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Look at your watch and tell me what time is it. vs Look at your watch and tell me what time it is

At what time I should / should I come tomorrow?Indirect questionWhat is the food in London like or What is the food like in London?The order of words in a clause: “tell me who is the real man” vs. “tell me who the real man is”What steps can you take ~ vs What steps you can take?Order for “piece of furniture” when there is a qualifier“What is inside.” or “What inside is.”interrogative and affirmative sentence constructions“The XXX path …” vs “The path XXX …”verb to be in the end of a question`

1

1. Look at your watch and tell me what time is it.


2. Look at your watch and tell me what time it is.

Is the second variant correct?

word-order

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

add a comment | 

1

1. Look at your watch and tell me what time is it.


2. Look at your watch and tell me what time it is.

Is the second variant correct?

word-order

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

add a comment | 

1. Look at your watch and tell me what time is it.


2. Look at your watch and tell me what time it is.

Is the second variant correct?

word-order

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

share|improve this question

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

asked 5 hours ago

JaneJane

5841717

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

4

Strictly speaking, only #2 is "correct".

You ask someone to tell you something = a noun phrase, as in the time [that] it is [now] is 10 o'clock. That's the standard / default English sequence subject + verb + object.

In English, we normally invert the subject + verb element when asking questions, as in What time is it? (but not in the statement / answer It's = It is 10 o'clock).

OP's example #1 is increasingly common among younger native speakers, so I wouldn't want to say it's "wrong". But historically it's long been associated with non-native speakers. So on the one hand you might want to use format #1 yourself - to appear more "with it", and in tune with those younger speakers. On the other hand, older or more pedantic people will tend to think you just don't know "proper" English. My advice is to stick with format #2 in your own constructions, but maybe it depends a bit on who you're talking to.

share|improve this answer

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "What time is it?" is a question, so is it is "inverted" from standard it is. As in Question: How old is he?, Answer: He is 10. More definitively, in constructions involving tell as well as a wh- question word, Tell me who you are is "correct" (it's an imperative command, equivalent to the actual Question form Who are you?). And Tell me who are you is "badly-formed", but not uncommon today. The rule isn't all that complicated, and it would be better for you to apply it consistently even if not all native speakers always do.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless you massage the punctuation to make number one a question: Look at your watch and tell me: What time is it?
  
  – Davo
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So "What time is it?" is correct as this is question, and "tell me what time it is" is correct as it's not a question but an imperative command. Have i got things right?
  
  – eefar
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: Well done, yes. You have it exactly right!
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: But note that it's not specifically "imperative". It's a matter of whether it's a straightforward wh- question or not. Thus I wonder what time it is isn't an imperative - nor is it actually a question, which is why it doesn't end with a question mark. And at least some people will think you're being "sloppy" if you say I wonder what time is it. Note that English questions always have rising intonation, and if you included that in my last example it wouldn't sound so bad (it's the spoken equivalent of punctuating Davo's example with quote / question marks).
  
  – FumbleFingers
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

1

I would like to simplify the issue as to why there must not be an inversion of questioning attached to a command or for that matter with any other sentence type expressing an assertion (statement), an emotion (exclamation) or a wish(optative). Sentences are meaningless if they become an odd assortment of heterogeneous emotions put together. In a sentence the main clause (s) carries the spirit and other subordinate clauses add to that spirit only. Your sentence may contain a bunch of statements, a plethora of commands or a fusillade of questions, but never all in one. That's why grammarians prescribe that barring your main sentence (s) others would be muted to statements or to phrases.

FumbleFingers has rightly mentioned that only No.(2) is correct where the question has been muted to a subordinate statement to elicit the desired answer of the command/ request. There are two commands, alright! It would be meaningless if you add a question or an optative or exclamatory sentence.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

add a comment | 

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4

Strictly speaking, only #2 is "correct".

You ask someone to tell you something = a noun phrase, as in the time [that] it is [now] is 10 o'clock. That's the standard / default English sequence subject + verb + object.

In English, we normally invert the subject + verb element when asking questions, as in What time is it? (but not in the statement / answer It's = It is 10 o'clock).

OP's example #1 is increasingly common among younger native speakers, so I wouldn't want to say it's "wrong". But historically it's long been associated with non-native speakers. So on the one hand you might want to use format #1 yourself - to appear more "with it", and in tune with those younger speakers. On the other hand, older or more pedantic people will tend to think you just don't know "proper" English. My advice is to stick with format #2 in your own constructions, but maybe it depends a bit on who you're talking to.

share|improve this answer

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "What time is it?" is a question, so is it is "inverted" from standard it is. As in Question: How old is he?, Answer: He is 10. More definitively, in constructions involving tell as well as a wh- question word, Tell me who you are is "correct" (it's an imperative command, equivalent to the actual Question form Who are you?). And Tell me who are you is "badly-formed", but not uncommon today. The rule isn't all that complicated, and it would be better for you to apply it consistently even if not all native speakers always do.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless you massage the punctuation to make number one a question: Look at your watch and tell me: What time is it?
  
  – Davo
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So "What time is it?" is correct as this is question, and "tell me what time it is" is correct as it's not a question but an imperative command. Have i got things right?
  
  – eefar
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: Well done, yes. You have it exactly right!
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: But note that it's not specifically "imperative". It's a matter of whether it's a straightforward wh- question or not. Thus I wonder what time it is isn't an imperative - nor is it actually a question, which is why it doesn't end with a question mark. And at least some people will think you're being "sloppy" if you say I wonder what time is it. Note that English questions always have rising intonation, and if you included that in my last example it wouldn't sound so bad (it's the spoken equivalent of punctuating Davo's example with quote / question marks).
  
