Lesson 20 drill — Indirect questions and polite requests — the toolkit of travel English
Direct questions ('What time is breakfast?') are fine, but travel English leans on INDIRECT questions because they sound friendlier, especially with strangers. The structure: opener + normal word order. Openers: COULD YOU TELL ME…?, DO YOU KNOW…?, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD…, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO…? Examples: 'Could you tell me WHAT TIME breakfast IS?' (not '…what time is breakfast?') / 'Do you know IF the bus STOPS at the airport?' / 'I was wondering if I COULD CHECK IN a bit earlier.' For yes/no questions, use IF or WHETHER inside the indirect form. For polite requests, COULD I…?, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO…?, and IS THERE ANY WAY YOU COULD…? all soften the ask without lengthening it much.
Choose the indirect version: 'What time is breakfast?'
Choose: 'Do you know ____ the museum is open on Sundays?'
Which is the politest?
Choose: 'I was ____ if I could check in early.'
Which sounds most natural at a hotel reception?
Could you tell me what time check-in ____?
Do you know ____ breakfast is included?
I was ____ if I could have a late check-out.
Would it be ____ to change our room?
I've got a ____ flight at five — will I make it?