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English grammar

Could you tell me where …

B1 · Intermediate Asking questions Questions 10

The rule

A direct question can sound abrupt to a stranger. Putting a polite opening in front of it softens it — but the question inside then stops behaving like a question. The word order goes back to normal, and do, does and did disappear: Where is the station? becomes Could you tell me where the station is?, and What time does it open? becomes Do you know what time it opens?. If there is no question word, join the two halves with if or whether: Do you know if the shop is open?. The whole sentence ends with a question mark only when the opening is itself a question.

Pattern

Could you tell me / Do you know + question word + SUBJECT + VERB · … if / whether …

Examples

  1. Could you tell me where the lift is?

  2. Do you know what time the pharmacy opens?

  3. I would like to know how much it costs.

  4. Do you know if this bus goes to the station?

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: Could you tell me where is the station?

    Right: Could you tell me where the station is?

    Inside an indirect question the subject comes before the verb.

  • Wrong: Do you know what time does it open?

    Right: Do you know what time it opens?

    does disappears and the verb takes its own ending.

  • Wrong: Do you know is the shop open?

    Right: Do you know if the shop is open?

    With no question word, if or whether joins the halves.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Could you tell me when does the next train leave?
    2. Could you tell me when the next train leaves?
    3. Could you tell me when leaves the next train?
    4. Could you tell me when the next train does leave?
    Show answer

    Answer: B Could you tell me when the next train leaves?

    Normal word order and no does.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Do you know where works she?
    2. Do you know where she works?
    3. Do you know where she does work?
    4. Do you know where does she work?
    Show answer

    Answer: B Do you know where she works?

    The verb takes the -s that does was carrying.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. I wonder whether did they receive my email.
    2. I wonder whether they received my email.
    3. I wonder did they receive my email.
    4. I wonder whether received they my email.
    Show answer

    Answer: B I wonder whether they received my email.

    After whether the clause is a statement.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Can you tell me how much cost this?
    2. Can you tell me how much does this cost?
    3. Can you tell me how much this does cost?
    4. Can you tell me how much this costs?
    Show answer

    Answer: D Can you tell me how much this costs?

    No auxiliary inside the indirect question.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    Do you know where _____?

    1. lives he
    2. he does live
    3. he lives
    4. does he live
    Show answer

    Answer: C Do you know where he lives?

    Subject then verb, with no does.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    Could you tell me _____ the office closes?

    1. when does
    2. what time does
    3. what time
    4. at what time does
    Show answer

    Answer: C Could you tell me what time the office closes?

    The question word alone, with no auxiliary.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    I am not sure _____ the letter arrived.

    1. that whether
    2. did
    3. what
    4. whether
    Show answer

    Answer: D I am not sure whether the letter arrived.

    No question word, so whether.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    Do you know _____ this seat is free?

    1. if
    2. that if
    3. does
    4. is
    Show answer

    Answer: A Do you know if this seat is free?

    A yes-or-no question inside takes if.

  9. 9Put the words in the right order.

    Could you tell me where the toilets are

    Show answer

    Answer: Could you tell me where the toilets are?

    The polite opening, the question word, then subject and verb.

  10. 10Put the words in the right order.

    Do you know if the library is open today

    Show answer

    Answer: Do you know if the library is open today?

    if joins the two halves when there is no question word.

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