Thread: что ли - when is it used?

it can also be shortened to что ль. Thus it becomes very very informal.

Ты готов что ль? - Are you ready?
Они пришли что ль? - Are they here?

This word is usually to be found in informal speech by people, in direct speech... It's not likely to be found frequently in newspaper or magazine articles (especially in serious editions) other than when representing somebody's speech or words.

Or sometimes it just expresses a confirmation request without even any shade of anger or surprise.

It is frequently used this way in colloquial conversations.

- Отправь это письмо своему другу. (Send this letter to your friend)
- Андрею, что ли? (To Andrew, right?) - Here the asker just asks for a confirmation he understood the request right.