Indirect Questions in English

Study Notes

Ways to Express Indirect Questions

We use indirect questions to be more polite
In indirect questions, the order is subject + verb
Examples of indirect questions:
- Can you tell me …?
- Could you tell me …?
- Do you know …?
- Would you mind telling me …?
- Can I ask you …?
- I was wondering…
- Do you have any idea …?

Ways to Express Future

Using present continuous for plans or arrangements
Using present simple for something scheduled
Using "will" to express beliefs about the future
Using "be going to" to talk about plans and intentions
Using "should" if we think there's a good chance of something happening

Ways to Express Purpose

Using "to"
Using "so as not to"
Using "so that"
Using "in order to"
Using "for" + noun/gerund

Uses of Present Simple

To talk about things that are always/generally true or facts
To give directions or instructions
To talk about short actions that are happening "now"
To talk about habits or things we do regularly
To talk about future actions or events set by a timetable
To talk about permanent situations that we feel will continue for a long time
To use in the first and zero conditionals

Uses of Present Progressive (Continuous)

To talk about actions that are taking place at the moment of speaking
To talk about actions that are taking place around "now" but not at the exact moment of speech
To use with words such as "always" or "constantly" to express the idea that something annoying or irritating happens very often
To talk about an action or event in the near future, which has already been planned
To talk about temporary or new habits
To describe situations that are changing
To describe temporary situations

Uses of Past Simple

To talk about a completed action in the past
To talk about a series of completed actions in the past
To use in stories or lists of events in the past
To use with the second conditional
To talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws or rules

Uses of the Passive

When who or what causes the action is unknown or unimportant
When is obvious to the listener or reader who the agent is
When we want to change the focus from the agent to the recipient of the action
To focus on objective or factual information
With a generalised agent (people in general are the agents)
In describing processes, when the emphasis is on the actions and not on the people who perform them

Uses of the Definite Article "the"

With a superlative adjective
With adjectives like rich, poor, elderly to talk about groups of people
With countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic
With nouns that refer to something or someone that is unique
When a particular noun has already been mentioned previously

State Verbs that Change their Meaning when in the Continuous Form

Have: I'm having breakfast now = I am eating breakfast now
Be: Johnny is being silly again = Johnny is behaving in a silly way again
See: We are seeing our friends tonight = We are meeting our friends tonight
Think: She is thinking about her future = She is considering her future
Weigh: The man is weighing the fruit = The man is measuring the weight of the fruit

Five Categories of Verbs that are not Normally Used in Progressive Forms

Verbs of feeling: I love rain
Verbs of thinking: She didn't believe him at first
Verbs used for the senses: I often see her crying
Verbs of measurement: The red dress fits me perfectly
Verbs of possession: Does this book belong to you?

Uses of Could

To express possibility in the present and the future
To make suggestions
To ask for permission
To talk about past ability
As a conditional

Uses of Would

To make polite requests or offers
As a conditional to describe what we would do in imaginary situations
To talk about repeated actions in the past
To describe past beliefs about the future
As the past form of "will" in reported speech

Uses of the Pronoun "it"

Singular noun (a thing/place/organization/animal/abstract)
To represent a young baby of either sex
To "anticipate" something which appears later in the sentence
To refer to an already stated action or information

Uses of the To-Infinitive

After certain verbs particularly verbs of thinking, feeling, and saying
To express purpose
With the adverbs too and enough to express the reasoning behind our satisfaction or insatisfaction
After adjectives of emotion such as angry, happy, glad, sad, sorry, surprised
After a WH- word such as how, what, where, whether, which, who, whom

Uses of Bare Infinitive (Short Infinitive)

After modal verbs
After the interrogative word 'why'
After the expressions 'had better' and 'would rather'
After the prepositions 'except', 'but', and 'than'
After verbs of perception (see, watch, notice, observe, feel, hear…)

Uses of the Gerund

In compound nouns
After the expressions can't help, can't stand, to be worth, & it's no use
Verbs followed by gerund/infinitive (e.g. love, prefer, remember, forget, like)

Uses of Inversion

To be added

Indirect Questions in English

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following sentences uses the to infinitive to express purpose?

What is the function of the ‘-ing’ form of a verb in a sentence like 'I have always enjoyed swimming'?

Which of the following sentences uses a bare infinitive after a modal verb?

Which verb can be followed by both a gerund and an infinitive?

What is the function of the to infinitive in a sentence like 'I'm glad to see you'?

Which of the following sentences uses a gerund after the expression 'can't stand'?

Which of the following options is a correct use of the bare infinitive?

What is the function of the to infinitive in a sentence like 'He bought some flowers to give to his wife'?

Which of the following sentences uses a gerund as a compound noun?

Which of the following verbs is followed by a gerund after the expression 'prefer'?

Study Notes

Ways to Express Indirect Questions

Ways to Express Future

Ways to Express Purpose

Uses of Present Simple

Uses of Present Progressive (Continuous)

Uses of Past Simple

Uses of the Passive

Uses of the Definite Article "the"

State Verbs that Change their Meaning when in the Continuous Form

Five Categories of Verbs that are not Normally Used in Progressive Forms

Uses of Could

Uses of Would

Uses of the Pronoun "it"

Uses of the To-Infinitive

Uses of Bare Infinitive (Short Infinitive)

Uses of the Gerund

Uses of Inversion

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