EMBEDDED
QUESTIONS
An embedded question is a question that is included
inside another question or statement. They are common after introductory
phrases, such as :
I
wonder
Could you tell me
Do you know
Can you remember
Let’s ask
We need to find out
I’d like to know
Could you tell me
I’m not sure
Would you mind
explaining
There are 5 rules for
using Embedded Questions :
Rule One
-
If the embedded
question is part of a statement, use a period and not a question mark at the
end of the sentence. Also, if the question is in the present or past simple
verb tense, omit the auxiliary verbs do,does,
and did and change the verb to its appropriate form, as in the example
below.
-
Direct question What
time did he leave ?
Embedded
question I wonder what time he left.
Rule Two
-
If the embedded
question includes an auxiliary verb or the verb “to be” , reverse the positions
of the subject and the auxiliary verb, as in the examples below.
-
Direct question what
did he say ?
-
Embedded question could
you tell me what he said?
Rule Three
-
Do not use a
verbal contraction at the end of the sentence.
-
Direct question where
is she?
-
Correct embedded do you know where he is?
question
-
Incorrect Embedded question do
you know where he’s?
Rule Four
-
Embedded questions
are introduced by whether, whether or not , and if when there is no question
word in the sentence ( yes/no questions). Example below.
-
Direct yes/no
question Will he be
there?
-
Embedded question Do you know if he will be there?
Do you know whether or not he will be there?
Do you know whether
he will be there or not?
Rule Five
-
The infinitive
can follow a question word or whether in embedded questions, as in the
following example.
-
Direct question what should I
do?
-
Embedded question please tell me what
should I do/
-
Embedded question
with please tell me
what to do
An infinitive
Using embedded
questions :
1. Politely asking for
information
- Direct question what
time does the bus arrive?
- embedded question could you
tell me what time the bus arrives?
2. talking about
something which is unknown to the speaker
- direct question why
did she decide not to come with us?
- embedded question I don’t know
why she decided not to come with us.
Note : the embedded
question is in a statement, so it end with a period , not a question mark.
CONDITIONAL SENTENCES
Conditional tenses are used to
speculate about what could happen, what might have happened, and what we wish
would happen. In English, most sentences using the conditional contain the word
if. Many conditional forms in English are used in sentences that include
verbs in one of the past tenses. This usage is referred to as "the unreal past" because we use
a past tense but we are not actually referring to something that happened in
the past. There are five main ways of constructing conditional sentences in
English. In all cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause and a
main clause. In many negative conditional sentences, there is an equivalent
sentence construction using "unless" instead of
"if".
Conditional sentence type
|
Usage
|
If clause verb tense
|
Main clause verb tense
|
Zero
|
General truths
|
Simple present
|
Simple present
|
Type 1
|
A possible condition and its
probable result
|
Simple present
|
Simple future
|
Type 2
|
A hypothetical condition and its
probable result
|
Simple past
|
Present conditional or Present
continuous conditional
|
Type 3
|
An unreal past condition and its
probable result in the past
|
Past perfect
|
Perfect conditional
|
Mixed type
|
An unreal past condition and its
probable result in the present
|
Past perfect
|
Present contditional
|
The zero conditional
The zero conditional is used for
when the time being referred to is now or always and the situation is real
and possible. The zero conditional is often used to refer to general
truths. The tense in both parts of the sentence is the simple present. In zero conditional
sentences, the word "if" can usually be replaced by the word
"when" without changing the meaning.
If clause
|
Main clause
|
If + simple present
|
simple present
|
If this thing happens
|
that thing happens.
|
If you heat ice
|
it melts.
|
If it rains
|
the grass gets wet.
|
Type 1 conditional
The type 1 conditional is used to
refer to the present or future where the situation is real. The
type 1 conditional refers to a possible condition and its probable result. In
these sentences the if clause is in the simple present, and the main clause is
in the simple future.
