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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > How to change direct question to indirect question?
How to change direct question to indirect question?
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jocel
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How to change direct question to indirect question?
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Dear Colleagues,
Greetings!
I have little knowledge about the rules on transforming direct question to indirect questions (to be sound more polite).
Example:
DIRECT: When did she leave? = INDIRECT: Do you know when she left?
But how about if the sentence contains negative word? Like....
Why didn �t she tell she couldn �t go?
How will I transform this to indirect question? Could anybody help me please.
I am looking forward to hearing from you (soon  ). Thank you so much in advance. 
Best Regards,
jocel
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16 Sep 2011
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Apodo
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Your original sentence should have been:
Why didn �t she tell (object needed- somebody) she couldn �t go?
Why didn �t she tell somebody she couldn �t go?
Do you know why she didn �t tell anybody she couldn �t go?
Why didn �t she tell me she couldn �t go?
Do you know why she didn �t tell me she couldn �t go?
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16 Sep 2011
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jocel
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Hello Apodo
Thanks for the quick reply. I appreciate that so much!
But I �m wondering about the rule, it says if the direct question contains do, does or did, we omit it in the indirect question.
Examples:
a. Direct question: What do you want?
Indirect question: Can you tell me what you want?
b. Direct question: When did she leave?
Indirect question: Do you know when she left?
Is it exception to the rule? Is there any exceptions for the negatives?
Thanks again! |
16 Sep 2011
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PhilipR
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You don �t omit the �negative do/did � (or rather don �t/didn �t) in indirect questions.
Take the following:
Direct: What don �t you like? Indirect: Could you tell me what you don �t like?
Direct: Why didn �t she call the police? Indirect: Do you know why she didn �t call the police? |
16 Sep 2011
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jocel
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Hello PhilipR
Thank you for the explanation. You helped me a lot. Now I am clear. Thank you so much. 
Thank you also Apodo. Both of you are great! 
Now I �m confident in using the INDIRECT QUESTION. 
Best regards,
jocel |
16 Sep 2011
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almaz
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I know that some instructors insist that an �indirect question � is simply a politer way of asking something, but I �ve always taught that indirect questions (sometimes called reported questions) do not end with a question mark. If it did, as in the examples above, it would obviously be a direct question, regardless of the level of politeness or indirectness.
To use Jocel �s example:
Direct question: "What do you want?" she asked Tom.
Indirect question: She asked Tom what he wanted.
With a negative:
Direct question: "Why didn �t you go?" she asked Tom.
Indirect question: She asked Tom why he hadn �t gone/didn �t go. |
16 Sep 2011
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douglas
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Interesting topic! There seem to be two schools of thought on what an "indirect question" is. Some identify it as a question written in the "passive" form and others identify it as a question in the "reported speech" form.
My internet search didn �t help any, there doesn�t seem to be any consenses there either.
So, I don �t know what is meant by an "indirect question"--can anyone enlighten me?
Thanks,
Douglas
EDIT: The more I look, the more it seems that the "reported speech" form is the prefered meaning of "indirect question"--so what do we call the other form?
I kind of like this explanation:
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16 Sep 2011
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almaz
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As you know, Douglas, if you �re at a loss as to the meaning of an expression, you can always check a dictionary. I �m looking at my Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary right now and it defines �indirect question � quite simply as:
Gram. a question in reported speech (e.g. they asked who I was).
Checking one of the established online dictionaries is quite easy too:
And bear in mind that a lot of so-called �grammar � sites are nothing less than a collection of personal prejudices compounded by ineptly-transmitted �rules � from school or college. |
16 Sep 2011
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douglas
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Yeah Alex,
I saw those, but I am also one that puts a lot of value in "common usage".
When I see BBC sites defining them both ways and so many sites where teachers are defining them both ways I have to start thinking that it may be time for the dictionaries to update their definitions.
The "passive" defintion is simply too common to completely ignore.
Douglas |
16 Sep 2011
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Zora
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Can I add that Reported Speech and Indirect Speech are just loathesome? I really dislike teaching them because I find that they are rather convoluted (often on purpuse) and can be a very unnatural way of expressing yourself at times.
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16 Sep 2011
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