Know "what it is" or "what is it"

Question

Could you please comment on the following in terms of grammar? Thanks!

I don't know what it is.
I don't know what is it.

Do you know what it is?
Do you know what is it?

I don't know what it will be.
I don't know what will it be.

Do you know what it will be?
Do you know what will it be?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

healer
Could you please comment on the following in terms of grammar? Thanks!
I don't know what it is. OK.
I don't know what is it. Not OK.
Do you know what it is? OK.
Do you know what is it? Not OK.
I don't know what it will be. OK.
I don't know what will it be. Not OK.
Do you know what it will be? OK.
Do you know what will it be? Not OK.

What is it? / What will it be? are direct questions. They have subject-verb inversion. The statement form it is has become is it. The statement form it will has become will it.

When the content of a direct question is embedded in another sentence, it becomes an indirect question (also called an embedded question). Indirect questions do not have subject-verb inversion. They retain the same word order as the corresponding statement.

See for many more examples.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Hi!

When the question is part of a longer sentence, the word order changes.

What is it? But...

I don't know what it is

Do you know what it is?

I don't know what it will be

I hope it helps!

Know "what it is" or "what is it"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions