8.4: Reported Yes/No Questions with If and Whether
- Page ID
- 273185
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Noun Clauses Part 3: Noun Clauses with If and Whether --Reported Yes/No-Questions
Restating a Question within a Clause
Quoted vs. Restated Questions
| QUOTED QUESTION | |
|---|---|
|
A quoted yes-no question begins with a main clause that includes the speaker and the verb say or ask, followed by a comma and the exact words of the quote, enclosed in quotation marks. The quoted speech may also be placed before the main clause: "Are you OK?," my friend asked. Related page Quotation Marks. |
|
| MAIN CLAUSE | YES-NO QUESTION |
|
My sister asked, |
"Are you coming with us?" |
|
My sister's friend asked, |
"Is your brother coming too?" |
|
My friends asked, |
"Can you drive us?' |
|
Joe asked, |
"Will you have enough gas?" |
|
My friend asked, |
"Do we have enough money for gas?" |
| REPORTED QUESTION | |
|---|---|
|
A reported yes-no question also begins with the main clause, but is followed by the content of the quote as it relates to the speaker in time, person, place, and direction, at the moment of speaking. A subordinator (marker) if or whether subordinates the reported speech to the main clause. |
|
| MAIN CLAUSE | REPORTED SPEECH |
|
My sister asked |
if I was coming with them. |
| My sister's friend asked |
if my brother was coming too. |
|
My friends asked |
whether I could drive them. |
| Joe asked |
if I would have enough gas. |
|
My friend wanted to know |
whether or not we had enough money for gas. |
A yes-no question differs from a Wh-question. In a yes-no question, the quoted question begins with an auxiliary verb form such as is, are, am, do, does, has, have, can, will, must. The expected answer is either yes or no (+ or -).
In reported speech, no additional punctuation (quotation marks, comma, or question mark) is used.
Related page If vs. Whether
Subordinate Question-Clause
| QUOTED WH-QUESTION |
|---|
|
A question with a modal or auxiliary verb can be placed within a comment stating opinion. If or whether links the subordinate clause to the main clause. |
|
"Did he go?" |
|
"Have you been here before?" |
|
"Should we turn here?" |
|
"Is it time to go?" |
|
"Can you meet me tonight?" |
|
"Is she his girlfriend?" |
|
"Will you be late?" |
| COMMENT WITH YES/NO QUESTION |
|---|
|
The opinion or comment is placed first followed by the subordinated question clause, which is adjusted to the perspective of the main clause. |
|
I don't know if/whether he went. (go → went) |
|
I can't remember if/ whether I have been here before. (there → here.) |
|
I have no idea if/whether we should turn here or not. |
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Can you tell me if/whether it is time to go? |
|
He couldn't tell me if/whether he could meet tonight. |
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Do you happen to know if/whether she is his girlfriend? |
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She couldn't answer if/whether she would be late. |
Related page That/What Clauses | Adjusting perspective Also see Yes/No Question Clauses (whether)
Subordinate Connectors – If vs. Whether
Understanding Differences in Usage
| IF |
|---|
|
In the following situations, speakers prefer to use if. |
| REPORTED SPEECH |
|
I asked them if they were leaving. |
| LESS FORMAL CONTEXTS |
|
I asked him if he is going to visit. (informal context) |
| WHETHER |
|---|
|
In the following situations, speakers prefer using whether. |
| WORDS USED IN FORMAL CONTEXTS |
|
We inquired whether the president would attend the summit meeting. (investigate, explain, examine, study, decide, determine) |
| AFTER A PREPOSITION |
|
They asked about whether the President would attend the meeting. (look into) |
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
| ERROR |
|---|
|
*Can you tell me is it a boy or a girl? |
|
*She asked me when we are coming or not. |
|
They asked if we wanted to have dinner with them sometime. (Using if implies possibly never) |
Page derived from Grammar Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos is licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International.