Using indirect questions correctly

Indirect questions are not questions in the strict sense of the term. They don’t not have a question mark at the end.

In direct questions, the auxiliary verb goes before the subject.

• Does he know what he is doing? (Here the auxiliary ‘does’ goes before the subject ‘he’.)
• Will you help me? (Here the auxiliary ‘will’ goes before the subject ‘you’.)
• In an indirect question, the auxiliary verb goes after the subject.

She asked me if I could help her. (NOT She asked me if could I help her?)

• Tell me when you are going on holiday. (NOT Tell me when are you going on holiday.)
• I wondered if she was all right.
• Rahul asked if I wanted to watch the film.

Note that an indirect question cannot stand alone. It has to be attached to an independent clause with a conjunction like if, whether or when.

• I don’t know whether I will have time. (Will I have time? I don’t know.)
• I wondered if she was free. (Is she free? I wondered.)
• Tell me what you are doing there. (NOT Tell me what are you doing there?)