Questions tagged [questions]
This tag is for inquiries about the grammar and phrasing of questions. (If your question is about anything else, do not use this tag.)
1,224
questions
-3
votes
3
answers
67
views
"She has been waited for me" change this sentence to question form to get "for me" as the answer [closed]
She has been waited for me
What is the question form to get for me as the answer?
0
votes
3
answers
58
views
Is it native to ask questions with `what are ...'?
For example, is it native to ask 'What are some good books to read?'
I have studied to ask like 'Can you suggest me some good books to read?', but I
came across this 'what are' usage. Is it native?
...
- 153
-1
votes
1
answer
71
views
Does the question "anything else I can do for you?" use correct word order?
I was playing Final Fantasy Tactics and saw such an order of question. Is this order legal or not?
Shopkeeper: Anything else I can do for you?
I have always thought that the only possible order, as ...
0
votes
1
answer
20
views
Difference between How do I .... How could I... and How would I? Link two verbs with "and" or "to"?
How do I not strive hard and give it a try?
How do I not strive hard to give it a try?
How could I not strive hard to give it a try?
How would I not strive hard to give it a try?
Wiht these 4 ...
- 779
0
votes
2
answers
52
views
Can I answer this question with just "no"?
No milk in the fridge?
No!
Is this a common way for native English speakers to answer?
Nik
-3
votes
3
answers
77
views
Can I say "Would've been that funny hadn't been that sad"
Can I say the next sentence:
Would've been that funny hadn't been that sad.
in the meaning "It would have actually been funny, unless it had been as sad as that" (a situation was both funny ...
0
votes
1
answer
63
views
"don't we?" or "haven't we?" with "have got"
When I use "have got", what should I add to the end of the sentence for clarification purposes? "don't" or "haven't"?
What sentence is correct?
We've got a problem, don't ...
14
votes
5
answers
4k
views
"Is he not the carpenter's son?" v.s. "Is not he the carpenter's son?"
I've heard this from a priest's homily, "Is he not the carpenter's son?"—taken from Mt. 13: 55-56 (King James Version).
I got confused whether the priest read the passage the wrong way—I was ...
- 329
2
votes
1
answer
49
views
'how far from~' sentence in grammar
How far 'is it' from here to the nearest gas station?
How far from here to the nearest gas station?
Does both sentences grammarly correct?
Like 2) sentence, Can I omit the 'is it'?
- 21
-1
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How do you answer when someone asks you to do something?
When someone asks you politely to do something and you want to do it, how do you answer?
I was using "ok", but it seemed too general and thought about "of course". I want to know ...
user187687
3
votes
2
answers
66
views
Double OR question
I faced this sentence in Esperanto DuoLingo course and have doubts about correctness of its translation. "Ĉu vi loĝas en Japanio, aŭ ĉu vi vizitas la landon?" is expected to be translated as ...
- 33
0
votes
1
answer
43
views
Confirming negatives in English
I know in English if someone asks:
The picture is not correct, right?
I could answer:
No, it is not correct.
Right, it is not correct.
But what if the negative is in the word itself, such as
The ...
3
votes
3
answers
84
views
Does "Is it not legal?" mean the same as "Is it illegal?"?
Do these three mean the same thing? If not, could you please explain the difference between them in simple words.
Isn't he certain?
Is he not certain?
Is he uncertain?
In a context:
Why did he say ...
- 164
1
vote
1
answer
45
views
They don't have the book? Don't they have the book?
Which sentence with the question word order or with the usual word order should I use in this situation? Do those two questions mean the same thing here or is there some difference in meaning between ...
- 164
0
votes
1
answer
46
views
You don't like it? (usual word order) Don't you like it? (question word order) [closed]
Could you please help me understand whether I've got to use the usual word order or the question word order in these two situations, and most importantly why. Please, give me some guidance.
A: Hello, ...
- 164
1
vote
2
answers
48
views
(Do) You really want it?
I’ve often heard native speakers not use the auxiliary verb before the question. Could you please explain what the difference is between asking positive questions in these two ways? In what ...
- 164
2
votes
1
answer
38
views
What does 'Why' mean in this case
But maybe we can be friends. Now tell me little flea, what does my blood taste like?”
