Do they mean the same

Question

Are they the same?  What is o/d used for in that car ?andWhat o/d is used for in that car ?Is this correct: i know what o/d is used for that carcan i say: what car is she drivingThanks

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

Not sure what o/d means, but "used for" is not correct in the first. Try:
What gearbox is used in that car?
What car is she driving?

Yankee · Answer

What does "o/d"mean, Anewcomer?

AnewcomerAre they the same? No

What is o/d used for in that car ? The structure of that sentence is OK, but I have no idea what "o/d" means.

and
What o/d is used for in that car ? No. The sentence would work grammatically if you removed the word 'for', but it wouldn't mean the same thing as the first sentence.

Is this correct: i know what o/d is used for that car Yes, that sentence is OK grammatically. But don't forget to capitalize the word 'I' and end your sentence with a period.

can i say: what car is she driving Yes, but you should write it like this: What car is she driving?

Thanks

Avangi · Answer

AnewcomerAre they the same? They're not! Are we talking about overdrive, by any chance?

What is o/d used for in that car ? correct

and

What o/d is used for in that car ? incorrect sentence order

Is this correct: i know what o/d is used for that car I know what o/d is used for in that car.

can i say: what car is she driving Sure! all you need is a Capital Letter and a question mark.

Thanks

CalifJim · Answer

Anewcomer What is o/d used for in that car ?

OK.

AnewcomerWhat o/d is used for in that car ?

NO

Anewcomerwhat car is she driving

What ... ? Otherwise OK.
CJ

Avangi · Answer

Just an aside,

Overdrive used to be an electrically operated two-speed rear axle in manual transmission cars of the 40's and 50's. It was operated by a button under the accelerator pedal. Now it's just another gear in an automatic. (This is grossly oversimplified.)

Anewcomer · Answer

Hi
so does it mean like this
What is o/d used in that car, means what for the o/d used
and what o/d is used in that car means what kind of o/d used in that car

Am I right?

and why are there some sentences that can have a noun before the wh-question word (e.g what gearbox is used) and some have the noun before the "to be" (e.g what is gearbox used)

Thanks

Avangi · Answer

AnewcomerHi

so does it mean like this

What is o/d used in that car, means what for the o/d used

and what o/d is used in that car means what kind of o/d used in that car

Am I right? You're 100% correct, but we need to fix your sentences.

and why are there some sentences that can have a noun before the wh-question word (e.g what gearbox is used) and some have the noun before the "to be" (e.g what is gearbox used)

What gearbox is used = Which gearbox is used (Borg-Warner, 3-speed, 5-speed) "What" assumes the syntax of "which" when used in this way.

"What is a gearbox used for?" This is the more common usage of "what."

This is a terrible answer.

Thanks

A gearbox is used for what. You can't invert the which question this way.

Which gearbox is used? Which gearbox do you use? You do use which gearbox.

In the first inversion, "gearbox" is the subject; in the second inversion it's the object. (I think I need help here!)

Which gearbox is used already has the shape of a declarative sentence. If you substitute a demonstrative pronoun for theinterrogative one, you're okay: That gearbox is used.

I don't know, my friend, but I think the answer to your question, Why do we move the location of the "is" in the two interrogatives above, is that the "which" question doesn't require the interrogative inversion, and the "what" question does. Sorry I can't give you a better explanation.

Edit. As you can see above (bold type), when you switch from passive voice to active voice, the inversion becomes necessary. "You do use which gearbox," becomes, "Which gearbox do you use?"

Best wishes, - A.

CalifJim · Answer

AnewcomerWhat is o/d used in that car, means what for the o/d used

This is so ungrammatical that it is impossible to understand what your question is.

Anewcomerwhat o/d is used in that car means what kind of o/d is used in that car

Yes, as corrected -- approximately.

Anewcomerwhy are there some sentences that can have a noun ~~before~~ after the wh-question word (e.g what gearbox is used) and some have the noun ~~before~~ after the "to be" (e.g what is the gearbox that is used)

These are alternate ways of saying the same thing. The first one just uses fewer words. You can use Which instead of What in these questions.

[What / Which] gearbox is better? / [What / Which] is the gearbox that is better?
[What / Which] color is brighter? / [What / Which] is the color that is brighter?
[What / Which] car is rented? / [What / Which] is the car that is rented?
The alternate version has an implied noun after the wh-word:
What (gearbox) is the gearbox that is better?
What (color) is the color that is brighter?
What (car) is the car that is rented?
CJ

Anewcomer · Answer

Hi Calif Jim

This one: what is o/d used in that car. So what does it mean exactly (to me it means, what is the o/d used for, or the question asking what the purpose and the usage of the o/d is, Am I CORRECT?) and the difference from what o/d is used in that car (which is already clear)

Thanks

Futurehuman11 · Answer

I agree with the last poster.

Do they mean the same

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