Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Indirect Questions
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Indirect QuestionsQuestion 1 of 10

At a doctor's office, a patient wants to politely ask the receptionist two things: (1) how long the wait will be, and (2) whether the doctor accepts his insurance.

The patient combines both questions into one polite sentence: 'Could you tell me how long the wait will be and   the doctor accepts my insurance?' Which option correctly completes the second part of this indirect question?

whether or not does
if does
whether
does
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Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Indirect Questions

Practice Indirect Questions in Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Indirect Questions, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

At a doctor's office, a patient wants to politely ask the receptionist two things: (1) how long the wait will be, and (2) whether the doctor accepts his insurance.

The patient combines both questions into one polite sentence: 'Could you tell me how long the wait will be and   the doctor accepts my insurance?' Which option correctly completes the second part of this indirect question?

  1. whether or not does
  2. if does
  3. whether (correct answer)
  4. does
Explanation: When you combine two questions into one polite request using a phrase like "Could you tell me...," you're creating what's called an indirect question. The key rule: indirect questions use statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order (verb + subject). They also need a connecting word — either if or whether — to introduce a yes/no question. In this sentence, the second part asks "Does the doctor accept my insurance?" — a yes/no question. When you embed it after "Could you tell me," you flip the word order back to normal: the doctor accepts (not does the doctor accept). The connecting word whether links everything cleanly: "...whether the doctor accepts my insurance." That's why C is correct — it supplies exactly the right connector with no extra words needed. Now let's look at why the other options fail. A ("whether or not does") adds "does" and keeps question word order, which is a double error — indirect questions never use inverted verb forms. While "whether or not" is grammatically possible in some sentences, pairing it with "does" here creates a broken structure. B ("if does") makes the same mistake: "does" is left hanging with no subject before it, producing a fragment. D ("does") has no connecting word at all and keeps the question word order, so it reads as a direct question awkwardly jammed into the sentence. As a study tip, remember: after reporting verbs like tell, know, ask, or wonder, always switch to subject-verb order and drop the helping verb to the end or remove it entirely.

Question 2

An ESL student named Ana is writing an email to her professor asking about an upcoming exam. Her draft reads: 'Dear Professor Kim, I am writing to ask you some questions about the midterm exam. First, I would like to know (1)   the exam will cover chapters 1 through 5 or chapters 1 through 6. Second, could you clarify (2)   we are allowed to use a dictionary during the exam?'

Which pair of options BEST completes blanks (1) and (2) in Ana's email to maintain correct indirect question structure throughout?

  1. (1) if or whether — (2) if or whether (correct answer)
  2. (1) whether — (2) whether or not does
  3. (1) that — (2) whether or not does
  4. (1) if or whether — (2) what if
Explanation: When you see a question about indirect questions (also called embedded questions), remember the key rule: after an introductory phrase like "I would like to know" or "could you clarify," the question is tucked inside a statement, so it uses statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order. For yes/no indirect questions specifically, you introduce them with "if" or "whether." Both are grammatically correct and interchangeable in most contexts. So for blank (1), "I would like to know if/whether the exam will cover..." works perfectly — notice the subject ("the exam") comes before the verb ("will cover"), just like a statement. The same logic applies to blank (2): "could you clarify if/whether we are allowed..." follows the same pattern cleanly. That makes A the correct answer — both blanks use "if or whether," maintaining proper indirect question structure throughout the email. Choice B fails because "whether or not does" in blank (2) breaks word order rules. You could say "whether or not we are allowed," but inserting "does" creates an awkward, incorrect structure mixing question and statement forms. Choice C uses "that" for blank (1), which is reserved for indirect statements ("I know that the exam is Monday"), not yes/no questions. "That" doesn't signal a choice between two options the way "whether" does. Choice D introduces "what if" for blank (2), which means "suppose that" or signals a hypothetical — it completely changes the meaning and does not embed a yes/no question correctly. Study tip: Anytime you embed a question inside a sentence, mentally check: is the word order subject-verb (statement style)? If yes, your structure is likely correct.

Question 3

Two classmates, Priya and James, are studying for an exam. Priya is unsure about the homework assignment details.

Priya says to James: 'Do you happen to know   the assignment is due?' James answers, 'Friday, I think.' Which option BEST completes Priya's indirect question?

