Ex. Turn the following direct questions into the embedded ones by starting them with the words given.

When

When how +do/does/did +subject+verb +object?

Why

e.g. Government agencies collect taxes. → What do government agencies collect?

When

When +is/are/am/was/were+subject+object?

Why

I am available for the interview at 3 p.m. → When are youavailable for the interview?

KEEP IN MIND: which is used for limited choice:

e.g. Which of the following job would you like to apply for: senior accounts manager or associate manager?

NOT: What of the following job would you like to apply for: senior accounts manager or associate manager?

1.3. Alternative question

Do / does / did+subject +verb +object +or + alternative?

e.g. Does he focus on past achievements or future benefits?

Is/are/was/were+subject +object +or+alternative?

e.g. Is direct communication valued or not in your company?

1.4. Tag question / Disjunctive question

Tags consist of an auxiliary verb and the pronoun referring to the subject.

KEEP IN MIND: the question tags.

I am …, aren’t I?

I am not …, am I?

He is …, isn’t he?

I sign …, don’t I?

I don’t sign, …, do I?

He signs …, doesn’t he?

He doesn’t sign …, does he?

Sign it …, will you/ won’t you / can you / could you?

Let’s sign …, shall we?

Let him sign …, will/won’t you?

Don’t sign …, will you?

He can hardly/ rarely/ …, can he?

There is / are …, isn’t / aren’t there?

I used to …, did not I?

Questions tags with positive tail phrases elicit negative answers:

e.g. He isn’t a white collar, is he? → No, he isn’t.

Questions tags with negative tail phrases elicit positive answers:

e.g. He is a white collar, isn’t he? → Yes, he is.

keep in mind: if you agree with a person or have something in common, you can use so or neither.

e.g. I have been working for a multinational retailer of electronic devices. → So have I.

I don’t expect job for life. → Neither do I.

We will set up a system of employee reports. → So will we.

1.5. Question to the subject

Who / What +V_s/es / V_ed / V_II + object?

They have appointed the chief accountant. →Who has appointed the chief accountant?

Many companies maintain contacts with universities to hire staff. → Who maintains contacts with universities to hire staff?

1.6. Indirect questions / Embedded quesions

· If you want to sound more diplomatic and make your questions more acceptable you should use indirect questions.

e.g. We haven’t ascertained what the objective of this meeting is?

· To transfer a direct question into an indirect one, we should reverse the order of the subject and the verb, omit an auxiliary verb if there is any.

Could you tell us Question word+subject+predicate

e.g. Could you tell us if they will deliver this order free of charge?

NOT: Could you tell us if they will deliver this order free of charge?

Embedded questions can start with expressions as:

What would you say …? Why do you think …?

I would like to know (about) …? I would like to ask if …?

Could you tell me about …? Do you think …?

We haven’t ascertained …? We haven’t ascertained …?

Could you tell me whether or not …? The catalogue doesn’t say …?

They haven’t discovered …? I am not sure …?, etc.

Practice file

Ex. Turn the following direct questions into the embedded ones by starting them with the words given.

1. What is your main concern?

I would like to know ……………………………………………………………

2. Will this reform succeed?

Do you think …………………………….............................................................

3. What is your particular specialisation?

Please let me know ……………………………………………………………..

4. Have you decided to go ahead?

Could you tell me whether or not ……………………………………………….

5. What’s the weather like?

I wonder …………………………………………………………………………

6. Where did you buy it?

We haven’t ascertained ……………………………………………..………….

7. What is Nike’s logo called?

The catalogue doesn’t say ………………………………...…………………….

8. What is your ideal balance of work and leisure time?

They haven’t discovered ……………...…………………………………………

9. What exactly is the problem?

I am not sure ……. ……………………………………………………………….

10. What are the qualities required for this position?

Can I ask about ……………………………………………………… ………...

Ex. Make general questions for the next sentences:

1. He had to make them redundant. → … Had he to make them redundant?……...

2. I can call you back. → …………………………………………………..….…?

3. I am free to talk. → ……………………………………………………………?

4. There are some messages for you. → …………………………………………?

5. We will schedule a meeting on this issue in April. → ……..…………………?

Ex. Make special questions for the next sentences:

1. They often change the company’s recruitment profile.

……… What do they often change ……………………………………..…?

2. He works up to forty hours a week.

…………………………………………………………………………….?

3. The HR manager has prohibited any discussions of non-work related matters.

………………………………………………..……………………………?

4. They will meet in the boardroom.

………………………………………………………………………………?

5. They have got ten meetings this month.

………………………………………………………………………………?

Ex. Make alternative questions for the next sentences:

1. They pay the bills every month.

…… Do they pay the bills every month or once a quarter?…………………

2. They have agreed to give us 5 days to pay off the loan.

…………………………………………...…………………………………?

3. He does several things at the same time. ……………………………………………………………………………...?

4. She tends to make decisions individually. ………………………..………….…………………………………………?

5. Employees receive low-cost warm meals in company canteen.

…………………………………………………………………………...…?

Ex. Make questions to the subject for the next sentences:

1. People have lost confidence in the government.

…… Who has lost confidence in the government……………………………..?.

2. They have been working for this company for two years. ………………………………….…………………………………………?

3. We invite the best candidates to attend an interview.

…………………………………………………………………..…………?

4. They advertise with an on-line recruitment agency. ……………………………………………………………………………..?

5. Martha talked the hind leg off a donkey. …………………………………...…………………………………………?

Ex. Make disjunctive questions filling in the tags:

1. This year Bill has done a lot of business trips, ………… hasn’t he ………..?

2. He works in the sales department, …………………………………………?

3. They are hardly interested in modern payment system, …………………...?

4. People should recycle all the paper they consume, ………………………..?

5. I am stating a long-term goal to capture the market, ………………………?

6. Sales reps spent a lot of time and efforts talking to their clients, ………….?

7. He used to offer consultancy services to overseas companies, …………....?

8. Alex and Jill haven’t bought the tickets, …………………………………..?

9. These applicants won’t meet our criteria, ……………….……………......?

10. Someone frequently watches the business news on TV, ……………….....?

11. There are many departments in our company, ………………………...….?

12. Staff had a good time at the party yesterday, ……………….…………….?

13. Nobody attended this conference, ………………………………………...?

14. He doesn’t need to compile an ad-hoc report, …………………………….?

15. Let them check it, …………………………………………………………?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14