Indirect Questions | The Basics

 

I wonder what I'll write about next...🤷💭...Oh, well, this post is on indirect questions.

We use indirect questions to,

• make polite requests (usually to people we don't know)
• ask for information
• express uncertainty

Indirect questions also help us sound more polite and formal. Please look at the examples below.

Test English

By adding expressions and changing the word order, we can make our questions and requests sound more polite and/or formal. This is most important when talking to people you don't know or at work. 

Indirect Questions | B1/B2| Test English

Activity

•  Re-write the questions and requests using indirect speech. This The first one has been done for you. Please feel free to use the comment section below or copy and paste the task to a Word document or PDF.

Ronnie is in Tokyo trying to get cash from a Japan Post ATM. A bank staffer comes over to help her.

1. Bank Staffer: Can I help you?
2. Ronnie: Yes. Please show me how to take money out. Could you show me how to take money out?
3. Bank Staffer: Certainly. How much money do you want to withdraw?
4. Ronnie: 70,000¥, but I want to know if there's a charge for international accounts.
5. Bank Staffer: There's a 100¥ service charge. What bank are you with in Canada?
6. Ronnie: TD Bank. I'm in a bit hurry. How long will this take?
7. Bank Staffer: About two minutes. First, put your card in the machine, then....