  1. when is
  2. what time is
  3. that when
  4. when (correct answer)
Explanation: When a question is embedded inside a larger sentence — like "Do you happen to know   the assignment is due?" — it becomes an indirect question. This is the key concept being tested here. Unlike direct questions, indirect questions follow normal statement word order (subject + verb), not inverted question word order (verb + subject). The blank needs a question word that introduces the embedded question while keeping the word order correct. The word "when" does exactly this — it acts as a connector (like "if" or "whether") and lets the sentence flow naturally: "Do you happen to know when the assignment is due?" The subject ("the assignment") comes before the verb ("is due"), which is correct statement order. This is why D is the right answer. A ("when is") uses inverted word order — the verb "is" comes before the subject. That structure belongs in a direct question ("When is the assignment due?"), not an indirect one. Using it here creates a grammatically incorrect sentence. B ("what time is") makes the same inversion error as A, and it also changes the meaning unnecessarily. "When" is already the natural, standard way to ask about deadlines. "What time" sounds overly specific and unnatural in this context. C ("that when") is simply not a grammatical phrase in English. Combining "that" and "when" together before a clause does not work as a connector in standard English grammar. Study tip: Whenever you see a phrase like "Do you know," "Can you tell me," or "I wonder," expect an indirect question — and always use subject + verb order, not inverted order.

Question 4

Maria is a new employee at a company. She needs to find the conference room but doesn't want to be rude when asking her manager for help.

Maria wants to ask her manager where the conference room is. She wants to sound polite and professional. Which sentence correctly uses an indirect question?

  1. Could you tell me where is the conference room located on this floor?
  2. Could you tell me where the conference room is located on this floor? (correct answer)
  3. Could you tell me where does the conference room locate on this floor?
  4. Could you tell me where the conference room located is on this floor?
Explanation: When you turn a direct question into an indirect question (embedded inside a polite phrase like "Could you tell me..."), the word order must change. In a direct question, the verb comes before the subject: Where is the conference room? But once you embed that question inside a polite structure, it becomes a statement-like clause, so the subject comes before the verb: where the conference room is. Choice B does this correctly — "Could you tell me where the conference room is located on this floor?" The embedded clause follows normal statement word order (subject → verb), making it both grammatically correct and appropriately polite for a professional setting. Choice A is the most tempting trap. It looks almost right, but "where is the conference room" keeps the inverted question word order inside the indirect question — that's a grammar error. You cannot flip the subject and verb once the question is embedded. Choice C makes a similar mistake with "where does the conference room locate" — it uses the helping verb does, which belongs in direct questions only, and "locate" is used incorrectly here (the correct form would be "is located"). Choice D scrambles the word order entirely with "where the conference room located is," placing the verb awkwardly at the end — this is not natural English grammar. A useful memory trick: after polite openers like Could you tell me, Do you know, or Can you explain, always ask yourself, "Does my embedded question sound like a statement?" If yes, the word order is right. If it still sounds like a direct question, flip the subject and verb back.

Question 5

Read the following conversation and identify the sentence that contains an error in indirect question formation:

Speaker A: 'I need to find the nearest ATM.' Speaker B (Option 1): 'You could ask the hotel staff if they know where the nearest ATM is.' Speaker B (Option 2): 'You could ask the hotel staff if they know where is the nearest ATM.' Speaker B (Option 3): 'You could ask the hotel staff whether the nearest ATM is nearby.' Speaker B (Option 4): 'You could ask the hotel staff what direction the nearest ATM is in.'

Which option contains an error?

  1. Option 1 — 'if they know where the nearest ATM is' incorrectly embeds a wh-question inside an if-clause.
  2. Option 2 — 'if they know where is the nearest ATM' uses inverted word order inside the indirect question, which is grammatically incorrect. (correct answer)
  3. Option 3 — 'whether the nearest ATM is nearby' incorrectly uses 'whether' because this is not a yes/no question context.
  4. Option 4 — 'what direction the nearest ATM is in' ends with a preposition, making the indirect question structure grammatically unacceptable.
Explanation: When you see questions about indirect questions (also called embedded questions), the key rule to remember is this: word order must flip back to normal statement order once a question is embedded inside a larger sentence. In direct questions, we invert the subject and verb ("Where is the ATM?"), but in indirect questions, that inversion disappears. Option 2 — the correct answer, making B right — keeps the inverted word order from the original direct question: "where is the nearest ATM." Inside an embedded clause, this should become "where the nearest ATM is," with the subject coming before the verb. Because Option 2 preserves the question's inverted structure, it reads as if the speaker is simultaneously asking a question and reporting one, which creates a grammatical conflict. As for the distractors: A is wrong because Option 1 is actually correct — embedding a wh-question ("where the nearest ATM is") inside an if-clause is perfectly acceptable and very natural in English. The word order there is already fixed. C is wrong because "whether" is entirely appropriate for indirect yes/no questions, and Option 3 works grammatically — "whether the ATM is nearby" is a proper embedded yes/no question. D is wrong because ending a sentence with a preposition ("in") is standard in modern English, especially in indirect questions like "what direction the ATM is in," and this construction raises no real grammatical concern. A handy tip: whenever you spot a wh-word (where, what, when, how) inside an indirect question, check that the subject comes before the verb — if the verb comes first, that's your error signal.

