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

The Positive degree denotes the mere existence of quality

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.

Positive Degree

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.

Comparative Degree

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.

Superlative Degree

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