How to Sound More Professional at Work

How to Sound More Professional at Work (Part 2)

Last week, we discussed using indirect questions to sound more polite in the workplace. We concentrated on questions with question words such as ‘what’, ‘when’ etc.

This week, we'll explore how to transform direct questions which require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer into more polite, indirect alternatives that can enhance your professional relationships.

Reminder: Understanding Yes/No Questions

We frequently need to ask questions that can be answered with ’yes’ or ‘no’. Yes/no questions typically begin with auxiliary verbs (is, are, do, does, have, has, can, will, would). In direct questions, these auxiliary verbs come at the start of the sentence.

Here are some common business examples:

• "Is the quarterly report ready?"

• "Are you available for a meeting tomorrow?"

• "Do you have the sales figures?"

• “Does the photocopier work?”

• “Have you seen Jenny this morning?”

• "Has the client signed the contract?"

• "Can we reschedule the presentation?"

• "Will the project be completed by Friday?"

• “Would you be able to cover my shift on Friday?”

To make these questions less direct or abrupt, we can transform them into indirect questions.

Transforming Yes/No Questions into Indirect Questions

When converting yes/no questions into indirect questions, we use 'if' or 'whether' after an introductory phrase. As in the indirect questions we discussed last week, we use statement word order. The auxiliary verb moves from the beginning of the sentence and is placed after the subject.

For example:

becomes:

We can use the same introductory phrases we discussed last week.

Common Polite Introductory Phrases:

• Do you know...?

• Could/Can you tell me...?

• Would you mind telling me...?

• I was wondering...?

• I'd like to know...

• Could you let me know...?

• Would it be possible….?

• Have you any idea……?

Whether versus If in Indirect Questions

In business English, both 'whether' and 'if' can be used in indirect questions. Here's a guide as to when to use each one:

Use 'whether':

• When presenting two or more alternatives

• In more formal situations

• Before 'or not'

Examples:

• "Could you tell me whether the meeting is on Monday or Tuesday?"

• "I need to know whether or not you can attend." (we don’t say ‘if or not’)

• "Please confirm whether we should proceed with the project."

Use 'if':

• For simple yes/no questions

• In everyday business communication

• When the question is less formal

Examples:

• "Do you know if the report is ready?"

• "Could you tell me if we reached our sales target?"

• "I'd like to know if the client is coming."

Remember: In most business situations, you can use either 'if' or 'whether' - both are correct. However, 'whether' tends to sound more formal and professional.

Question Marks in Indirect Questions

The use of question marks in indirect questions depends on your introductory phrase. Here's when to use them:

Use a question mark when your introductory phrase asks a question:

• "Could you tell me if the results are ready?"

• "Would you mind letting me know if they approved the budget?"

• "Do you know if the meeting is confirmed?"

Don't use a question mark when starting with a statement:

• "I was wondering if the results are ready."

• "I'd like to know if they approved the budget."

• "I need to find out if the meeting is confirmed."

Remember: Check if you're truly asking a question or making a statement - this will guide your punctuation choice.

Grammar Rule for Forming yes/no indirect questions:

1. Start with a polite introductory phrase

2. Add 'if' or 'whether'

3. Use statement word order (subject + verb)

4. Remove the auxiliary verb from the beginning and place it after the subject

5. Decide whether or not to use a question mark

Look at the example below:

Becomes:

Practice Exercise

Can you transform these direct questions, from above, into indirect questions?

• "Is the quarterly report ready?"

• "Are you available for a meeting tomorrow?"

• "Do you have the sales figures?"

• “Does the photocopier work?”

• “Have you seen Jenny this morning?”

• "Has the client signed the contract?"

• "Can we reschedule the presentation?"

• "Will the project be completed by Friday?"

• “Would you be able to cover my shift on Friday?”

Transform each direct question into an indirect question using an appropriate introductory phrase. Remember the word order. Add ‘please’ where appropriate.

More than one answer is possible. My suggested answers are below.

Next week, we will focus on polite and professional answers to indirect questions.

Polls: Newsletter feedback - tell me what you think

Word of the Day: Cover & Shift (Business English)

The above sentence is from our indirect questions practice exercise. But what does it mean to ‘cover’ a shift?

Cover - verb - business English - to do someone else’s job or duty when they are absent.

Shift - noun - business English - the period that a person is scheduled to work or a group of workers who work during the same period of time.

We typically don’t use ‘shift’ with conventional 9-to-5 office jobs. It’s usually reserved for jobs that necessitate 16 or 24-hour coverage, such as factory workers or hospital staff.

Practice Exercise - Suggested Answers

These are my suggestions for the indirect questions practice exercise. Other answers are possible.

1. "Is the quarterly report ready?"

2. "Are you available for a meeting tomorrow?"

3. "Do you have the sales figures?"

4. "Does the photocopier work?"

5. "Have you seen Jenny this morning?"

6. "Has the client signed the contract?"

7. "Can we reschedule the presentation?"

8. "Will the project be completed by Friday?"

9. "Would you be able to cover my shift on Friday?"

Do you have any Business English Questions?

Please email me and I will do my best to answer them in future newsletters.

Until next Wednesday - have a great week!

Iain.

www.communicateenglish.com