“Why, your blood tastes of banana milkshake.”
“That’s because I eat lots of bananas,” said the monkey. “Do fleas ...
1
vote
3
answers
61
views
Can I combine first person, second person, and third person in a sentence?
For example:
In my opinion, it's a lot easier for you to stay silent than it is for you to speak up, but we all need to speak up to get heard by others.
- 27
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is it correct to say "What, my family and friends would say, is ...?" instead of "What would my family and friends say is ...?"?
ell.stackexchange.com:
(1) What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life?
my variant:
(2) What, as my family and friends would say, is the driving force of my life?
I think (2) ...
- 5,371
0
votes
1
answer
50
views
"Is monarchy relevant in the modern world or should it be abolished?"— Is it correct not to invert the word order and say "or it should be abolished"?
an example from the section "More examples" on cambridge.org:
(1) Is monarchy relevant in the modern world or should it be abolished?
Is it necessary to invert the word order in the second ...
- 5,371
0
votes
3
answers
48
views
Is an indignant or surprised question a rhetoric question?
Learn to Read Latin says on p115
an (conj.) introduces an indignant or surprised question expecting a negative answer. can it really be that ...
Althought it is about Latin, it is also about English ...
- 4,199
3
votes
2
answers
35
views
“Can I not read it”?
If a person is asking about permission not to read something, he doesn't want to read it and asks not to read it. Can we use the phrase “Can I not read it”? Is it correct?
Kateryna Artsybasheva
0
votes
1
answer
320
views
"How much are you offering "? "What is your offer"?
If I am selling a house, Could you pls tell me that who could say these qestions? Seller or buyer or both(as in anyone)
- 563
1
vote
1
answer
119
views
Is the order arrived?
Our teacher keeps telling us that * Is the order arrived? * is grammatically correct and added that Arrived here functions as an adjective. Anyone can help us solve the problem if there is one. Thank ...
1
vote
1
answer
55
views
What does this question on the application form mean?
I am currently applying for an internship and this question is on the application form (I am not a native speaker):
"What, if any, reasonable accommodations are necessary to perform the essential ...
- 13
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
Does 'Service with exception' look native to English speakers?
I saw this error message on my university's website, which seems weird to me. After googling, I found no other people using this error message in their apps or websites. But some of my schoolmate ...
- 123
0
votes
1
answer
98
views
What are you? or Who are you?- questions about jobs [duplicate]
Some years ago students in Russia were taught to use only "What are you?"-question when asking about jobs or professions. But some days ago I came across both questions - "What is this?&...
- 25
1
vote
1
answer
152
views
{Do you see/Did you see/Have you seen} him yet? Which tense is correct?
There is this guy my friend usually sees in her school cafe. So today I texted my friend and wanted to ask her if she saw that guy in the cafe while my friend was still in school.
Which tense should I ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
38
views
What is the correct way to punctuate direct questions that are not quotes? [duplicate]
What is the correct way to punctuate direct questions that are NOT quotes in a sentence in APA style?
Examples:
End of sentence:
A lot of people wonder, How do judges get appointed?
or
A lot of ...
Ben
0
votes
1
answer
45
views
Where am I taking this to?
Where are you going?
Where are you from?
In the first sentence, we don't need to use a preposition for Where (question word) but in the other sentences we need to use prepositions, why?
- 649
0
votes
2
answers
80
views
"I've been to see the manager" -- meaning of "been to see"
What does "been to see" in this excerpt from a listening test mean?
Tutor: Hello Sam, come in and sit down ...
Sam: Thanks.
Tutor: You’re here to discuss your company-based IT project aren’...
- 196
2
votes
1
answer
298
views
Emphatic statement and questions
We can use helping verbs like do, does, and did before verbs for emphasis, as in:
He knows the truth.
He does know the truth. (More emphatic)
But does the same rule apply to information questions? ...
- 819
2
votes
2
answers
112
views
How idiomatic is "or?" instead of "isn't it?" at the end of a question?
I made the observation that some English speakers end questions with "or " where I would expect "isn't it", "don't they" etc.
