Indirect questions

I wonder if I could ask you a few questions.

Could you (possibly) tell me how long you have been with the bank?

Would you please tell me what the rate of interest is?

Do you have any idea when the bank was set up?

Do you by any chance know the arrival time?

These questions sound more polite. They are usually asked at the beginning of an interview.

Statement questions

These questions either use tags, as in

The bank has launched a new credit card system, hasn't it?

The bank isn't sound, is it?

So, he manages the new branch, is that right?

or use rising intonation to mark the statement as a question

The same can be said about FMA?

They are often used to check information or to encourage an appropriate reply.

■ Ex. 1. You work at FMA's main downtown branch. You are responsible for providing counter services to potential customers who want to open a personal account with your branch. Use the list of information you need below and the language presented above to ask appropriate questions. Remember, a statement question is often useful when checking information and an indirect question is often used for polite enquiries to start with.

Find out:

services required

Check:

sole current account

Find out:

full name

date of birth

Check:

age

Find out:

name and address of employer position held

Check:

represent the third management level

Find out:

time with the present employer

gross annual income

Check:

if the present employer is prepared to act as a referee

■ Ex. 2. Pair work.

a) Take the part of Edwina D'Orsey and interview a client who wants to open a business account with FMA. In the first section below is some information about the client's company which you already have. In the other is the additional information you need to find out. Start by check ing the information given using statement questions. The customer can also ask questions about the bank.

Information about company:

Name: U.S.Robotics

Address: 8100 N. McCormick Blvd, Skokie, Illinois 60076-2999, USA

Business phone number: (847) 982 5092 Fax (847) 676 7323

Legal status: Inc. Activity: Hardware (modem) manufacturer

Information to find out:

Number of employees

How they are paid

Connected companies

What services the new business account holder wants

Type of account

Frequency of statements of account

b) Take the part of the company's manager who wants to open a business account with FMA. In the first section below is some information about your company. In the other is the additional information you want to find out about FMA.

Information about the company:

Name: U.S.Robotics

Address: 8100 N. McCormick Blvd, Skokie, Illinois 60076-2999, USA

Business phone number: (847) 982 5092 Fax (847) 676 7323

Legal status: Inc.

Activity: Hardware (modem) manufacturer

Number of employees: 200.00 worldwide

How they are paid: credit card

Connected companies: America Online, Compu Serve, Prodigy Service (Networks)

Bank services required: automated bankroll services, payment services, current account, monthly financial statements