If clause
|
Main clause
|
If + simple present
|
simple future
|
If this thing happens
|
that thing will happen.
|
If you don't hurry
|
you will miss the train.
|
If it rains today
|
you will get wet.
|
Type 2 conditional
The type 2 conditional is used to
refer to a time that is now or any time, and a situation that is unreal.
These sentences are not based on fact. The type 2 conditional is used to refer
to a hypothetical condition and its probable result. In type 2 conditional
sentences, the if clause uses the simple past, and the main clause uses the
present conditional.
If clause
|
Main clause
|
If + simple past
|
present conditional or present
continuous conditional
|
If this thing happened
|
that thing would happen. (but I'm
not sure this thing will happen) OR
that thing would be happening. |
If you went to bed earlier
|
you would not be so tired.
|
If it rained
|
you would get wet.
|
If I spoke Italian
|
I would be working in Italy.
|
Type 3 conditional
The type 3 conditional is used to
refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is contrary
to reality. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is
expressed. The type 3 conditional is used to refer to an unreal past condition
and its probable past result. In type 3 conditional sentences, the if clause
uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the perfect conditional.
If clause
|
Main clause
|
If + past perfect
|
perfect conditional or perfect
continuous conditional
|
If this thing had happened
|
that thing would have happened.
(but neither of those things really happened) OR
that thing would have been happening. |
If you had studied harder
|
you would have passed the exam.
|
If it had rained
|
you would have gotten wet.
|
If I had accepted that promotion
|
I would have been working in
Milan.
|
Mixed type conditional
The mixed type conditional is used
to refer to a time that is in the past, and a situation that is ongoing
into the present. The facts they are based on are the opposite of what is
expressed. The mixed type conditional is used to refer to an unreal past
condition and its probable result in the present. In mixed type conditional
sentences, the if clause uses the past perfect, and the main clause uses the
present conditional.
If clause
|
Main clause
|
If + past perfect or simple past
|
present conditional or perfect
conditional
|
If this thing had happened
|
that thing would happen. (but this
thing didn't happen so that thing isn't happening)
|
If I had worked harder at school
|
I would have a better job now.
|
If we had looked at the map
|
we wouldn't be lost.
|
If you weren't afraid of spiders
|
you would have picked it up and put it outside.
|
COMPARISONS(SUPERLATIVE/COMPARATIVE)
Comparison can be made using the three forms of the
adjective.
Adjective is a word and it qualifies
a noun. It gives more information about the noun.
eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.
Adjectives are of three degrees. (1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative
eg. The lion is a strong animal. Rita is a beautiful girl.
Adjectives are of three degrees. (1) Positive (2) Comparative (3) Superlative
Positive
|
Comparative
|
Superlative
|
Very few boys in the class are as tall as John.
|
John is taller than any other boys in the class.
|
John is the tallest boy in the class.
|
John is taller than most other boys in the class.
|
John is one of the tallest boy in the class.
|
The
Pasitive Degree is used to denote the mere existence of quality.
The Positive Degree of an
adjective in comparison is the adjective in its simple form. It is used to
denote the mere existence of some quality of what we speak about. It is used
when no comparison is made.
Example :
·
It
is a tall building.
· Apple
is sweet to taste.
The
Comparative Degree is used to compare the qualities of two persons or things.
The Comparative Degree denotes
the existence of a higher degree of the quality than the positive. It is used when
two things (or two sets of things) are compared.
Example :
·
This
building is taller than any other building.
·
Apple
is sweeter than pear.
The Superlative Degree denotes
the existence of the highest degree of the quality. It is used when more than
two things are compared.
Example :
·
This
is the tallest building.
·
Apple
is the sweetest fruit.
The
Superlative Degree is used when more than two nouns or things are compared.
·
Johnsy
is kind (Positive Degree)
·
Johnsy
is kinder than Rosy (Comparative Degree)
·
Johnsy
is the kindest of all (Superlative Degree)
Source : Marjorie Fuchs, Bonner Margaret, Grammar
Express for self study and classroom use , Addison Wesley Longman 2OO1
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