He asked me why prostitution should be illegal.

Jackson6612Are the following sentences correct?

1: He asked me why prostitution should be illegal. [y]
2: He asked me why should prostitution be illegal? [n]
3: He asked me: why prostitution should be illegal. [n]

He asked me, "Why should prostitution be illegal?"

Grammar Geek

Jackson6612Are the following sentences correct?

1: He asked me why prostitution should be illegal.

Edit: In answering your question, the first in Reported Speech, while the second sentence is in Direct Speech. 

PS With the revamped system, I cannot correct what i have posted. I think this function should be brought back.

Yoong LiatPS With the revamped system, I cannot correct what i have posted. I think this function should be brought back.

Hi Koh,

Please take a look at the new [url=] FAQs:[/url]

Why can't I edit and delete my posts at any time?

That would be against a basic principle of discussions: you can't eras

Thanks, Tanit, for your help.

A teacher to a student:

1: You tell me why prostitution should be illegal.

2: You tell me why should prostitution be illegal?

I assume the above sentences are correct. What is difference between them apart from grammatic that one is a simple statement and the other is a question. They stand for two different ways of saying the same thing. Perhaps, the second one is used

Jackson6612A teacher to a student:

1: You tell me why prostitution should be illegal.

2: You tell me why should prostitution be illegal?

1. Tell me why prostitution should be illegal. (correct - a statement)

2. Tell me why should prostitution be illegal? (wrong because question mark is not needed and inversion is). Hence, y

Thank you for the help, Koh.

1: Why prostitution should be illegal.

2: Why should prostitution be illegal?

I assume the above sentences are correct. What is difference between them apart from grammatic that one is a simple statement and the other is a question. They stand for two different ways of saying the same thing. Perhaps, the second one is used for emphasis.

Jackson6612Thank you for the help, Koh.

1: Why prostitution should be illegal.

2: Why should prostitution be illegal?

1. The first sentence without the question mark is wrong because there is no inversion, as in the second. You are asking a question (it is not a statement) and so a questiion mark is needed.

2. The second se