EMBEDDED QUESTIONS in English | All 9 TYPES Explained Step by Step and with PRACTICE ACTIVITIES

Direct link to the YouTube video: https://youtu.be/-TIQ7G_mQ2g

Explanations + Extra Practice Activities

📌 What are embedded questions?

An embedded question is a question inside another sentence or question.

  • ❌ Direct: Where is the station?
  • ✅ Embedded: Could you tell me where the station is?

The word order changes. You stop using question order and start using statement order (subject + verb).

🗂️ The 9 Types of Embedded Questions

1️⃣ Embedded Yes/No Questions with DO

🔍 Original question starts with: Do / Does / Did

📏 Rule:
Delete “do / does / did” → change the main verb → add “if” or “whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Does she like coffee? → I wonder if she likes coffee.
  • Did you see him? → Tell me whether you saw him.
  • Do they live here? → Do you know if they live here?

2️⃣ Embedded Wh- Questions with DO

🔍 Original question starts with: Where / When / Why / How + do/does/did

📏 Rule:
Keep the wh- word → delete “do/does/did” → change the main verb → no “if/whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Where does she live? → I don’t know where she lives.
  • Why did you call? → Can you explain why you called?
  • When do they arrive? → Tell me when they arrive.

3️⃣ Embedded Yes/No Questions with BE

🔍 Original question starts with: Is / Are / Am / Was / Were

📏 Rule:
Move BE after the subject → add “if” or “whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Is she a doctor? → I wonder if she is a doctor.
  • Are they ready? → Do you know whether they are ready?
  • Was he angry? → Tell me if he was angry.

4️⃣ Embedded Wh- Questions with BE

🔍 Original question starts with: Where / What / When / Why / How + is/are/was/were

📏 Rule:
Keep the wh- word → move BE after the subject → no “if/whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Where is the station? → Could you tell me where the station is?
  • Why was she crying? → I don’t know why she was crying.
  • What time is the meeting? → Please tell me what time the meeting is.

5️⃣ Embedded Yes/No Questions with Modal Verbs

🔍 Original question starts with: Can / Could / Will / Would / Should / May / Might / Must

📏 Rule:
Move the modal after the subject → add “if” or “whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Can she swim? → I wonder if she can swim.
  • Should I call? → Do you know whether I should call?
  • Will they come? → Tell me if they will come.

6️⃣ Embedded Wh- Questions with Modal Verbs

🔍 Original question starts with: Where / When / Why / How + can/could/will/should/etc.

📏 Rule:
Keep the wh- word → move modal after the subject → no “if/whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Where can I buy a ticket? → Tell me where I can buy a ticket.
  • Why would she lie? → I don’t understand why she would lie.
  • How should I answer? → Please explain how I should answer.

7️⃣ Embedded Yes/No Questions with HAVE (Perfect Tenses)

🔍 Original question starts with: Has / Have / Had (as a helper)

📏 Rule:
Move have/has/had after the subject → keep the past participle → add “if/whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Has she eaten? → I wonder if she has eaten.
  • Have you seen the movie? → Tell me whether you have seen the movie.
  • Had they left? → Do you know if they had left?

8️⃣ Embedded Wh- Questions with HAVE (Perfect Tenses)

🔍 Original question starts with: Where / What / Why / How + has/have/had

📏 Rule:
Keep the wh- word → move have/has/had after the subject → keep past participle → no “if/whether”

✨ Examples:

  • Where has she gone? → Nobody knows where she has gone.
  • What have you done? → Please tell me what you have done.
  • Why had he quit? → I don’t know why he had quit.

9️⃣ Embedded Subject Questions

🔍 Original question starts with: Who / What / Which (as the subject)

📏 Rule:
NOTHING CHANGES. The word order is already correct.

✨ Examples:

  • Who called? → I don’t know who called.
  • What happened? → Tell me what happened.
  • Which train arrived late? → Can you find out which train arrived late?

📋 Quick Reference Summary

TypeDo you add if/whether?Does word order change?
1. Yes/No + DO✅ Yes (if/whether)✅ Yes
2. Wh- + DO❌ No✅ Yes
3. Yes/No + BE✅ Yes (if/whether)✅ Yes
4. Wh- + BE❌ No✅ Yes
5. Yes/No + Modal✅ Yes (if/whether)✅ Yes
6. Wh- + Modal❌ No✅ Yes
7. Yes/No + HAVE✅ Yes (if/whether)✅ Yes
8. Wh- + HAVE❌ No✅ Yes
9. Subject Questions❌ No❌ No change!

💡 One Final Tip

If the original question has “do/does/did” → delete it.
If it has BE, a modal, or have/has/had → move it after the subject.
If the wh- word is the subject → change nothing.

