Indirect questions
"HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, Barclays and Coutts are among 17 banks based in the UK, or with branches in the country, that are facing questions over what they knew about the international scheme and why they did not turn away suspicious money transfers." (The Guardian.)
Why are there indirect questions instead of direct ones in the above? Is it that only indirect questions can be objects of the preposition?
Top answer
You could write it like this. " But it's considered a rather unsophisticated way of writing.
- You could write it like this.
- " But it's considered a rather unsophisticated way of writing.
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You could write it like this.
"HSBC, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, Barclays and Coutts are among 17 banks based in the UK, or with branches in the country, that are facing the questions "What did you know about the international scheme?" and "Why did you not turn away suspicious money transfers?"
But it's considered a rather unsophisticated way of writing.
0AnonymousWhy are there indirect questions instead of direct ones in the above?
It is because they are embedded inside another sentence. The only time we use a direct question is when it is the main clause, and we are really asking a question, as in the stand-alone sentence What did they know about it?
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CJ
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