1. The Word Order Changes:
* Direct Question: The word order is usually inverted (subject comes after the auxiliary verb).
* Example: "Are you going to the party?"
* Indirect Question: The word order becomes standard (subject-verb).
* Example: "She asked if I was going to the party."
2. The Question Mark Disappears:
* Direct Question: Always ends with a question mark.
* Indirect Question: Becomes a statement, so no question mark is needed.
3. Conjunctions and Reporting Verbs:
* Direct Question: Stands alone.
* Indirect Question: Requires a reporting verb (e.g., asked, wondered, inquired) and a conjunction (e.g., if, whether, that).
* Example: "He asked if I could help him."
4. Tense and Pronoun Changes:
* Tense: The tense of the verb in the indirect question may need to shift to reflect the original speaker's intent.
* Direct Question: "Where is the library?"
* Indirect Question: "He asked where the library was."
* Pronouns: Pronouns may need to change to reflect the new context.
* Direct Question: "Did you see my keys?"
* Indirect Question: "She asked me if I had seen her keys."
Examples:
* Direct Question: "What time does the movie start?"
* Indirect Question: "He asked what time the movie started."
* Direct Question: "Can you help me with this?"
* Indirect Question: "She asked if I could help her with that."
Key Points:
* The original question is now embedded within a statement.
* The indirect question focuses on reporting what was asked, not asking the question itself.
* The specific changes in tense and pronouns will depend on the original question and the context.
Let me know if you'd like to see more examples or have any other questions!