Extra Practice

📝 Embedded Questions Quiz | All 9 Types

🎯 Test your knowledge of all 9 types of embedded questions. Choose the best answer for each question.

📌 Section 1: Multiple Choice

🔍 Choose the correct embedded question.

1. ❓ Does she speak French? → I wonder ___

A) if does she speak French
B) if she speaks French
C) does she speak French
D) if she speak French

✅ Answer: B

2. ❓ Where is the bathroom? → Could you tell me ___

A) where is the bathroom
B) where the bathroom is
C) is where the bathroom
D) where the bathroom does be

✅ Answer: B

3. ❓ Can you help me? → He asked ___

A) if can I help him
B) if I can help him
C) can I help him
D) if I help can him

✅ Answer: B

4. ❓ Why did she leave early? → Do you know ___

A) why did she leave early
B) why she leave early
C) why she left early
D) why she did leave early

✅ Answer: C

5. ❓ Has he finished his homework? → I’m not sure ___

A) if has he finished his homework
B) if he has finished his homework
C) if he finished his homework
D) has he finished his homework

✅ Answer: B

6. ❓ Who broke the window? → The teacher wants to know ___

A) who broke the window
B) who did break the window
C) who breaks the window
D) who broken the window

✅ Answer: A

7. ❓ When will they arrive? → Please tell me ___

A) when will they arrive
B) when they will arrive
C) when do they arrive
D) when they arrive will

✅ Answer: B

8. ❓ Are you coming to the party? → Let me know ___

A) if are you coming to the party
B) if you coming to the party
C) if you are coming to the party
D) you are coming to the party

✅ Answer: C

9. ❓ Where have you been? → Your mother asked ___

A) where have you been
B) where you have been
C) where you been have
D) where have you been

✅ Answer: B

10. ❓ How does this machine work? → Can you explain ___

A) how does this machine work
B) how this machine work
C) how this machine works
D) how works this machine

✅ Answer: C

✏️ Section 2: Transform the Question

🔄 Change each direct question into an embedded question. Use the main clause given.

11. ❓ Is the store open? → I wonder ________________________

✅ Answer: I wonder if the store is open.

12. ❓ What time does the movie start? → Do you know ________________________

✅ Answer: Do you know what time the movie starts?

13. ❓ Should I call the doctor? → I’m not sure ________________________

✅ Answer: I’m not sure if I should call the doctor.

14. ❓ Where did you buy that shirt? → Tell me ________________________

✅ Answer: Tell me where you bought that shirt.

15. ❓ Have you ever tried sushi? → I’d like to know ________________________

✅ Answer: I’d like to know if you have ever tried sushi.

16. ❓ What happened last night? → Please explain ________________________

✅ Answer: Please explain what happened last night.

17. ❓ Will she recognize me? → I doubt ________________________

✅ Answer: I doubt whether she will recognize me.

18. ❓ Why has he been so quiet? → Can you tell me ________________________

✅ Answer: Can you tell me why he has been so quiet?

19. ❓ Were they telling the truth? → The judge asked ________________________

✅ Answer: The judge asked whether they were telling the truth.

20. ❓ How long have you waited? → Nobody knows ________________________

✅ Answer: Nobody knows how long you have waited.

🔧 Section 3: Find and Fix the Mistake

⚠️ Each sentence has ONE mistake. Rewrite the sentence correctly.

21. ❌ I wonder if does she like pizza.

✅ Answer: I wonder if she likes pizza.

22. ❌ Could you tell me where is the bank?

✅ Answer: Could you tell me where the bank is?

23. ❌ Do you know if she can to swim?

✅ Answer: Do you know if she can swim?

24. ❌ Please tell me why did you call.

✅ Answer: Please tell me why you called.

25. ❌ I’m not sure if has she arrived.

✅ Answer: I’m not sure if she has arrived.

26. ❌ Can you explain what did he say?

✅ Answer: Can you explain what he said?

27. ❌ I forget where do I put my keys.

✅ Answer: I forget where I put my keys.

28. ❌ Tell me if you have saw that movie.

✅ Answer: Tell me if you have seen that movie.

29. ❌ I don’t know who did call me.

✅ Answer: I don’t know who called me.

30. ❌ She asked where had I gone.

✅ Answer: She asked where I had gone.

📊 Scoring Guide

🏆 Score📈 Level
25-30🌟 Excellent! You’ve mastered all 9 types.
20-24👍 Very good. Just review a few types.
15-19📚 Good. Watch the video again for the types you missed.
10-14🔄 Fair. Focus on Types 1-4 first, then move to modals and HAVE.
Below 10🎬 Review the video and try again. Start with Types 3 and 4 (easiest).

🎓 Great job completing the quiz! Keep practicing and you’ll master embedded questions in no time.

Scroll to Top