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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Direct questions - Indirect Questions    

Direct questions - Indirect Questions



mdan1984
Canada

Direct questions - Indirect Questions
 
Hello guys.
 
I need an answer quite quickly here.
 
I �m changing direct questions to indirect questions and want to know which one is write.
 
1. What are your strengths? (Choose the correct indirect question)
      a. Could you tell me what your strengths are?
      b. Could you tell me what are your strengths?
 
2. What would your collegues say about you?
      a. I �d like to know what would your colleagues say about you.
      b. I �d like to know what your colleagues would say about you.
 
3. How have you changed in the last five years?
      a. Could you tell me how you have changed in the last five years?
      b. Could you tell me how have you changed in the last five  years?
 
Thanks guys. Please tell me the answer and WHY
 
regards
 
Michael
 
 
 
 
 
Œ

20 Mar 2013      





deeedee
Spain

Hi,

The correct answers are a., b., a.

Bear in mind that the indirect question no longer uses a question structure. In the new question, "Could you tell me" is the question, but "what your strengths are" has to have the affirmative structure (subject + verb order).

Hope that helps.


Deeedee

P.S. Be careful with the spelling of Write vs. Right:

"I �m changing direct questions to indirect questions and want to know which one is right".

20 Mar 2013     



danygera
Spain

Deeedee is right, indirect questions use the subject+verb structure (no auxiliary verb, no subject-verb inversion). 

You will hear people say "Could you tell me what�s the time?" ... but it should really be "Could you tell me what the time is?"

So even though there are rules, you will come across grammatically incorrect sentences, even with native speakers.

20 Mar 2013     



ikram jeseen
Sri Lanka

I too have a similar doubt in the following sentence, Please help me know what is the correct one or the most suitable one.
 
"Do you know what is his father?"
                     OR
 "Do you know what  his father is?"
 
"Do you know what is Nazism?"
                     OR
"Do you know what Nazism is?"
 
Please reply me too

20 Mar 2013     



yanogator
United States

@ikram jeseen,
If you just read the two replies above, your question is already answered.
 
Bruce

20 Mar 2013     



danygera
Spain

The answers are:

 "Do you know what his father is?"
 and 
"Do you know what Nazism is?"

...incidentally, this also applies to your comment, which should be:
Please help me know what the correct one or the most suitable one is.

And not
Please help me know what is the correct one or the most suitable one.

I know it looks quite petty, but it�s grammar. Good luck!

21 Mar 2013     



danygera
Spain

Sorry, that comment was for ikram jeseen.

21 Mar 2013