Question like statements
In this session we shall see the sentences that appear as questions but may or may not have answers. These sentences don’t have the standard questions format.
Generally the questions have the following format.
Is Jack a teacher? – ‘yes/no’ Question (Answer to this question is either ‘yes’ or ‘no’)
Who is Jack? – ‘wh’ question. (‘Wh’ question - ‘wh’ question starts with ‘wh’ question word e.g. ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘why’ etc.)
More examples
Does she visit the office every day? – ‘yes/no’ Question
Where does she visit everyday? – ‘Wh’ question
What is your ID number? 'Wh' Question
In English language some sentences start with 'wh' word, but may not be questions.
A. Exclamatory sentences
Generally exclamatory sentence starts with ‘wh’ question word, (What/how) the subject and auxiliary verb are not inverted as we saw in question making session. Exclamatory sentence ends with ‘!’ mark.
What a beautiful place it is! (What a beautiful place is it!)
How generous Mr. Gate is!
What a horrible site it is!
What a cute baby! (It is/was/were optional)
What a pleasant weather!
What a blunder to ignore the Government appeal!
What a pity to waste the precious resource!
B. Questions in Directed and Reported Speech
What is a reported speech?
Reported speech is also know as indirect speech. Read the following,
Jack asked Jim, “ Where is the post office?” – Direct speech
Shane hears the above words and reports the matter to her friend .Shane won’t repeat the exact words spoken by Jack, she will speak the following words to her friend.
Jack asked Jim, Where the post office was. – Indirect/Reported speech (is becomes was)
NOTE: Where is the post office? in direct speech is a question.
Where the post office was in reported speech is not a question
More sentences (Reported Speech)
David asked his teacher, “Can I submit the record now?” - Direct
David asked his teacher, if he could submit the record then. (now becomes then, can becomes could) – Reported
She enquired “ What is the time now?” – Direct
She enquired what the time was then. – Reported
Bill asked Joe, “Do you like to dine with me?” - Direct
Bill asked Joe whether/if he like to dine with him. ( Me becomes him) – Reported
The Policeman asked Shane, “May I help you?” - Direct
The policeman asked Shane whether/if he might help her (You become her, may becomes might) - Reported
The following ‘wh’ questions play the role of suggestions (negative or positive bias)
Why stop him now? (Let him continue.)
Why be dejected and depressed? (Come on dude relax.)
Why give your rivals an opportunity? (Beware of them.)
Why are you going mad after her? (There are so many girls in the town.)
How will the new government bridge the budget deficit without taxing the rich?
C. The following ‘wh’ questions play the role of suggestions (negative or positive bias)
Why stop him now? (Let him continue.)
Why be dejected and depressed? Come on dude relax.
Why give your rivals an opportunity? Beware of them.
Why are you going mad about her? There are so many girls in the town.
How will the new government bridge the budget deficit without taxing the rich?
Note: The above questions may or may not elicit answers, (Answering or not answering, depends upon the context of the speech.)
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