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.)
821
questions
0
votes
2answers
20 views
“Are you?” VS “Did you?”
My two daughters were watching TV.
The elder girl suddenly said,
" It's stink! Who farted?".
She looked around.
Then she looked at her little baby sister.
".....Are you?"
I laughed and told ...
-1
votes
1answer
37 views
Is this the right way to ask someone a question?
I would like to know how to ask someone about something without accusing them.
If I want to know if someone at work has used my computer, can I ask "Have you used my computer?", without insulting ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Can you omit “do you” in question?
Is the second sentence correct?
Do you have a question about XYZ? Contact us!
Have a question about XYZ? Contact us!
Basically I wonder if I can omit do you or if it is always required.
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Did you see your kids/Have you seen your kids/Have you been seeing your kids
If I had a friend who is divorced from his ex-wife, who he has two kids with. He sees the kids once in a while as they are living with the ex-wife. If I hadn't seen him for two weeks and then met with ...
-1
votes
2answers
104 views
What he does vs What does he do? [closed]
What's the difference between them? and when do we
use "What he does" and "What does he do"?
4
votes
0answers
34 views
“Do” as main verb
I do that work.
You do that work.
He does that work.
Here is my question: if we use the verb "do" as main verb how can we form interrogative sentences? Are these correct?
Do I do ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Can you omit do when the topic has been raised in a previous sentence?
For example in the following sentence it seems like do could be omitted:
"Is it OK if we don't talk today? Or do you need to chat about something?"
So that this would seem appropriate, maybe:
"Is ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
How do I ask in a neutral fashion?
I want to ask a colleague if a letter has already been sent, because I want to make some changes to it.
Is it okay if I ask: "Have you sent that letter?"
I want to ask in a neutral way. I am not sure ...
0
votes
1answer
43 views
congruence of tenses
A recent exchange between a student and I:
ME: I have found a technique for doing ….
HER: How have you found it?
Why not ask, “How have you found it?” Why is the simple past tense correct, ...
-1
votes
1answer
33 views
Time tense for the question “have you?” [closed]
Please, I need help with this question. Should I use the participle or base form of the verb with the past participle question of:
Have you find or have you found?
-2
votes
1answer
45 views
Which one is correct gramatically? [closed]
It had to be me didn't it / hadn't it ?
Which one's correct and why ?
0
votes
2answers
15 views
Fail to understand a complex question
I am not a native English speaker. I got a question in one of my English language test exam. The question is How important a part of your week are your free-time activities?
Can anyone tell me what ...
0
votes
0answers
32 views
Asking about position of an element in an order [duplicate]
Suppose we have a sequence of elements, for example of fruits on a shelf. Let's say I want to ask about the position of the apple in the sequence. The answer, of course, is an (ordinal) number. But ...
0
votes
1answer
47 views
How can I make questions with “who” if there is a possessive pronoun in the answer?
What if the full sentence has a possessive pronoun in it and you have to ask the question with who? For example:
--> Alex is eating his lunch.
Would the question be "Who is eating his lunch?", would ...
0
votes
1answer
28 views
Question form of I wish
I like basketball.
What do you like?
2 is the question form of 1.
3.I wish English was easy?
Then, what is the question form of 3?
I don't want to get what people wish something was easy as an ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Word order for asking a question
When will the contract be awarded?
when the contract will be awarded?
At times, I am confused over the word order of a sentence. In this example, I am asking a question.
How do I determine the word ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views
Why is “do” or “does” not used in questions with “which” and “whose”?
I am struggling with subject questions. I understand the lack of do/does and did. I also know that this type of questions is formed only in third person singular, and we need to ask ourselves who or ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Turning 'What value of T is just small enough to make the bulb light?' into its affirmative form
I am somehow confused with regard to the way the following question is constructed
What value of T is just small enough to make the bulb light?
The question below, in contrast, is clear and we can ...
0
votes
2answers
44 views
Is it mandatory to use contractions in tag questions and the like?
Example 1:
The weather is hot, isn't it?
vs.:
The weather is hot, is it not?
Example 2:
Aren't you going to study tonight?
vs.:
Are you not going to study tonight?
Apart from ...
2
votes
2answers
45 views
How VS. What is the weather forecast? Which one is correct?
What is the weather forecast? VS. How is the weather forecast?
I've just seen these questions asked in an English group and been curious.
"What" VS. "How" is the weather? (I use "how") but
"What" VS....
1
vote
2answers
17 views
Is the following sentence grammatically incorrect and is it used colloquially?
(1) I don't know what graph theory is.
According to the grammar, I believe it should be:
(2) I don't know what is graph theory.
But is it spoken colloquially the way I wrote it in (1)?
Grammar ...
1
vote
2answers
75 views
Did I answer or Have I answered?
I was talking to a person on chat. Yesterday he asked me a question. Today I replied, then added:
Did I answer your question?
Now that I think about it I should have probably phrased it like so:
...
1
vote
1answer
81 views
Are you student of English literature? Are you a student of English literature OR Are you student in English literature?
Hey one question: Which of the questions are right:
Are you student of English literature?
Are you a student of English literature?
Are you student in English literature?
1
vote
2answers
56 views
What is the meaning of a Falling Intonation in a yes/no question?
In the question "Did you leave an Easter egg during our interview?" from this video entitled, Taylor Swift Answers Ellen's 'Burning Questions'
Why did Ellen DeGeneres say "during our interview" ...
0
votes
3answers
48 views
“didnt have the phone to myself yesterday” it it correct?