Question 6

Tariq is filling out a form at a government office. He is confused about one section and approaches the clerk to ask for help.

Tariq wants to ask: 'What does this section mean?' He wants to phrase it politely as an indirect question. Which of the following is the MOST grammatically correct and appropriately polite version?

  1. Could you tell me what does this section mean, please?
  2. Could you tell me what this section is meaning, please?
  3. Could you tell me what this section means, please? (correct answer)
  4. Could you tell me what means this section, please?
Explanation: When you turn a direct question into an indirect (embedded) question, the word order changes — and this is exactly what's being tested here. In a direct question, we invert the subject and verb: "What does this section mean?" But once that question is embedded inside a polite phrase like "Could you tell me...," it becomes a noun clause and must follow normal statement word order: subject → verb. That makes C the correct answer. "Could you tell me what this section means, please?" follows the rule perfectly — this section (subject) comes before means (verb), and the simple present tense is appropriate for asking about a general, ongoing meaning. A is the most common trap. It keeps the inverted word order (what does this section mean) inside the embedded clause, which is a grammar error. Once the question is embedded, you drop the auxiliary does and return to statement order. B uses the present continuous (is meaning), which is incorrect. The verb mean is a stative verb — it describes a state, not an action — so it cannot be used in a continuous tense. We say "means," never "is meaning." D inverts the subject and verb the wrong way — placing the verb means before the subject (what means this section). This is not standard English word order in either direct or indirect questions. Your study tip: memorize this pattern — "Could you tell me + [statement word order]?" — and watch for answer choices that sneak in question-style inversion after an embedding phrase.

Question 7

A customer at a hardware store is trying to find a specific product. He sees a store employee and wants to ask politely.

The customer wants to ask: 'Where are the power tools kept?' He rephrases it as an indirect question. Which version is both grammatically correct AND appropriately formal for the situation?

  1. Would you mind telling me where the power tools are kept in this store? (correct answer)
  2. Can you tell me where are the power tools kept in this store?
  3. Would you mind telling me where are the power tools kept in this store?
  4. Can you tell me where do they keep the power tools in this store?
Explanation: When asking someone for help in a formal or semi-formal setting, English speakers often use indirect questions to sound more polite. The key grammar rule is that indirect questions follow statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order (verb + subject). This is the central concept being tested here. Choice A — "Would you mind telling me where the power tools are kept" — gets both things right. The indirect clause uses statement word order ("where the power tools are kept"), and "Would you mind..." is a naturally polite, formal opener appropriate for speaking to a store employee you don't know. This is your correct answer. Choice B fails on grammar. After "Can you tell me," the clause switches back to question word order: "where are the power tools kept" — this is the mistake of treating the embedded clause like a direct question. It should read "where the power tools are kept." Choice C combines a formal opener ("Would you mind telling me") with the same grammar error from B — question word order in the embedded clause ("where are the power tools kept"). Having a polite frame doesn't fix a broken indirect question. Choice D makes a similar error. "Where do they keep" uses question word order and also introduces "they," which is vague and slightly informal. Correct phrasing would be "where they keep the power tools." A helpful study tip: whenever you embed a question inside a sentence (after phrases like "Can you tell me..." or "Do you know..."), mentally switch it to a statement. "Where are they?" becomes "where they are." Train yourself to hear the difference.

Question 8

Which of the following sentences is an example of a correctly formed indirect question at an appropriate level of politeness?

