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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Indirect question

Ive learned that when using indirect question,you need to put the helping verb after the subject instead of the front.
For example:
I wonder who she is.
Not> I wonder who is she.

But this sentence confuses me:
I wonder what is the best for my kids.
I wonder what the best is for my kids.

With the rule ive mentioned, it should be the second one but it sounds weird and unnatural to me.
Can you please tell me which one is correct and explain? Thank you:)
  

Top answer

Anonymous With the rule I've mentioned, it should be the second on e, but it sounds weird and unnatural to me. Not to me. However, in conversation you will hear both.

— Mister Micawber

  • Anonymous With the rule I've mentioned, it should be the second on e, but it sounds weird and unnatural to me.
  • Not to me.
  • However, in conversation you will hear both.
  • Native speakers are not very concerned about rules for word order.
  • '
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3 Answers
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AnonymousWith the rule I've mentioned, it should be the second one, but it sounds weird and unnatural to me.
Not to me. However, in conversation you will hear both. Native speakers are not very concerned about rules for word order.
In fact, I would expect another native speaker to say, 'I wonder what's best for my kids.'
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Mister MicawberIn fact, I would expect another native speaker to say, 'I wonder what's best for my kids.'
Absolutely!
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Anonymousyou need to put the helping verb after the subject instead of the front.
Or, more simply stated, subject-verb inversion is not used in indirect questions. It doesn't matter whether the direct question form is inverted or not.

What has she done? (Direct question - Inverts "she has done" to "has she done".)
I wonder what she has
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