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Direct or Indirect Clauses

I. In a DIRECT INTERROGATIVE CLAUSE (questions), you must very careful about the word order:

1. In sentences using the auxiliaries TO BE / TO HAVE (GOT), and modal auxiliaries:

 you just have to do the subject/ verb inversion: Interrogative word+ Auxiliary+ subject+ verb + ?

- Were you strong enough to carry this box? (Auxiliary TO BE + subject + V ?)

- Can he lift this heavy box? (Modal auxiliary + subject + verbal root ?)

2. Sentences using the auxiliaries DO/DOES/DID : they must follow this pattern:

- Auxiliary + subject + verbal base +...?

- Does he know this woman?

- Did you finally meet my friend yesterday ?

II)  INDIRECT NTERROGATIVE CLAUSES report a speech.

1. They are introduced by some varied expressions:

- he asked me if/whether...; she wondered...; I'd like to know if/ whether...; I don't know...; I'm not sure... .

Those expressions are followed by an interrogative clause introduced by WHAT, WHO, WHICH, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, WHETHER... 

    2. BEWARE:  the word order must change. This is fundamental. There is NO subject-verb inversion:

- She wanted to know who these people were.(= Interrogative word + subject + verb).  She had never seen them.

- Could you tell me what time it is, please? (= Modal auxiliary + subject + verbal base)

BEWARE: there is NO question mark at the end of an indirect interrogative clause. (In the example above, the sentence has a question mark because of the direct interrogative question "Could you...?")

    3. In indirect interrogative clauses, the condition can be expressed by "if" or rather by "whether" if it is followed by "OR". 

- I wonder whether he'll show up at the party, or not. 

Here you are... If you pay attention to the test, you'll have an excellent score! Go for it!

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1. “Mom, I really wonder what I can docan't I docan I doI can't doI don't know for my birthday party.

2. Do you think I should organizeshould I organizeI shouldn't organizeI don't know an individual “Scavenger Hunt” or a team one?

3. I don’t know whether you havehave yougot youyou getI don't know good suggestions for me.'
“I beg your pardon, Lucy… a team hunt?

4. How many friends do you intendyou do intendyou intendI don't know to invite?

5. I suppose you know what the number is of your friendsthe number of your friends isis the number of your friendsI don't know …”

6. Oh yes, I do, Mom, don’t worry… Twelve will beWill be twelveWill twelve beI don't know alright?'

7. 'Lucy … aren't you kiddingYou're kiddingAre you kiddingI don't know me? I said eight at most…'


8. 'Alright, alright… let’s say eight friends, then. Please, tell me that you'd printedhave you printedyou have printedI don't know the invitations... please, Mom…'

9. 'Of course, have II havegot II gotI don't know. They’re ready to be given. But your Dad has had a great idea!

10. You should know that we wentare we goingwe're gonewe're goingI don't know to help you organize a pastry workshop with your friends!'


11. 'What you meantdo you meantyou meando you meanI don't know Mom?

12. You shall not cookWill you cookYou'll cookI don't know for us?

13. The group will makeWill make the groupWill the group makeI don't know my birthday cake?

14. Of course not! We’ll help all of you make little cakes to take home! Isn't itIs itIt's notIt isI don't know a good idea?
'Awesome, Mom! I love you!'