  1. I was wondering could you explain how the bus payment system works here.
  2. I was wondering if you could explain how the bus payment system works here. (correct answer)
  3. I was wondering if you could explain how does the bus payment system work here.
  4. I was wondering whether could you explain how the bus payment system works here.
Explanation: When forming indirect questions in English, you combine a polite phrase like "I was wondering" with an embedded question. The key rule is that the embedded question must use statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order (verb + subject). This is one of the trickiest grammar points for intermediate learners because the question "feels" like it should look like a question — but it shouldn't. Answer B is correct: "I was wondering if you could explain how the bus payment system works here." Notice two things: the connector "if" properly links the wondering phrase to the embedded question, and "how the bus payment system works" uses statement word order (subject system comes before verb works). The tone is also appropriately polite for asking a stranger for help. Answer A fails because it drops the connector entirely — "could you explain" jumps straight into inverted question word order, which sounds abrupt and ungrammatical after "I was wondering." Answer C looks close to correct but makes a critical error in the second embedded clause: "how does the bus payment system work" uses question word order (does before system), which is wrong inside an indirect question. Answer D uses "whether" correctly as a connector, but then immediately inverts the word order with "could you explain" — the same mistake as A. A simple strategy: after any phrase like "I was wondering if/whether," mentally check that every embedded clause that follows uses normal statement order (no do/does/did helpers, no inverted subject-verb). If it reads like a headline, not a question, you're on the right track.

Question 9

A teacher asks students to convert the direct question 'Has the package arrived yet?' into a polite indirect question beginning with 'Do you know...' Which student response is grammatically correct?

  1. Do you know has the package arrived yet?
  2. Do you know if has the package arrived yet?
  3. Do you know whether has the package arrived yet?
  4. Do you know if the package has arrived yet? (correct answer)
Explanation: When you convert a direct question into an indirect question (also called an embedded question), the grammar changes in an important way: the word order shifts from question order to statement order. In a direct question, the auxiliary verb comes before the subject ("Has the package arrived"). In an indirect question introduced by phrases like "Do you know...," the subject must come before the auxiliary verb — just like a regular statement. So the correct transformation of "Has the package arrived yet?" becomes D) Do you know if the package has arrived yet? Notice that "the package" (subject) comes before "has" (auxiliary verb), following normal statement word order. The connector "if" is also correctly used to link the two clauses. Here's why the other options fail. A) simply pastes the original question directly after "Do you know" without changing the word order at all — "has the package arrived" still sounds like a direct question, which makes the sentence grammatically broken. B) uses "if" correctly as a connector, but then keeps the inverted question word order ("has the package"), creating the same problem as A. C) uses "whether" as the connector — which can be grammatically valid in indirect questions — but again makes the mistake of keeping inverted word order ("has the package"), so the sentence is still incorrect. A quick tip to remember: whenever you embed a question inside a phrase like "Do you know...," "Can you tell me...," or "I wonder...," always flip to statement order: subject + verb, not verb + subject. That one rule will help you avoid all three wrong answers here.

Question 10

A student is trying to politely ask a librarian about library closing time. The student writes: 'Do you know   the library closes tonight?' Which option correctly completes this indirect question?

  1. what time does
  2. when does
  3. what time (correct answer)
  4. at what time do
Explanation: When you embed a question inside a polite request like "Do you know...?" or "Can you tell me...?", you're creating an indirect question. The key rule to remember: indirect questions use statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order (verb + subject). In a direct question, you'd ask: "What time does the library close?" — notice how "does" comes before the subject "the library." But once you place that question inside "Do you know...?", the word order must flip to normal statement order: "Do you know what time the library closes tonight?" This makes option C correct. The subject "the library" comes before the verb "closes," and you drop the auxiliary "does" entirely because it's no longer needed. Option A (what time does) keeps question word order — "does" is placed before the subject, which is only correct in a direct question, not embedded inside another clause. Option B (when does) makes the same mistake: it uses "does" with inverted order, turning the sentence into an awkward double question structure. Option D (at what time do) also uses the auxiliary verb "do" incorrectly and creates the same inversion error, plus "do" doesn't agree naturally with "the library closes." A useful tip: whenever you see a polite expression like "Do you know...," "Could you tell me...," or "I wonder..." before a question, remind yourself to switch to statement word order and drop the helping verb (do/does/did). This pattern appears frequently in everyday English conversation and on this exam.