Indirect questions (1)

Have a look at this conversation. 

A: Excuse me. Could you tell me where the nearest station is? 

B: Cure. It’s along that road on the right. 

A: Thank you. And you know if there is a supermarket near here? 

B: Yes, there is one next to the station. ‘

A: Thank you very much for your help. 

Indirect questions are formed in two parts: 

Question pattern 1 (General Question) - a question that needs a precise answer 

Introductory Indirect Phrase + wh question + subject + main verb? 

DIRECT QUESTIONS

Present simple with ‘be’: Where is the department store? 

Present Simple: When does the next train arrive? 

Present Progressive: What are the students doing? 

Past Simple: When did the cinema close down? 

Present Perfect: Where has Shahaf gone? 

Present Perfect Progressive: What have you been doing in the past years?

Future: When will they leave? 

Modal Verbs: What should we do now? 

INDIRECT QUESTIONS

Present simple with ‘be’: Can you tell me where the department store is?

Present Simple: Can you tell me when the next train arrives?

Present Progressive: I wonder what the students are doing.

Past Simple: Could you tell me when the cinema closed down? 

Present Perfect: Do you know where Shahaf has gone? 

Present Perfect Progressive: Could you tell me what you have been doing in the past years? 

Future: Could you tell me when they will leave? 

Modal Verbs: Can you tell me what we should do now?

Common introductory indirect phrases:

Would you mind telling me…? 

Do you know…? 

I was wondering…

Do you think….? 

I was hoping… 

Would it be possible…? 

Could/Can you tell me…?