Part 6: Identifying Grammar Errors

Grammar: Embedded Questions

In English, questions are usually formed by using a question word, such as Who, What, Where, When, Why or How, i.e.:

Who are you?

or by rearranging the sentence structure:

He is a teacher. -> Is he a teacher?

Many times, we see a question which stands alone:

What will you do during summer vacation?

Often we may find a question which is a part of a sentence:

The teacher asked, "What is your name?"

Of course the following looks similar, but notice that the "? " is after the " " "

Did the teacher ask, "What is your name"?

In the first case the " ? " refers to "What is your name ", while in the second case it refers to "Did the teacher ask..."

Occasionally we run across something called an "embedded question." You ask what is an embedded question? Good question - and good example.

Since embedded means firmly fixed inside a surrounding mass, this means a question which is a part of another sentence, but incorrectly so.

This type of error may show itself either by lack of the proper punctuation or by word order:

I don't know what is the difference between Kabuki and Noh.

should be:

I donšt know what the difference is between Kabuki and Noh.

perhaps it could have been written:

I donšt know , "What is the difference between Kabuki and Noh?"

as a response to the question:

"What is the difference between Kabuki and Noh?"

The teacher asked what is your name?

should be:

The teacher asked, "What is your name?"

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While the following is not a matter of embedded questions, please note it anyway:

Would you please cover for me while I am on my vacation?

(note: that would be polite English, to a subordinate we would use a ".")

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