0
Egerol1 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

I'm confusing these things

hello I want to get help to not confuse these phrases:
Let's say that I saw a man and I don't know that man
I must say that:"I don't know who that man is"

but I don't understand why we can't say: I don't know who is that man?

I mean why "the man" and "is" are inverse?

thanks!
  

Top answer

It is because "who" (an interrogative word) is an object of a verb (or preposition). "who that man is" is an indirect question. " So, if an interrogative pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, the indirect question's subject (bold) will come before the verb (underlined): Indirect: I know who she is .

— Lakshwadeep

  • It is because "who" (an interrogative word) is an object of a verb (or preposition).
  • "who that man is" is an indirect question.
  • " So, if an interrogative pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, the indirect question's subject (bold) will come before the verb (underlined): Indirect: I know who she is .
  • Direct: Who is she ?
  • Indirect: I saw what they were stealing .
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
It is because "who" (an interrogative word) is an object of a verb (or preposition). "who that man is" is an indirect question. If it was a direct question, which makes the interrogative word the subject, it would be "Who is that man?" So, if an interrogative pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, the indirect question's subject (bold) will come before the verb (underlined):

Ind
0
0
egerol1I don't understand why we can't say: I don't know who is that man?
It's just the way we say it in English.

If you ask directly: "Who is that man?"

If you put it inside another sentence:

I don't know who that man is.
I have no idea who that man is.
I can't even guess who that man is.
I wonder who that man is.
0
0
egerol1hello I want to get help to not confuse these phrases:
Let's say that I saw a man and I don't know that man
I must say that: (i) "I don't know who that man is"

but I don't understand why we can't say: (ii) I don't know who is that man?

I mean why "the man" and "is" are inverse?

In (i) what you're actua
0

Related Questions