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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
An indirect question
Hi, teachers,
We don’t know how we can solve this problem.
He asked me what the price was.
In my opinion, the underlined clauses are both an indirect question and a noun clause. Could you tell me the difference between an indirect question and a noun clause?
I appreciate your help.
We don’t know how we can solve this problem.
He asked me what the price was.
In my opinion, the underlined clauses are both an indirect question and a noun clause. Could you tell me the difference between an indirect question and a noun clause?
I appreciate your help.
Top answer
They are both noun clauses, object of the main verb in the sentence. Both clauses pose questions. If converted to main clauses, you have to invert the subject with the helping verb, and (for indirect questions) perhaps change the tense of the main verb, and put it in quotations.
- They are both noun clauses, object of the main verb in the sentence.
- Both clauses pose questions.
- If converted to main clauses, you have to invert the subject with the helping verb, and (for indirect questions) perhaps change the tense of the main verb, and put it in quotations.
- We don’t know how we can solve this problem .
- -> How can we solve the problem?
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4 Answers
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They are both noun clauses, object of the main verb in the sentence. Both clauses pose questions. If converted to main clauses, you have to invert the subject with the helping verb, and (for indirect questions) perhaps change the tense of the main verb, and put it in quotations.
We don’t know how we can solve this problem. -> How can we solve the problem? We don't know. (
We don’t know how we can solve this problem. -> How can we solve the problem? We don't know. (
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AnonymousWe don’t know how we can solve this problem. He asked me what the price was. In my opinion, the underlined clauses are both an indirect question and a noun clause. Could you tell me the difference between an indirect question and a noun clause?I don't like the term 'noun clause' simply because such clauses don't behave like nouns; and i
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Hello, Anonymous:
I have been thinking about your intriguing question. Maybe this is an answer (not "the" answer):
The difference between an indirect question and a noun clause is that every indirect question is a noun clause, but not every noun clause is an indirect question.
One of my favorite books (written for ordinary people like me) says this:
I have been thinking about your intriguing question. Maybe this is an answer (not "the" answer):
The difference between an indirect question and a noun clause is that every indirect question is a noun clause, but not every noun clause is an indirect question.
One of my favorite books (written for ordinary people like me) says this:
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