Do you know where...? Embedded Questions
Very often in this type of construction (Embedded Questions) students make mistakes. Please note that the sentences consist of two parts. The first part can be a question, positive or negative sentence. But the second part is not a question. The second part of such a construction is an positive or negative sentence.
For example.
Correct is: Can you tell me where the station is?
It's wrong to say: Can you tell me where is the station?
"Where the station is" is not a question. But, "Do you know where ...?" Or "Can you tell where ...?" is the question part.
Students make mistakes in such sentences only because they are simply accustomed to saying "Where is the station?", which in a stand-alone sentence is a question.
Do you know who those people are?
I don’t know who those people are.
Do you know how old Nicole is?
I don’t know how old Nicole is.
Can you tell me what time it is?
I know what time it is.
Can you tell me where I can go?
I know where you can go.
Do you know if Jack is at home?
I don’t know if Jack is at home.
Do you know whether they live near here?
I don’t know whether they live near here.
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Correct is: Can you tell me where the station is?
It's wrong to say: Can you tell me where is the station?
"Where the station is" is not a question. But, "Do you know where ...?" Or "Can you tell where ...?" is the question part.
Students make mistakes in such sentences only because they are simply accustomed to saying "Where is the station?", which in a stand-alone sentence is a question.
Do you know who those people are?
I don’t know who those people are.
Do you know how old Nicole is?
I don’t know how old Nicole is.
Can you tell me what time it is?
I know what time it is.
Can you tell me where I can go?
I know where you can go.
Do you know if Jack is at home?
I don’t know if Jack is at home.
Do you know whether they live near here?
I don’t know whether they live near here.
See more:
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