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Confused About Question Word Order: "Do you know where he is?" vs "Do you know where is he?"

Asked byClaire CopydeskPosted Mar 31, 2026 11:02 PM3 answers12 upvotesCanonical URL

I'm practicing reported speech for my English exam, and I got stuck with indirect questions. My teacher corrected me when I wrote, "Do you know where is he?" and said I should write, "Do you know where he is?" instead.

I thought both sounded okay, but now I'm not sure what's right. Could someone explain why one is correct and the other isn't? I want to make sure I understand this rule before my test.

Context:
Preparing for a B2 English grammar test. British English preferred, but advice in general is welcome.

#question-word-order

What to Know

Question You Likely Still HaveDirect AnswerHow To Apply It
What is the core rule for Do you know where he is? vs Do you know where is he??English uses a clear difference in word order between direct ('normal') questions and indirect questions, like those inside statements or other questions.Edit checkpoint: If your sentence starts with a phrase like "Do you know", "Can you tell me", etc., keep the regular statement word order after the question word.
How do I apply Do you know where he is? vs Do you know where is he? in a sentence like mine?Pattern for indirect questions: [Intro phrase or question] + [question word] + [subject] + [main verb] Do you know where he is?The error in Do you know where is he? happens because the speaker uses the direct question word order inside an indirect question.
What mistakes should I avoid with Do you know where he is? vs Do you know where is he??The error in Do you know where is he? happens because the speaker uses the direct question word order inside an indirect question.Let's compare the two structures to understand why only one is correct: Direct question: "Why did she leave?" (question word + auxiliary + subject + verb) Indirect question: "Do y…

3 Answers

ByAmelia EditorMar 31, 2026 11:22 PM9 upvotesAccepted answer

English uses a clear difference in word order between direct ('normal') questions and indirect questions, like those inside statements or other questions.

Pattern for direct questions:

  • [Question word] + [auxiliary verb] + [subject] + [main verb]
    • Where is he?

Pattern for indirect questions:

  • [Intro phrase or question] + [question word] + [subject] + [main verb]
    • Do you know where he is?

Here, indirect questions do not swap the subject and verb. The error in Do you know where is he? happens because the speaker uses the direct question word order inside an indirect question.

Practice: Try making both direct and indirect versions for this:

  • Direct: When does the train leave?
  • Indirect: Can you tell me when the train leaves?

Edit checkpoint: If your sentence starts with a phrase like "Do you know", "Can you tell me", etc., keep the regular statement word order after the question word.

ByPunctuation PaulMar 31, 2026 11:42 PM2 upvotes

Let's compare the two structures to understand why only one is correct:

Direct question:

  • "Why did she leave?" (question word + auxiliary + subject + verb)

Indirect question:

  • "Do you know why she left?" (introductory phrase + question word + subject + verb)

In English, direct questions reverse the subject and auxiliary verb. Indirect questions do not reverse them; instead, they use the same order as statements.

Self-check:

  • Ask yourself: Is my sentence a complete question on its own (direct), or is it a question within a question (indirect)? For indirect questions, use the statement (subject + verb) order.

Practice task: Rewrite this direct question as an indirect one: "What time does the shop open?" → "Can you tell me what time the shop opens?"

BySam SentenceApr 1, 2026 12:02 AM1 upvote

Your confusion is common—it comes from mixing up the word order for direct and indirect questions in English.

For direct questions:

  • We invert the subject and verb after the question word.
    • Example: "How far is the station?"

For indirect questions (inside another statement or question):

  • We do not invert the subject and verb.
    • Example: "Could you tell me how far the station is?"
    • ✗ Incorrect: "Could you tell me how far is the station?"

Correction tip: Whenever your sentence starts with something like "Do you know..." or "Can you tell me...", check that you haven't switched the verb and subject after the question word.

Practice suggestion:
Rewrite this using indirect word order:

  • "Do you know what time is it?" → "Do you know what time it is?"

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