So instead of
This won't work, will it?
You ...
- 323
1
vote
2
answers
97
views
Word order in indirect question
As I know, we normally have to change the word order in indirect questions.
Correct my examples below if they are wrong:
"Can you tell me where you come from?"
"Can you tell me who were ...
0
votes
0
answers
36
views
what should I use for an object/thing/non-living 'What' or 'Who' in a question like this?
"Who decides which program to run next?"
"What decides which program to run next?"
which sentence would be correct if the answer could be 'interpreter' which is an object/non-...
- 649
7
votes
4
answers
732
views
How does the sentence 'Who did Tom say saw him?' work?
I understand the meaning but not the sentence formation/syntax. In my mother tongue this would make no sense. I would rather say:
Who according to Tom saw him?
Perhaps the following will help to ...
- 156
0
votes
0
answers
109
views
“Was there not” or “Wasn’t there” - what’s the difference?
Is there a difference between “Was there not” or “Wasn’t there” in the meaning?
Example: Was there not an emptiness…?. Or can be interchangeably used for the same “ Wasn’t there an emptiness…?”
Or is ...
- 151
-2
votes
2
answers
91
views
What does it mean if when someone says. “I don’t know when you will get your chance.” [closed]
I would greatly appreciate it, if someone could please explain this to me.
1
vote
1
answer
80
views
Can I ask a question as part of another sentence, like in "I think she's nice what do you think?"?
Is asking questions in a middle of a sentence grammatically correct for example
I think she's nice what do you think?
That's correct or should I make two sentences out of that?
- 676
1
vote
1
answer
85
views
That is very respectful of you
"That is very respectful of you" - I am trying to tell someone that I really appreciate their action that is the fact of showing respect to someone. Would it be correct to frame the ...
- 11
-1
votes
1
answer
86
views
Difference between Aren't and Don't [closed]
Could someone please clarify my doubt on below questions.
Aren't you on leave today?
Don't you on leave today?
Which one should I use to ask question.
Thanks
1
vote
1
answer
71
views
What is the usage of "is, am, and are" and "do and does" in terms of closed question?
When we want to ask the yes-no question, we will use verbs like "is, am, and are" or "do and does", and we put it in the head of the sentence.
And the question is, what is the ...
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
91
views
Using words "not" and "until" in the same sentence
For example, let's say someone said to me, "You did not need to wait until I was in the pool to hold me".
I believe this can translate to something like, "You did not need to wait to ...
- 71
1
vote
2
answers
391
views
"What Has" or "What Have," and Why?
Which of the following is correct (and, most importantly, why)?
A glimmer of light after what have been long weeks of darkness.
A glimmer of light after what has been long weeks of darkness.
(The ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
36
views
Is 'asked A of B' correct?
Consider the following sentence I wrote myself:
"If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?" asked Hiranyakashyap of Prahlad.
Is this correct?
Or should I ...
- 119
1
vote
1
answer
247
views
What is the meaning of "Not actually"?
For example, let's say Person A says "1 plus 1 is 3". Then Person B can either say "It's not 3, it's 2" or "It's actually 2".
What if Person B says "It's not ...
- 71
0
votes
1
answer
596
views
Subject question vs. object question
In the text book that I am supposed to use in my lessons I have this explanation on the difference between subject and object questions:
I want you to especially pay attention to this sentence above:
...
- 4,313
3
votes
1
answer
135
views
The way I phrase questions seems to confuse native English speakers
I am an Indian, so the English I speak is more closer to British English than American English. And this particular way I phrase questions seems to confuse Americans more than Britishers from what I ...
- 583
-1
votes
1
answer
24
views
How to use "what does x mean?" structure with long noun phrases?
If I want to make a sentence like that: "What does a cat mean?", It's easy.
But how can I make a question with long noun phrases?
My sample phrase: "a type of cat with long-haired ears&...
- 91
0
votes
1
answer
251
views
" How much before?" VS "How earlier" VS "How much earlier?"
I imagined myself talking to a doctor in English, so I made up this conversation.
A: You should take this medicine before the meals.
B: ................? (Here, I need a question that would require ...
- 8,103