To sound more polite.
To beat about the bush (andarse con rodeos :P)
Common expressions used to "ask":
I wonder if...
I would like to know...
I don't know...
I'm not sure....
I don't remember...
Can/ could you tell me...?
Do you know...?
Do you have any idea...?
Do you happen to know...?
Word order
If we do not begin a question directly, but begin it with something like: Can you tell me...? Do you know...? I wonder if...? the word order is the same as in an affirmative statement (subject + verb).
Example:
Direct question: What is he doing? Indirect question: Do you know what he is doing?
Direct question: Where have they been? Indirect question: I wonder where they have been?
Do, does, did
If the direct question contains do, does or did, we omit it in the indirect question.
Example:
Direct question: What do you want? Indirect question: Can you tell me what you want?
Direct question: When did she leave? Indirect question: Do you know when she left?
Yes/no questions
In yes / no questions, we use if or whether and we have to change the word order.
Example:
Direct question: Have you seen my dog? Indirect question: Could you tell me if you have seen my dog?
Exercises:
http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/312.html
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.inqu.i.htm
http://www.oup.com/elt/global/products/headway/intermediate/a_grammar/unit11/hwy_int_unit11_1/
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoEnglish/gr.inqu.p.htm
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