Page 10 - Reported Speech vs. Indirect Question

Indirect

Question

is a way of asking in a polite way. They are

very common in English, especially when
you're talking to someone you don't know.

Does Tim live here? Direct Question

is used when you ask a

question to your friends/

your siblings.

Tom Jane

Excuse me. Indirect Question

Can I ask you if

Tim lives here? We often use it when
asking something of

strangers/ people we
don’t know well or older

people (parents,

grandparents, your

teacher, your boss, etc).

Tom Grandma

10 | R e p o r t e d S p e e c h v s . I n d i r e c t Q u e s t i o n