𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬?
❓❓❓
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 ... 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔!
🤔Many of my clients have noticed that Americans don't always ask a question directly, and they wonder if direct questions sound too blunt, or even rude.
𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥.
We use direct questions in our everyday conversations with family, friends, and people we know well. They typically use fewer words, and they always end with a question mark.
Here are some examples:
What time is it?
Where are you going?
Do you like coffee?
There's nothing wrong with these questions, but if you are in a context that requires politeness, you should use an indirect question.
𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
⭐NOTE!!! With indirect questions, the word order changes.
Here's how to change a direct question into an indirect question:
𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: Why was she late?
𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: Can you tell me why she was late?
𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: Do you happen to know why she was late?
𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: What time is it?
𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: Could you (please) tell me what time it is?
𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭: I wonder if you could tell me what time it is.
🗝️ The key difference is that a direct question always has a question mark, but an indirect question is embedded inside another question or statement.
Interested in learning more?
📩𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐌.
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