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I have just been edited my post sentence by someone. The original sentence is like "If he right, would please let me know more and exactly how can I suppose to use that?" And edited sentence is like this "If the answer given to me is right, could someone please let me know more exactly how I can use breakpoints in Makefile?"

I have some question about which one is correct sentence?

1.How can I use that ~ . 2.How I can use that ~ .

3 Answers 3

11

I did not get your question fully, but I think you are confused with the structure of a question - How can I Vs. How I can. I'm answering that way.

When asking a question, the pronouns should be followed by an (auxiliary) verb. So, the structure in general is - What/How/Which etc. + verb + pronoun

A simple example is -

What can you do for me?

If you reverse the order, the phrase remains a sentence and not a question.

What you can do for me is unknown.

The latter sentence is not a question.

So, in your case,

How can I use [something]? forms a question

and...

How I can use [something] forms a sentence.

4
  • Yes exactly you right. I have asked about my confused English structure. Thanks.
    – Carter
    Oct 10, 2014 at 5:44
  • Thanks Maulik but I have still confusion about "How I can use ....". I have knew from now but is this having a meaning like as a question?
    – Carter
    Oct 10, 2014 at 5:52
  • It's understandable but not standard. At least to natives, it'd look unnatural to form a question like that.
    – Maulik V
    Oct 10, 2014 at 7:04
  • I like the answer, but I am have a doubt about the phrase "pronouns should be followed by an (auxiliary) verb." As per my understanding, this means Pronoun and then verb in a sentence. However, it seems the author meant Verb and then Pronoun. Just wanted to confirm. Nov 17, 2021 at 19:58
2

there are two examples to help you learn about this.

"how can i": How can I love myself when I look like this?

"how i can": Can you show me how I can handle this camera?

1

In your case, it's an indirect question. So, the correct form will be how I can because your question is started with could, so no need to form the second question with how can I in the same sentence.

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  • Hello, and welcome to the ELL. Your answer could be improved by adding clear explanations and examples. If you do that, make sure the information you give is not already included in the other answers.
    – fev
    Jan 31, 2021 at 16:20

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