Intermediate indirect questions. 45 questions on polite forms, whether vs if, and embedded questions as noun clauses.
What this test covers
- Polite Question Strategies
- Whether vs If: Distinctions
- Embedded Questions as Noun Clauses
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1Could you tell me where ___?
Answer: B. the station is
Indirect questions are embedded within a main clause like "Could you tell me." Unlike direct questions, they use statement word order (subject + verb). Therefore, "the station is" is correct. We avoid the inversion "is the station" because the question-like quality is already handled by the polite opening.
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Q2I'd like to know why ___.
Answer: B. he left
When a question is introduced by a phrase like "I'd like to know," it loses its direct question word order. We use the subject "he" followed by the verb "left." The auxiliary "did" in "did he leave" is only used for direct questions. In indirect questions, we return to the standard past simple form.
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Q3I'd like to know when ___.
Answer: B. the train arrives
In an indirect question, we use statement word order: subject ("the train") followed by the verb ("arrives"). We do not use the auxiliary "does" as we would in a direct question. Since "the train" is a third-person singular subject, the verb "arrives" must include the -s ending.
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Q4Could you tell me where ___?
Answer: C. the post office is
After the polite opening "Could you tell me," we must use the subject ("the post office") before the verb ("is"). The option "is the post office" uses inversion, which is only for direct questions. "the post office be" is incorrect because we need a conjugated form of the verb "to be."
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Q5Would you mind telling me how ___?
Answer: B. this machine works
Indirect questions introduced by phrases like "Would you mind telling me" do not use the auxiliary "do" or "does." We follow the subject ("this machine") with the verb ("works"). Options like "does this machine work" use question word order (inversion), which must be avoided here.
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Q6I was wondering if you could tell me what time ___.
Answer: D. it is
The phrase "I was wondering if you could tell me" introduces an indirect question. Within this clause, we use statement word order: subject ("it") followed by the verb ("is"). The direct question "What time is it?" flips the order, but in an indirect context, we keep "it is" just like a regular sentence.
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Q7Which of these is the correct sentence?
Answer: A. Can you tell me where the ATM is?
The direct question would be "Where is the ATM?". However, when we start with a polite phrase like "Can you tell me," the second part of the sentence must use statement word order: subject ("the ATM") + verb ("is"). "where the ATM is" is the only choice that follows this rule correctly.
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Q8Do you have any idea how much ___?
Answer: C. the ticket costs
For indirect questions, we drop the auxiliary verb "does" used in direct questions. Instead, we use the subject ("the ticket") followed by the conjugated verb ("costs"). "is the ticket cost" is grammatically incorrect because "cost" is used here as a verb, not a noun requiring "is."
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Q9I was wondering if you might know who ___.
Answer: C. is in charge
In this sentence, "who" is the subject of the indirect question. When the question word itself is the subject, the word order looks the same as a statement. We follow "who" with the verb "is." Adding another "who" or using the base form "be" results in an ungrammatical sentence.
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Q10Could you explain why ___?
Answer: C. you were late
After the introductory phrase "Could you explain," we use statement word order. This means the subject "you" comes before the verb "were." The inverted form "were you late" is only for direct questions. "you late were" is incorrect because the verb must follow the subject in English sentence structure.
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Q11Could you tell me what ___?
Answer: C. your name is
The direct question "What is your name?" becomes indirect after "Could you tell me." In indirect questions, the verb "is" moves to the end, following the subject "your name." Using "is your name" maintains direct question word order (inversion), which is incorrect in an embedded clause.
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Q12I'd be grateful if you could let me know when ___.
Answer: C. the meeting starts
In the indirect question following the formal introduction, we do not use the auxiliary "does." We use the subject ("the meeting") followed by the present simple verb ("starts"). Using "the meeting start" without the -s is a subject-verb agreement error, as "the meeting" is singular.
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Q13Do you happen to know where ___?
Answer: B. she lives
Indirect questions follow statement word order. We remove the auxiliary "does" from the direct question "Where does she live?" and use the third-person singular verb "lives" after the subject "she." Using "does she live" is a common mistake of keeping direct question inversion in an indirect structure.
