Look at these

sentences:
1.
Where does she live?
2.
3.

I want to know where she lives.

Can you tell me where she lives?

What is the difference?

There is no does in sentences 2 and 3.
They are indirect questions.
And sentence 1 is direct question.

What is indirect
question?
A sentence that reports a question and ends

with a period rather than a question mark.

>< Direct question: A sentence that asks a
question and ends with a question mark.
They demand a response, but they are
expressed as declarations without the formal
characteristics of a question. So, they have
no inversion, no interrogative words, and no
special intonation.

Direct questions Indirect

questions
Question with question word

Question words:

Who: Who is that man?

Whom: To whom did you talked to yesterday?
Which: Which does she like, milk or wine?
What: What have you finished?
Where: Where will Mary spend on holiday?
When: When did the children go to bed?
How: How could they do that?

Direct questions Indirect

questions
Question with question word
What time did the train leave?
She wonders what time the train leaved.
When will Susan arrive?
Could you tell me when Susan will arrive?
Introductory phrase + wh-word + positive statement

Direct questions indirect

questions
Question without question word
Are they in the garden?
if
Do you know
they are in the garden?
whether
Did he break the vase?
Mom wants to know

if
he broke the vase.
whether

Direct questions indirect

questions
Question without question word
Do you like tea or coffee?
I cant remember

if
you like tea or coffee.
whether

Introductory phrase + whether/if + positive statement

Direct questions indirect

questions
In general

wh-word

Positive
Introductory
+ if + statement
phrase
whether

Direct questions indirect

questions
Asking for instruction

How can I start this machine?

Do you know how to start this machine?
How do you do this exercise?
Would you mind telling me how to do this exercise?

Use to infinitive

Introductory phrase
Could you tell me
Do you know
Do you happen to know
Have you got any idea
Do you remember
Would you mind telling me

Introductory phrase
I dont know
I wonder
I cant remember
I have no idea
Id like to know
Im not sure

When do we use indirect

Considerquestion?
the following situation:
At a meeting you, are talking to a man that you
have never met. However, you know his name
and also that this man knows a colleague
named Jack. You turn to him and ask: Where
is Jack?
The man seems a little bothered and says he
doesn't know. He isn't very friendly.

Why so?

When do we use
indirect question?

To make the questions sound softer or

more polite
Did you use my pen?
vs. Id like to know whether you used my pen.
What does he want?
vs. Would you mind telling me what he wants?
Have you finish your work?
vs. I wonder if you have finished your work.

Role play

Student A: You are at the information desk of

a hotel / an office block / a museum / etc. and
want information about services, people,
exhibitions, etc. Think of as many Indirect
question as you can
Student B: You are a new receptionist and
dont know any information
Ex: A: Can you tell me where the toilet is?
B: Sorry, I dont know where it is.

Suggestion

You can ask about:

Where is the lift?
How can I get to my room?
Is there refrigerator in the room?
Who is the manager here?
When should I come back here?
Which stamp should I buy?