  – FumbleFingers
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

4

Strictly speaking, only #2 is "correct".

You ask someone to tell you something = a noun phrase, as in the time [that] it is [now] is 10 o'clock. That's the standard / default English sequence subject + verb + object.

In English, we normally invert the subject + verb element when asking questions, as in What time is it? (but not in the statement / answer It's = It is 10 o'clock).

OP's example #1 is increasingly common among younger native speakers, so I wouldn't want to say it's "wrong". But historically it's long been associated with non-native speakers. So on the one hand you might want to use format #1 yourself - to appear more "with it", and in tune with those younger speakers. On the other hand, older or more pedantic people will tend to think you just don't know "proper" English. My advice is to stick with format #2 in your own constructions, but maybe it depends a bit on who you're talking to.

share|improve this answer

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "What time is it?" is a question, so is it is "inverted" from standard it is. As in Question: How old is he?, Answer: He is 10. More definitively, in constructions involving tell as well as a wh- question word, Tell me who you are is "correct" (it's an imperative command, equivalent to the actual Question form Who are you?). And Tell me who are you is "badly-formed", but not uncommon today. The rule isn't all that complicated, and it would be better for you to apply it consistently even if not all native speakers always do.
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Unless you massage the punctuation to make number one a question: Look at your watch and tell me: What time is it?
  
  – Davo
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  So "What time is it?" is correct as this is question, and "tell me what time it is" is correct as it's not a question but an imperative command. Have i got things right?
  
  – eefar
  4 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: Well done, yes. You have it exactly right!
  
  – FumbleFingers
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @eefar: But note that it's not specifically "imperative". It's a matter of whether it's a straightforward wh- question or not. Thus I wonder what time it is isn't an imperative - nor is it actually a question, which is why it doesn't end with a question mark. And at least some people will think you're being "sloppy" if you say I wonder what time is it. Note that English questions always have rising intonation, and if you included that in my last example it wouldn't sound so bad (it's the spoken equivalent of punctuating Davo's example with quote / question marks).
  
  – FumbleFingers
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 3 more comments

Strictly speaking, only #2 is "correct".

You ask someone to tell you something = a noun phrase, as in the time [that] it is [now] is 10 o'clock. That's the standard / default English sequence subject + verb + object.

In English, we normally invert the subject + verb element when asking questions, as in What time is it? (but not in the statement / answer It's = It is 10 o'clock).

OP's example #1 is increasingly common among younger native speakers, so I wouldn't want to say it's "wrong". But historically it's long been associated with non-native speakers. So on the one hand you might want to use format #1 yourself - to appear more "with it", and in tune with those younger speakers. On the other hand, older or more pedantic people will tend to think you just don't know "proper" English. My advice is to stick with format #2 in your own constructions, but maybe it depends a bit on who you're talking to.

share|improve this answer

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

share|improve this answer

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

answered 5 hours ago

FumbleFingersFumbleFingers

45.9k155122

1

I would like to simplify the issue as to why there must not be an inversion of questioning attached to a command or for that matter with any other sentence type expressing an assertion (statement), an emotion (exclamation) or a wish(optative). Sentences are meaningless if they become an odd assortment of heterogeneous emotions put together. In a sentence the main clause (s) carries the spirit and other subordinate clauses add to that spirit only. Your sentence may contain a bunch of statements, a plethora of commands or a fusillade of questions, but never all in one. That's why grammarians prescribe that barring your main sentence (s) others would be muted to statements or to phrases.

FumbleFingers has rightly mentioned that only No.(2) is correct where the question has been muted to a subordinate statement to elicit the desired answer of the command/ request. There are two commands, alright! It would be meaningless if you add a question or an optative or exclamatory sentence.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

add a comment | 

1

I would like to simplify the issue as to why there must not be an inversion of questioning attached to a command or for that matter with any other sentence type expressing an assertion (statement), an emotion (exclamation) or a wish(optative). Sentences are meaningless if they become an odd assortment of heterogeneous emotions put together. In a sentence the main clause (s) carries the spirit and other subordinate clauses add to that spirit only. Your sentence may contain a bunch of statements, a plethora of commands or a fusillade of questions, but never all in one. That's why grammarians prescribe that barring your main sentence (s) others would be muted to statements or to phrases.

FumbleFingers has rightly mentioned that only No.(2) is correct where the question has been muted to a subordinate statement to elicit the desired answer of the command/ request. There are two commands, alright! It would be meaningless if you add a question or an optative or exclamatory sentence.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

add a comment | 

I would like to simplify the issue as to why there must not be an inversion of questioning attached to a command or for that matter with any other sentence type expressing an assertion (statement), an emotion (exclamation) or a wish(optative). Sentences are meaningless if they become an odd assortment of heterogeneous emotions put together. In a sentence the main clause (s) carries the spirit and other subordinate clauses add to that spirit only. Your sentence may contain a bunch of statements, a plethora of commands or a fusillade of questions, but never all in one. That's why grammarians prescribe that barring your main sentence (s) others would be muted to statements or to phrases.

FumbleFingers has rightly mentioned that only No.(2) is correct where the question has been muted to a subordinate statement to elicit the desired answer of the command/ request. There are two commands, alright! It would be meaningless if you add a question or an optative or exclamatory sentence.

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

share|improve this answer

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512

answered 3 hours ago

Barid Baran AcharyaBarid Baran Acharya

807512