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Q14I was wondering if you could tell me how long ___.
Answer: C. the flight takes
When using "I was wondering," we avoid the question auxiliary "does." We use the subject ("the flight") followed by the main verb ("takes"). The phrase "does the flight take" is incorrect because indirect questions do not use auxiliary inversion in the embedded clause.
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Q15Could you please tell me which bus ___?
Answer: D. goes to the center
In this case, "which bus" is the subject of the indirect question. Just like in a direct subject question (e.g., "Which bus goes...?"), we don't use the auxiliary "do" or "does." We simply use the third-person singular verb "goes." "is go" is grammatically incorrect.
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Q16It depends on ___ we decide to go or not.
Answer: C. whether
The phrase "or not" at the end of the clause is a strong signal that "whether" is the correct choice. While "if" and "whether" are often interchangeable in indirect questions, "whether" is specifically used to present two alternatives, especially when "or not" is stated.
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Q17I am unsure ___ or not she will arrive.
Answer: C. whether
When the phrase "or not" immediately follows the conjunction, we must use "whether." We cannot say "if or not" in English. "Whether or not" is a fixed construction used to express uncertainty between two possibilities.
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Q18The question is ___ to accept the offer or reject it.
Answer: D. whether
Before a "to-infinitive" (like "to accept"), we must use "whether," not "if." This structure is common when discussing a choice or a dilemma. "If" cannot be followed directly by an infinitive in this grammatical position.
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Q19I don't know ___ he is coming.
Answer: A. if
This is a standard indirect yes/no question. We use "if" to introduce the clause. While "whether" could also work, "if" is very common in neutral speech to report a question with a yes/no answer. "That" or "because" would change the meaning of the sentence.
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Q20The debate is about ___ we should invest.
Answer: D. whether
The word "about" is a preposition. In English, we use "whether" rather than "if" after prepositions to introduce an indirect question. "If" is generally not used as the object of a preposition in standard grammar.
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Q21I'm not sure ___ she's happy or sad.
Answer: A. whether
When presenting two explicit alternatives connected by "or" (happy or sad), "whether" is the preferred and more formal choice to introduce the indirect question. It clearly signals that there are two specific options being weighed.
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Q22It depends on ___ I can join you.
Answer: A. whether
The verb phrase "depends on" ends with the preposition "on." We must use "whether" after a preposition to introduce an indirect question or noun clause. "If" is not considered grammatically correct in this specific position.
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Q23It's a matter of ___ we want to change the policy.
Answer: B. whether
The phrase "a matter of" ends with the preposition "of." "Whether" is the correct conjunction to follow a preposition. In standard formal English, "if" is not used after a preposition in this grammatical position. "That" and "because" cannot introduce the required noun clause here.
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Q24She asked ___ I wanted coffee or tea.
Answer: B. whether
Because there is a choice between two specific options ("coffee or tea"), "whether" is the most appropriate conjunction. While "if" is sometimes used in informal speech, "whether" more clearly introduces balanced alternatives.
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Q25I don't know ___ or not he called.
Answer: B. whether
In English, the construction "whether or not" can be used together. However, the sequence "if or not" is ungrammatical. If "or not" comes immediately after the conjunction, "whether" is the only correct choice.
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Q26The main issue is ___ to stay or leave.
Answer: A. whether
When an indirect question is reduced to an infinitive phrase (to stay or leave), we must use "whether." "If" is never used directly before a "to-infinitive." This structure efficiently presents two choices.
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Q27He didn't mention ___ he was going alone.
Answer: B. whether
Here, we are introducing an indirect yes/no question based on "Is he going alone?". "Whether" is used to show uncertainty. "Although" and "since" are conjunctions used for contrast and reason, which do not fit the logic of the sentence.
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Q28Everything depends on ___ he shows up.
Answer: C. whether
The preposition "on" requires the use of "whether" rather than "if" to introduce the following noun clause. In standard English, using "if" after a preposition is incorrect.
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Q29I'm considering ___ to apply for the job.
Answer: C. whether
The verb "considering" is followed here by a "to-infinitive" phrase ("to apply"). Only "whether" can be used to introduce an infinitive in this way; "if" is not possible in this grammatical structure.
