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.)
0
votes
1answer
21 views
How to ask for ordinal date?
Let's say my friend's just arrived in New York 4 days ago.
I could ask him "How many days have you been in New York?", and he would answer me something like "4 days."
But if I want him to answer me, "...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
Questions in declarative word order for a question which is directly answered
I recently had a discussion with a native speaker who said
Why I don't like oranges? Because...
would be ungrammatical.
They point out that it should be
Why don't I like oranges?
instead.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
24 views
Does part of a sentence starting with “For why else” need question mark?
Death must be an evil — and the gods agree; for why else would they
live for ever ?
Source: Sappho (c. 600 B.C.). Poetarum Lesbiorum Fragmenta, ed. Edgar Lobel and Denys Page. Oxford: Clarendon ...
1
vote
1answer
22 views
Getting to your seat on airplanes (or elsewhere)
On airplanes, there are seats A(window)-B(middle)-C(isle) on one of the sides. Suppose someone is sitting on seat C and I need to get to seat B. What are the most natural ways to ask the person from ...
9
votes
11answers
3k views
Is there a polite way to ask about one's ethnicity? [on hold]
Suppose I'm talking to a person who is an American citizen but obviously has some "Asian roots" (either they immigrated to the US at early age or their parents were immigrants). Is there a polite way ...
-1
votes
0answers
24 views
What is the best way to ask someone if they want a ride?
What is the best way to ask this?
Do you wanna a ride?
Do you want a ride?
Do you need a ride?
0
votes
1answer
17 views
Usage of “Would it be” vs “Will it be” vs “Is it”
Would it be ok if I look at the sun wearing sunglasses?
Is it ok if I look at the sun wearing sunglasses?
Which one is correct?
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Can you use ‘is it’ in question form?
Is the following sentence acceptable?
Is it any way possible to change this?
I know that “Is there” is the popular way to say this, but is “Is it” incorrect?
2
votes
1answer
37 views
Indirect/direct objects with the verb “give”: “give to you” vs. “give you”
If we start with this sentence:
The girl gave me the information I wanted.
Then which is the right question to ask about that situation:
What did the girl give you?
or
What did the girl ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
Can “connected” be used to ask about one's relation with another one?
I have found many expressions with connected that describe two people relationship, but it is often (if not always) indicate the souls' connection. Expressions like:
What is the meaning of two ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
“Whose…is” vs “Whose is”
Whose painting is this?
Whose is this painting?
Is the second question grammatical? Do both questions focus on the same part of speech?
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Why don't we use did in this case?
Can someone explain the use of "did" when used with a question. Why do we say 'Who invented the bicyle' and not 'who did invent the bicycle?' I know it is incorrect with "did" - but why?
0
votes
1answer
43 views
“What has gotten in her mind?” to inquire about a sudden change of thoughts
For example, if X was crying because of Y's harsh words to her, but suddenly, and while Y was standing in front of X, X stopped crying and started staring at Y calmly but intensely. Then, Y would ...
2
votes
2answers
40 views
Indirect Question: “How different they are” vs. “How they are different”
Which sentence is correct?
How different they are
or
How they are different
I think both are right because one is intended as the meaning of "degree" and the other as the meaning of "way".
...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
what has he done
John thinks you hate him.
a. What has he done for me to hate him?
b. What has he done for me to hate him for?
c. What has he done that I should hate him?
d. What has he done that I should hate him ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
who does he think he is
Tom thinks you love him.
a. Who does he think he is that I should love him?
b. Who does he think he is that I would love him?
c. Who does he think he is for me to love him?
Are sentences (a), (b) ...
5
votes
1answer
157 views
Informal question construction: “Anyone know what…”, “Everyone finished?”
I've encountered this slight problem with an informal sentence:
Anyone know what a serrated knife is?
I thought the sentence was incorrect - there's no ·s for the third person singular. However, ...
-1
votes
1answer
16 views
What other good C++ books are there?
I've started reading a book about C++ written by [some author]. The book is very good. What other good C++ books are there?
Does the selected question sound natural? Do native speakers say that way?
0
votes
1answer
20 views
Embedded questions
I have been knowing that word order remains unchanged for a subjective question. For instance:
"Who are you?"
The above is an interrogative sentence. According to the rule the embedded question ...
0
votes
2answers
40 views
what is the format of writing two Questions after a colon?
I have the following:
The project answered two very important questions: How does Ontario's mineral tax rate compare with those of other provinces and territories? And, what are the reasons, if any,...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
“Do you know why did he make that decision ?” vs. “Do you know why he made that decision ?”
Is there any connotation difference between these two questions :
"Do you know why did he make that decision ?"
and :
"Do you know why he made that decision ?"
?
1
vote
2answers
36 views
Which of the phrases sounds natural?
Could you please tell me whether the question is grammatical?
Which of the phrases sound natural?
Don't we need to use auxiliary verb do/does here to form a question?
2
votes
2answers
34 views
Forget Something?
Why is the title Forget Something? and not Forgot Something?
I believe that it may come from Did you forget something? but this (the title as in the picture) does not sound right on its own. I would ...
2
votes
3answers
35 views
How do I write a single letter in a sentence?
Example: Did you notice how the letter R is pronounced in American English?
Do I write like the example above, or do I need to italicize it?
0
votes
2answers
50 views
Question: Is it having been sent
Can I use "Is it having been sent" for question? I know I can ask "is it sent", that's why, I thought that I can put "having been sent" instead of "sent". Is it correct?
