Could you tell me where the bank is?" ends in a question mark because "Could you tell me...?" is a question. Only a declarative carrier phrase like "I wonder..." drops the question mark: "I wonder where the bank is."
What's the difference between indirect questions and reported speech?
Indirect questions embed a question inside a polite phrase to ask something in the present, in your own words ("Could you tell me where the station is?"). Reported speech backshifts tense to report a question someone else asked in the past ("She asked where the station was"). They share the same word-order rule but serve different purposes.
Do you say 'if' or 'whether' in indirect questions?
Either works for yes/no embedded questions: "Do you know if she is coming?" and "Do you know whether she is coming?" are both correct. "Whether" is slightly more formal and is required (not "if") directly before "or not": "I don't know whether or not she is coming."
Practice
- 1.Could you tell me where the bank ?
- 2.Do you know she is coming to the party?
- 3.I wonder what time the film .
- 4.Could you tell me how much this ?
Compare With
Other B1 Topics
Present Perfect
Used for past actions that still matter or connect to now
Present Perfect Continuous
Used for ongoing actions that started in the past and still continue
Modal Verbs
Expresses ability, obligation, permission, or possibility
Passive Voice (Basic)
Used for sentences where the action or result matters more than who did it
Used To
Used for past habits or states that no longer exist
Future Continuous
Used for actions in progress at a specific future moment
Question Tags
Used for confirming information or seeking agreement at the end of a statement
Linking Words: However, Although, Despite, In Spite Of
Used for connecting contrasting ideas using concession and contrast markers
Relative Clauses (Defining)
Clauses that identify exactly which person, thing, or place you mean.
So and Such
Use so before adjectives/adverbs and such before nouns to emphasize degree, often followed by a that-clause showing the result.
Order of Adjectives
The fixed order adjectives usually follow before a noun: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose.
Future Time Clauses
Use present simple, not will, after when/as soon as/before/after/until/once even when the meaning is future.
Subject and Object Questions
Who broke it? vs Who did you see? — question word as subject or object.
British English vs. American English
Compares the main grammar, vocabulary, and usage differences between British and American English