0
TomJ Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Q31: about
Hello beloved members of the forum,
I want to ask you something about 'about', please:
A: What did you write to your father?
B:(1st). I wrote to my father about my result.
(2nd). I wrote a letter to my father.
Here are my questions and doubts, please.
1) Shouldn't there be an 'about' in the question asked by 'A'? Shouldn't it be like this: 'What did you write to your father about?'? Or 'About what did you write to your father?'?
2) which way of answering A's question is more appropriate in the context we have, (1st)? or (2nd)?
Thank you.
I want to ask you something about 'about', please:
A: What did you write to your father?
B:(1st). I wrote to my father about my result.
(2nd). I wrote a letter to my father.
Here are my questions and doubts, please.
1) Shouldn't there be an 'about' in the question asked by 'A'? Shouldn't it be like this: 'What did you write to your father about?'? Or 'About what did you write to your father?'?
2) which way of answering A's question is more appropriate in the context we have, (1st)? or (2nd)?
Thank you.
Top answer
" as asking about the content of the communication. The second answer seems unhelpful. Also, in reality one would not repeat so many words of the question.
- " as asking about the content of the communication.
- The second answer seems unhelpful.
- Also, in reality one would not repeat so many words of the question.
- " is arguably preferable, however.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
It would be usual to understand "What did you write to your father?" as asking about the content of the communication. The second answer seems unhelpful. Also, in reality one would not repeat so many words of the question.
"What did you write to your father about?" is arguably preferable, however.
"What did you write to your father about?" is arguably preferable, however.
00
GPY"What did you write to your father about?" is arguably preferable, however.Though, actually, the meanings are not identical. "What did you write to your father about?" is asking about the general topic. "What did you write to your father?" could be used to ask for more detail when the topic is already known.
00
TomJ1) Shouldn't there be an 'about' in the question asked by 'A'? Shouldn't it be like this: 'What did you write to your father about?'Yes. That's correct. Nevertheless, it's common practice to omit "about". The listener will understand that you don't mean that you want the answer "a letter" (because there's almost nothing else it could be anyway).
0
Related Questions