Understanding Direct Question and Indirect Question in English is essential for effective communication, especially in formal situations. Direct questions, like “Where do you live?”, are straightforward, while indirect questions, such as “Can you tell me where you live?”, sound more polite and formal. In this post, you’ll learn the key differences between these two types of questions, how to form them correctly, and when to use each one. By the end, you’ll be able to ask questions more naturally and appropriately in different contexts!
100 Direct Question and Indirect Question In English
| Direct Questions | Indirect Questions |
| Where is the library? | She asked where the library was. |
| Have you finished your homework? | He wondered if you had finished your homework. |
| What time does the movie start? | They wanted to know what time the movie started. |
| Who is coming to the party? | I’m not sure who is coming to the party. |
| Why did you miss the meeting? | She asked why you had missed the meeting. |
| How can I help you? | He asked how he could help me. |
| Are you feeling better today? | They wanted to know if you were feeling better that day. |
| Which book do you recommend? | She asked which book I recommended. |
| When will they arrive? | He asked when they would arrive. |
| Do you like chocolate ice cream? | They wondered if you liked chocolate ice cream. |
| Where did you put my keys? | She asked where I had put her keys. |
| Have you seen my glasses anywhere? | He wanted to know if I had seen his glasses anywhere. |
| What are your plans for the weekend? | They asked what my plans were for the weekend. |
| Who won the game last night? | I wondered who had won the game last night. |
| Why are you late again? | She asked why I was late again. |
| How much does this cost? | He asked how much this cost. |
| Is there any coffee left in the pot? | They wanted to know if there was any coffee left in the pot. |
| Which way is the beach? | She asked which way the beach was. |
| When can we schedule a meeting? | He asked when we could schedule a meeting. |
| Do you know where the nearest gas station is? | They asked if I knew where the nearest gas station was. |
| Will you come to the party with me? | She asked if I would come to the party with her. |
| Can you help me with my homework? | He asked if I could help him with his homework. |
| Are they going on vacation next month? | They wanted to know if we were going on vacation next month. |
| Should I bring anything to the dinner tonight? | She asked if she should bring anything to the dinner tonight. |
| Would you like some more tea? | He asked if I would like some more tea. |
| Have you ever been to New York City? | They asked if I had ever been to New York City. |
| Where did you buy that shirt? | She asked where I had bought that shirt. |
| Did you hear what happened yesterday? | He wanted to know if I had heard what happened yesterday. |
| What time did the concert end? | They asked what time the concert had ended. |
| Who is responsible for this project? | I wondered who was responsible for this project. |
| Why did they cancel the meeting? | She asked why they had canceled the meeting. |
| How long will it take to get there? | He asked how long it would take to get there. |
| Is it going to rain tomorrow? | They wanted to know if it was going to rain tomorrow. |
| Which movie did you watch last night? | She asked which movie I had watched last night. |
| When did you start learning English? | He asked when I had started learning English. |
| Do you think we should call the police? | They asked if we should call the police. |
| Would you mind opening the window? | She asked if I would mind opening the window. |
| Can you tell me where the nearest ATM is? | He asked if I could tell him where the nearest ATM was. |
| Are you going to the concert next week? | They wanted to know if I was going to the concert next week. |
| Should I buy a new phone? | She asked if she should buy a new phone. |
| Would you like some more cake? | He asked if I would like some more cake. |
| Have you met John’s sister before? | They asked if I had met John’s sister before. |
| Where are you planning to go for vacation? | She asked where I was planning to go for vacation. |
| Did you hear about the new restaurant downtown? | He wanted to know if I had heard about the new restaurant downtown. |
| What time are you arriving tomorrow? | They asked what time I was arriving tomorrow. |
| Who made this delicious cake? | I wondered who had made this delicious cake. |
| Why are they selling their house? | She asked why they were selling their house. |
| How many people are coming to the party? | He asked how many people were coming to the party. |
| Is this the right way to the museum? | They wanted to know if this was the right way to the museum. |
| Which restaurant serves the best pizza in town? | She asked which restaurant served the best pizza in town. |
| When will the next train arrive? | He asked when the next train would arrive. |
| Do you know if there’s a pharmacy nearby? | They asked if I knew if there was a pharmacy nearby. |
| Will you be attending the conference next month? | She asked if I would be attending the conference next month. |
| Can you explain how this machine works? | He asked if I could explain how this machine worked. |
| Are they planning to move to a new city? | They wanted to know if we were planning to move to a new city. |
| Should we order pizza for dinner tonight? | She asked if we should order pizza for dinner tonight. |
| Would you mind turning down the music? | He asked if I would mind turning down the music. |
| Have you ever visited London? | They asked if I had ever visited London. |
| Where did you learn to dance like that? | She asked where I had learned to dance like that. |
| Did you see the latest episode of that show? | He wanted to know if I had seen the latest episode of that show. |
| What time did you wake up this morning? | They asked what time I had woken up that morning. |
| Who will be leading the meeting tomorrow? | I wondered who would be leading the meeting tomorrow. |
| Why did they change the deadline? | She asked why they had changed the deadline. |
| How many languages can you speak fluently? | He asked how many languages I could speak fluently. |
| Is it safe to swim in the lake? | They wanted to know if it was safe to swim in the lake. |
| Which hotel did you stay at during your vacation? | She asked which hotel I had stayed at during my vacation. |
| When is your birthday? | He asked when my birthday was. |
| Do you think we should go shopping tomorrow? | They asked if we should go shopping tomorrow. |
| Would you like to join us for dinner? | She asked if I would like to join them for dinner. |
| Have you ever tried sushi? | He asked if I had ever tried sushi. |
| Where did you park your car? | They asked where I had parked my car. |
| Did you hear about the new job opening? | She wanted to know if I had heard about the new job opening. |
| What time will you be home tonight? | He asked what time I would be home tonight. |
| Who recommended this restaurant to you? | I wondered who had recommended this restaurant to me. |
| Why did she change her mind at the last minute? | She asked why she had changed her mind at the last minute. |
| How much longer do we have to wait? | He asked how much longer we had to wait. |
| Is it necessary to bring a gift to the party? | They wanted to know if it was necessary to bring a gift to the party. |
FAQs on Direct Question and Indirect Question in English
1. What are direct and indirect questions with examples?
A direct question is a straightforward question that expects a direct answer. Example:
➡ Where is the library?
An indirect question is more polite and often embedded in a sentence. Example:
➡ Can you tell me where the library is?
2. What is an example of a direct question?
A direct question is typically structured with a question word (who, what, where, etc.) or an auxiliary verb (do, is, can, etc.). Example:
➡ Did you complete your homework?
3. What are the 4 types of questions in English?
The four main types of questions in English are:
- Yes/No Questions – Are you coming to the party?
- Wh- Questions – What is your name?
- Choice Questions – Do you prefer tea or coffee?
- Tag Questions – You like ice cream, don’t you?