"I didn't have the phone to myself yesterday"
Is that a correct sentence and a way of telling someone that your phone was not with you yesterday and that is why you couldn't reply
0
votes
1answer
24 views
On using capital/small letter in a question after a double colon
I have a sentence with a double colon, then a question. When I use double colons, I used to use small letters after it. But it is not clear what is the case if the sentence after the double colons is ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
What something for / What for / For what
What is the difference? Which one is correct?
what do you need it for?
what for do you need it?
for what do you need it?
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Looking for an English equivalent to the following Spanish term [duplicate]
The term "paga fantas" is a person who does whatever it takes to gain a girl's approval, in hope that upon paying for a girl's drinks, doing her favors, carrying her bag/purse/handbag, listening to ...
1
vote
1answer
77 views
Is it using “like, e.g.,” seen as incorrect?
I'm trying to give an example for muting an Alert on a technical guide:
An Alert should communicate clearly and as soon as its conditions
meet.
However, some circumstances may lead to ...
2
votes
2answers
36 views
Is or Does ? - need help which one is the correct one
Which one is correct?
Does your business partner taking advantage of you?
or
Is your business partner taking advantage of you?
For me they seemed correct but I'm not familiar with the English rules ...
4
votes
1answer
30 views
Where Went My Empty Nest?
Where Went My Empty Nest?
Why does this question have no auxiliary verb?
Is this question grammatically incorrect?
[The phrase is used as title of a New York Times' article]
1
vote
1answer
32 views
“What new features of C# have you used?” vs “What new features of C# have you worked with?” [closed]
Does this question sound natural:
What new features of C# have you used?
Or would you use another phrase, for example?
What new features of C# have you worked with?
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Questions with “do” vs. “do not” — is “not” required?
I read an example of the term "ipso facto" in Merriam Webster Dictionaries which was:
If we refuse to tolerate bigotry, do we become, ipso facto, as intolerant as those whom we condemn.
I think ...
-1
votes
1answer
28 views
“How to write a program in Pascal?” vs “I know how to write a program in Pascal” [duplicate]
Am I right that we use the same wording to ask a question and to to state something (not a question), when we use "how"?
How to write a program in Pascal?
I know how to write a program in ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
“How old do you think Steve is?” vs. “How old do you think is Steve?”
Which one is correct and why ?
How old do you think Steve is?
How old do you think is Steve?
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Syntax operations. What are the operations involved in the pair here?
What are the syntactic operations are involved in the following pair?
IT was:
she talked with him via email?
IT became:
With whom did she talk via email? syntax
My book shows that ...
0
votes
2answers
87 views
Usage of “How can we” and “How we can” in the following case
Correct
This is how we can improve XXX.
Correct
How can we improve XXX?
May I know, which is the correct form?
Would you mind telling us how we can improve XXX?
Would you mind telling us how can ...
0
votes
2answers
40 views
Is “How … works?” a valid question?
I sometimes see questions on Stack Overflow which ask
"How <technology> works?"
I always thought that this is an incorrect use and it should be
"How does <technology> work?"
...
1
vote
2answers
18 views
Can one use a contraction in a question?
a) Why are you trying so hard?
b) Why you're trying so hard?
Is you're (b) an acceptable contraction form of are you (a) when I want to keep the sentence in a question form?
Is there another ...
0
votes
1answer
21 views
Ask about opening hours in the next month
I would like to ask to a dealer if they are always open in the next month since in my region it's a popular time for vacations. Would the following work?
May I ask you [...] and if you stay open ...
0
votes
0answers
40 views
How to ask someone for cycling?
I moved into a new apartment and don't have any friend in this apartment. I want to make new friends but don't know how to initiate the conversation. I thought asking someone for cycling would be good ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Correct way to write a question
What is the correct way:
what will be our options after tomorrow?
or
what will our options be after tomorrow?
0
votes
1answer
32 views
What time do you go [in for/at]?
What is the correct way of saying the sentence below?
“What time do you go in for?” OR “What time do you go in at?”
In context I mean like going into work.
I asked my husband what time he had to ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Can we make a question with inversion sentence?
In an essay, can I write the next question about free time? Is is grammatically correct?
Seldom have I watched films on TV?
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Credulity versus Complacency in “The __ of the king in running the country…”?
The __ of the king in running the country motivated the parliamentarians to usurp the throne & execute him; hence Oliver Cromwell was named Lord Protector of the realm.
The sentence came in fill ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Is it wrong to say: He occupies the bathroom
Is it wrong to say:
"He occupies the bathroom, so I cannot come in"
I heard the phrase:
"The bathroom is occupied, so I cannot come in."
So I wondered if I also can say it the other way.
...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Questions with “did” in English
Is the sentence below correct?
He sent you here, did he?
I have learned that in English the first form of the verb is used with did.
Did he send you?
Even I feel the sentence below is ...
0
votes
2answers
29 views
Regarding the construction “How long ago was it that…”
If we try to derive the corresponding declarative form of the question:
How long ago was it since he had slept without fear?
we will find:
It was X since he had slept without fear.
where X, ...
0
votes
0answers
12 views
Differences between using auxiliary verb “is” in a question in different “positions”
Context: someone is taking an exam reads the following question:
"What is GDP?"
"What GDP is?"
What are the differences between the questions? Are both grammatically correct? If yes, are ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
What is the exact meaning of the question “Where do you come from”?
It is constructed in present simple. So it asks where I am coming from in general. How one can answer this question?
I know this question is correctly asked but I can't understand its meaning or ...