0
votes
1answer
44 views
What is the correct verb to go to a university
I'm currently writing a motivation letter for a certain English class and I want to say that I'm looking forward to graduating and going to an English-speaking university. Is that the correct term to ...
0
votes
1answer
36 views
Placement of a preposition in questions
In my workbook, I have two sentences: He waited for her on the street and He is apologising to her for his misbehaviour. My task is to make questions to the word her in both of the sentences.
Which ...
0
votes
2answers
21 views
Which is the correct way to say it “who are you spending it with?” Or “whom are you spending it with?”
As per the grammar rules, if "I" is the subject of the sentence then the other person must the object. And generally whom is used in the objective form but in this case the prior format is more common ...
1
vote
1answer
201 views
“For what” vs “what…for”
For what did I pay you 500 dollars more?
What did I pay you 500 dollars more for?
Are both of these questions grammatical?
1
vote
1answer
19 views
Is this question “If we can't write a unit test then what is the closest solution?” grammatical?
I'd like to know whether the question
If we can't write a unit test then what is the closest solution?
grammatical? Does it sound natural or may be you would ask that kind of a question some ...
1
vote
3answers
42 views
are we, did we, will we?
I asked a colleague:
"are we restarting (some application) today"
He responded with:
"i don’t understand the verb tense of your question: did we ? will we?"
Am I using the wrong tense here? ...
0
votes
1answer
17 views
Indirect questions with passive voice: “Could you tell me what time…”
There is the questions
What time is breakfast served?
how should I create an indirect question?
Could you tell me what time breakfast served?
or probably
Could you tell me what time ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
Confirmation message for anyone
When I want to confirm some statement, I shall put negative question at the end of the sentence.
"He is tall, is not he?"
How to phrase this idiom with "anyone"?
"Anyone can place an order, ...
-1
votes
1answer
24 views
Numerals: how to read and understand [closed]
Please, help me to puzzle it out:)
I've read the sentense in the text about school:
"There are about one 600 pupils". The author writes how large the school is.
I understand the meaning of the phrase, ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Word order in question
Is a verb in questions in English always in front of subject? For example, can I say 'You are fine?', or should I always say 'Are you fine?'.
0
votes
1answer
30 views
How to make question form from “the only way to do this is to…”?
What is the question form of this sentence?
The only way to do X is to do Y.
Is it this?
Is the only way to do X to do Y?
I think it's grammatically correct, but it doesn't sound fluent to my ...
0
votes
2answers
17 views
“Questions”, Construction with “do” and “be”
I always tend to use constructions like in the examples below. Where I'm mixing "do" and "be" by way similar to that when the "do" and "have" are used together. (e.g. Does it have?). Why it is wrong? ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
“How long” in a question
How long does it take for my item to arrive?
How long does it take to arrive?
Could the second question be used as an alternative to the first? Should I provide some context before utilizing it?...
0
votes
2answers
119 views
“Has sat” vs “Has sit”
My friend and I were looking towards our boss and wondering when to enter his room to speak to him. Usually, a good indication of whether he is free or not is to check whether he is sitting down.
So ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference between “Do you interest” and “…interested in” something?
I want to ask my friend about interest in engineering a system. How can I ask him?
Do you interest in the system?
or
Do you interested in the system?
Which phrase is correctly used?
0
votes
1answer
190 views
'tell me what I should do' vs 'tell me what should I do' [duplicate]
These are questions and with questions you put the verb first and then the pronoun.
For example:
Affirmative : You can.
Question: Can you?
But sometimes when speaking I hear people not applying ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
“Why don't you” vs. “Why won't you” in suggestions and questions
What is the difference between,
Why don't you decorate the house yourself?
Why won't you decorate the house yourself?
Are both of these sentences grammatically correct?
And what changes ...
2
votes
2answers
40 views
The difference between Laughed and Laughing in my sentence
I have two phrases but I can't understand what's the difference between them.
I will make you laughing.
and
I will make you laughed.
0
votes
3answers
47 views
Does the verb go at the end of a question?
Could you tell me where your office is located? or Could you tell me where your office located is?
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Using “what + did” in a question
The examples:
What killed the Prince of Persia series?
What did kill the Prince of Persia series?
Is the meaning the same in both questions? Are they both grammatical? Why or why not?
0
votes
2answers
22 views
Is that the correct question? (what film was?)
What film was?
And the answer is
The film was very interesting.
Thanks.
1
vote
1answer
15 views
Question to ask
Please help me to frame the below questions
Does anyone in the group have doctor John's number?
Is the above statement correct? Please advise
0
votes
2answers
149 views
Given the answer “It's my first time here”, what questions could I ask to receive that answer?
Confused by this question, I find it difficult to ask a question about a number of occasions (about a single occasion, in particular) when there is a specific answer expected.
It's my first time in ...
2
votes
2answers
38 views
Is it possible to make questions to these sentences? [closed]
1) This is my second stay here.
2) This is the second time I have been here.
3) This is our second lesson.
Are these possible and idiomatic/or passable?
1) Which number stay of yours is it?
2) ...
1
vote
2answers
33 views
Whose or who? Help please in understanding the difference between them. What's the use of it?
Can you please help me understand the difference between using whose and who
And why in this sentence whose is useful?
whose umbrella is this? Is it your mother's?
The choices were
Who
...
