Embedded questions (also called indirect questions) are questions placed inside a statement or another question. They use statement word order and sound more polite and formal than direct questions. Mastering them is essential for professional communication.
3 subtopics — pick one to start practising
Word Order in Embedded Questions
In a direct question, the auxiliary comes before the subject: "Where does she live?" In an embedded question, word order changes to subject + verb (statement order): "I don't know where she lives." The auxiliary (does/did) disappears entirely. This is the most important rule for embedded questions.
Removing Do/Does/Did
In direct questions with non-be, non-modal verbs, we use do/does/did: "What does she want?" When this becomes embedded, remove the auxiliary entirely: "I wonder what she wants." The main verb conjugates normally in the embedded clause: "Do you know what he said?" (not "what did he say").
Yes/No Questions — Adding If or Whether
When embedding a yes/no question, there is no question word to introduce the clause. Instead, add "if" or "whether (or not)". "Is she coming?" → "I don't know if she is coming." / "I don't know whether she is coming or not." Both "if" and "whether" are correct; "whether" is slightly more formal. Word order remains statement order.