Question Marks: Direct vs. Indirect Questions (B1)

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

I wonder where he is going?Where are you going?She asked where did he go?He wanted to know where was she.

Correct answer: Where are you going?

Which sentence does NOT need a question mark?

What time is itCould you tell me what time it isDoes he know the answerCan you help me

Correct answer: Could you tell me what time it is

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled?She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled.She asked had the meeting been cancelled.She asked: was the meeting cancelled?

Correct answer: She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled.

A student wrote: "I don't know where is the station?" What are the TWO errors?

The word order is inverted and a question mark is used instead of a full stop.The word order is correct, but a comma is needed after "know".A question mark is needed, but no other error.The sentence is correct as written.

Correct answer: The word order is inverted and a question mark is used instead of a full stop.

Which sentence is a direct question and must end with a question mark?

He asked me whether I had ever visited Japan.She wondered if he had ever visited Japan.Have you ever visited Japan?I asked her if she had ever visited Japan.

Correct answer: Have you ever visited Japan?

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Do you know how long the film is?Do you know how long the film is.I don't know how long is the film?I don't know how long the film is?

Correct answer: Do you know how long the film is?

A teacher wrote "Could you explain what you mean" on the board. How should it end?

With a full stop: "Could you explain what you mean."With a question mark: "Could you explain what you mean?"With an exclamation mark: "Could you explain what you mean!"With a comma: "Could you explain what you mean,"

Correct answer: With a question mark: "Could you explain what you mean?"

Which sentence is NOT correctly punctuated?

Why are you late?She asked why he was late.He enquired why was she late.Nobody knew why the train was late.

Correct answer: He enquired why was she late.

Which rule applies to indirect questions?

They always end with a question mark.They use inverted subject–verb order and a question mark.They use statement word order and end with a full stop.They always begin with "whether" or "if".

Correct answer: They use statement word order and end with a full stop.

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

I wonder where the exit is?Would you mind telling me where the exit is?Would you mind telling me where is the exit.Would you mind to tell me where the exit is?.

Correct answer: Would you mind telling me where the exit is?

Which sentence CORRECTLY reports a question in indirect speech?

She asked me where did I live?She asked me where I lived.She asked me where I lived?She asked me where did I live.

Correct answer: She asked me where I lived.

When does a sentence beginning with "Can you tell me…" need a question mark?

Only when the embedded clause is itself a question.Never — "Can you tell me" introduces an indirect question, so no question mark is needed.Always — it is a direct question addressed to the listener.Only in informal writing; formal writing uses a full stop.

Correct answer: Always — it is a direct question addressed to the listener.

Which sentence is INCORRECTLY punctuated?

Did you finish your homework?I asked him whether he had finished his homework.I asked him did he finish his homework.She wanted to know if he had finished his homework.

Correct answer: I asked him did he finish his homework.

Which two sentences are BOTH correctly punctuated?

"What did she say?" and "I have no idea what she said.""What did she say." and "I have no idea what did she say?""What she said?" and "I have no idea what she said.""What did she say?" and "I have no idea what did she say."

Correct answer: "What did she say?" and "I have no idea what she said."

What is the correct punctuation for: "She asked me if I was coming to the party"?

A question mark: "She asked me if I was coming to the party?"A full stop: "She asked me if I was coming to the party."An exclamation mark: "She asked me if I was coming to the party!"No punctuation is needed at the end.

Correct answer: A full stop: "She asked me if I was coming to the party."

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

I wonder where he is going?Where are you going?She asked where did he go?He wanted to know where was she.

Correct answer: Where are you going?

Which sentence does NOT need a question mark?

What time is itCould you tell me what time it isDoes he know the answerCan you help me

Correct answer: Could you tell me what time it is

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled?She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled.She asked had the meeting been cancelled.She asked: was the meeting cancelled?

Correct answer: She asked whether the meeting had been cancelled.

A student wrote: "I don't know where is the station?" What are the TWO errors?

Correct answer: The word order is inverted and a question mark is used instead of a full stop.

Which sentence is a direct question and must end with a question mark?

He asked me whether I had ever visited Japan.She wondered if he had ever visited Japan.Have you ever visited Japan?I asked her if she had ever visited Japan.

Correct answer: Have you ever visited Japan?

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

Do you know how long the film is?Do you know how long the film is.I don't know how long is the film?I don't know how long the film is?

Correct answer: Do you know how long the film is?

A teacher wrote "Could you explain what you mean" on the board. How should it end?

Correct answer: With a question mark: "Could you explain what you mean?"

Which sentence is NOT correctly punctuated?

Why are you late?She asked why he was late.He enquired why was she late.Nobody knew why the train was late.

Correct answer: He enquired why was she late.

Which rule applies to indirect questions?

They always end with a question mark.They use inverted subject–verb order and a question mark.They use statement word order and end with a full stop.They always begin with "whether" or "if".

Correct answer: They use statement word order and end with a full stop.

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

I wonder where the exit is?Would you mind telling me where the exit is?Would you mind telling me where is the exit.Would you mind to tell me where the exit is?.

Correct answer: Would you mind telling me where the exit is?

Which sentence CORRECTLY reports a question in indirect speech?

She asked me where did I live?She asked me where I lived.She asked me where I lived?She asked me where did I live.

Correct answer: She asked me where I lived.

When does a sentence beginning with "Can you tell me…" need a question mark?

Correct answer: Always — it is a direct question addressed to the listener.

Which sentence is INCORRECTLY punctuated?

Did you finish your homework?I asked him whether he had finished his homework.I asked him did he finish his homework.She wanted to know if he had finished his homework.

Correct answer: I asked him did he finish his homework.

Which two sentences are BOTH correctly punctuated?

Correct answer: "What did she say?" and "I have no idea what she said."

What is the correct punctuation for: "She asked me if I was coming to the party"?

Correct answer: A full stop: "She asked me if I was coming to the party."