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Q30I don't know ___ or not I should call him.
Answer: D. whether
The construction 'whether or not' is a fixed expression used to indicate that two alternatives are being considered (calling him or not calling him). 'Whether' is the only conjunction from the choices that can precede 'or not' in this grammatical structure. 'Why or not', 'that or not', and 'because or not' are all ungrammatical expressions in standard English.
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Q31Choose the correct version of the sentence: 'What did she say surprised me.'
Answer: A. What she said surprised me.
In this sentence, the phrase "What she said" is a noun clause acting as the subject of the verb "surprised." Noun clauses used as subjects follow statement word order (subject + verb), so we use "she said" instead of the question form "did she say."
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Q32What ___ is still a mystery.
Answer: A. he said
The subject of the sentence is a noun clause. We use statement word order ("he said") rather than the direct question form ("did he say"). Even though the sentence begins with "What," it is a statement about a mystery, not a direct question.
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Q33What ___ surprised everyone.
Answer: B. she did
The clause "What she did" acts as the subject of the sentence. Just like a regular statement, we put the subject ("she") before the verb ("did"). We avoid the question order "did she do" because the whole clause functions as a single noun-like subject.
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Q34I don't know why ___.
Answer: B. he is angry
After "I don't know," the question "Why is he angry?" becomes indirect. This means we switch back to statement word order: subject ("he") + verb ("is"). Inverting the verb and subject ("is he angry") is only permitted in direct questions.
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Q35Where ___ is unknown.
Answer: D. they went
The clause starting with "Where" is the subject of the verb "is." Because it is a noun clause, it must use statement word order ("they went") rather than direct question order ("did they go").
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Q36The problem is how ___.
Answer: C. we can fix this
In this sentence, the clause "how we can fix this" is an embedded question following the verb "is." It uses statement word order: subject ("we") followed by the modal verb ("can"). We do not invert them as we would in a direct question ("How can we...?").
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Q37How ___ remains a mystery.
Answer: A. it happened
The phrase "How it happened" is a noun clause acting as the subject of the verb "remains." We use statement order: subject ("it") followed by the verb ("happened"). The auxiliary "did" is only for direct questions and is not used here.
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Q38I can't remember where ___.
Answer: C. I put my keys
This is an indirect question. The direct question would be "Where did I put my keys?". To make it indirect, we remove the auxiliary "did" and use the past simple verb ("put") directly after the subject ("I").
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Q39Which ___ is important.
Answer: C. they want
The noun clause "Which they want" is the subject of the sentence. In noun clauses, we use statement word order (subject + verb). We avoid the auxiliary "do" that you would find in the direct question "Which do they want?".
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Q40Why ___ is the big question.
Answer: D. she resigned
The entire clause starting with "Why" functions as the subject. We use the statement word order "she resigned." In a direct question, we would say "Why did she resign?", but as a noun clause subject, the auxiliary "did" is not used.
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Q41When ___ is not clear.
Answer: A. the store opens
"When the store opens" functions as the subject here. We follow the pattern of subject ("the store") + verb ("opens"). Using "does the store open" is incorrect because question word order (inversion) is not used in noun clauses.
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Q42The issue is who ___.
Answer: A. is in charge
In this clause, "who" is the subject. Because "who" is already at the beginning of the clause, the verb "is" simply follows it. There is no need for inversion or extra pronouns like "who is in charge who."
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Q43I'm not sure what ___.
Answer: A. he said
After "I'm not sure," we use an indirect question. This requires statement word order: subject ("he") + verb ("said"). We don't use the auxiliary "did" or the archaic inverted order "said he."
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Q44Who ___ is the main question.
Answer: A. solved it
In this noun clause, "Who" is the subject. Just like in a direct subject question (e.g., "Who solved it?"), we don't use an auxiliary like "did" or an extra pronoun like "they." We simply follow the subject "Who" with the verb "solved."
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Q45Where ___ is a secret.
Answer: C. the treasure is
The clause "Where the treasure is" acts as the subject of the sentence. We must use statement word order (subject + verb). The inverted form "is the treasure" is reserved for direct questions.
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