COLEGIO DE LA INMACULADA ENGLISH LAB NAME: THIRD Embedded s An embedded question is a question that is included in another sentence. Embedded Who is your teacher? Could you tell me who your teacher is? What time is it? Do you know what time it is? When is Jim going home? when Jim is going home. Use normal sentence order, not question order, with embedded questions. Note: If the embedding question is included in a question, it is followed by a question mark. If it is in a statement, use a period. Embedding yes/no questions Use if or whether to embed questions that are answered with yes or no. Are you hungry? Do you want to stay at the party? Am I going? Were you in the Army? Embedded yes/no I asked you if you were hungry. Would you please ask Duane if he wants to stay at the party? Stan doesn't know whether I'm going. Stan doesn't know whether I'm going or not. You didn't tell me whether you were in the Army. You didn't tell me whether you were in the Army or not. 1
I asked you if you were hungry. Notice that if is usually used with only one alternative: Would you please ask Duane if he wants to stay at the party? The same is true in information questions: Do you want the red dress or the blue one? Does Reggie plan to stay in school or get a job? Whether usually provides for more than one alternative. Stan doesn't know whether I'm going. Stan doesn't know whether I'm going or not. You didn't tell me whether you were in the Army. You didn't tell me whether you were in the Army or not. Embedded whether you want the red dress or the blue one. Dad asked whether Reggie planned to stay in school or get a job. Using an infinitive in an embedded question English speakers often use an infinitive after the question word in an embedded question. How do you change the ink in the copier? Should I call Mr. Abbey now or wait until later? Where should we meet Carole in the morning? Embedded how to change the ink in the copier. whether to call Mr. Abbey now or wait until later. Ask Carole where to meet her in the morning. Indirect s Indirect questions are like indirect speech. When a question is in the present tense, it is in the past when it is embedded in a sentence. If it is in the past, it must be in the past perfect when it is embedded in a sentence. Embedded Do you like your job? She asked me if I liked my job. Did you like your last job? She asked me if I had liked my last job. http://tillyer.net/glow/fsi201.htm 2
SESSION Nª 2004 I.- Practice #1 Embedded s I have a friend who is planning a trip to Switzerland this summer. Here are some of the questions she asked. Make them into embedded questions. 1. Is it a long flight from New York? 2. I'd like to know What clothes should I bring? 3. Do you know Will it be hot of cold in August? 4. I can't remember Is my passport up to date? 5. I'll ask my friend How soon should I make plane reservations? 6. I've got to find out What languages do they speak in Switzerland? 7. What is the name of their currency? 8. I don't remember Am I leaving on a Friday or a Saturday? 9. I've got to ask the consulate Do I need a visa to go to Switzerland? 10. I wonder Do I need to get any shots? http://tillyer.net/glow/fsi202.htm II.- Practice #3 Embedded s Make embedded questions using the questions below the line. 1. Excuse me, can you tell me Where can I get my car fixed? 2. Would you tell me When will dinner be ready? 3. When was Abraham Lincoln first elected president? 4. Do you know How do you use this software? 5. I asked you Are you ready to go home? 6. I need to ask Barry Are you going home now or are you going to stay a while more? 7. How do you turn this stupid computer on? 8. Do you remember What's the new security code? 9. Did anyone tell you When are the renovations to the consulate going to be finished? 10. We need to find out When is that group of American politicians going to visit? http://tillyer.net/glow/fsi206.htm 1 I don't have the least idea why.... do they want to do this. did they want to do this. want they to do this. III.- Embedded s 3
they want to do this. 2 Do you really understand how....? could she convince him that easily she could convince him that easily did she convince him that easily convinced him that easily 3 I wonder why.... she has been different lately she different lately is she different lately has she been different lately 4 Do you have any idea how much....? does this cost this costing this costs this costed 5 Could you please tell me when....? did the next train leave the next train leaves does the next train leave has the next train left 6 I'd like to know who....? made that noise is made that noise has making that noise is make that noise 7 Could you please find out....? where is the video camera where the video camera where has the video camera where the video camera is 8 Did you know why....? she late had she been late she had been late she had late 9 Is there a reason why....? he talking like that talking like that is he talking like that he is talking like that 10 Does she have any idea when.... last night? I came back home last night came back home last night I come back home last night did I come back home last night 11 Go and find out why.... he is so angry was he so angry is he so angry he so angry 12 Does he know where....? might she be now she might be now is she now now is she 13 Let me tell you why.... did I called him that late I called him that late did I call him that late that late did I call him 14 I'd like to tell every body where.... did I just come from do I just come from I've just come from have I just come from 15 Nothing in the whole world would explain why.... did she scream like this she screaming like this she scream like this she screamed like this 16 Do you know how much....? this chair costs this chair costed does this chair cost does this chair costs 17 Do you know....? 4
whose car this whose is this car this car whose is whose car this is 18 Only God knows where.... is the missing child the missing is child the is child missing the missing child is 19 why.... on leaving that early. she insist does she insist she insists did she insist 20 Do you know....? how high Mount Everest is how high is Mount Everest how is high Mount Everest Mount Everest how high is http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/sauna/6572/grammar/embedques/embedd edques.htm IV.-NOUN CLAUSES - Embedded s Directions: Combine the two sentences into one sentence using a noun clause. 1) Where is the bank? Could you please 2) What time does the next bus come? Can you tell me 3) Where did Sara go last night? Do you know 4) Where is the nearest supermarket? Could you please 5) Why is the Mona Lisa smiling? Do you know 6) Whom did you speak to earlier? Could you please 7) What is the teacher's name? Can you tell me 8) Where are my keys? Do you know 9) Where do you live, little girl? Can you tell me 10) How do you make a noun clause? Could you explain V.- Noun Clause Embedded s Exercise Write an embedded question into each blank. Click on tab to jump to the next box. Example: How old is Julio? how old Julio is. Are they leaving now? if they are leaving now. 1. Did they go home? Nobody knows 2. Do you know where the party is? 3. Who drank all the beer? We don't know 5
4. Can you tell me the time? 5. Do you know that girl's name? 6. Did they go to Mexico? I'm not sure 7. What happened? 8. What should they do? 9. Where was the lost child found? 10. Can you tell me what does friendship mean? VI.- Practice #2 Embedded s My friend Mortimer went for a job interview at a big company the other day. I asked him what the interviewer asked him. Make sentences with embedded questions. 1. She asked me When did you graduate from college? 2. She wanted to know Do you like to work with computers? 3. She asked me to explain How much money did you earn at your last job? 4. She asked How often are you late for work? 5. She kept asking Do you mind traveling? 6. She wanted to know Do you know how to use Excel? 7. She asked me to describe How would you change our system here? 8. She even asked me Where do you like to go for vacation? 9. She asked Do you mind not having a private office? 10. She asked When can you start? 6