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Old 21-Feb-2007, 05:03
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Default Re: Question Structure

[1] Who I should say is calling?
[2] Who is calling should I say?
[3] Who is calling I should say?

Examples [1] and [2] don't work because the subject-auxiliary set 'I should' looks like a statement. To get a question, you need to invert them, like this: I should => should I?

I'm not sure what you're asking here, 'what type of question is "Who should I say is calling?" ' The base structure looks like (A) below. (B) is the result of auxiliary+subject inversion, and (C) is the result of two things: (i) who movement, and (ii) auxiliary+subject inversion.

(A) I should say who is calling. <statement>
(B) Should I say who is calling? <question>
(C) Who should I say is calling. <question; requesting the person's name>

'who is calling' is the object of the verb 'say'. 'should' is a modal-auxiliary, and 'I' is the subject. The difference between (B) and (C) in terms of meaning is this. The answers:

(B) Yes, you should tell me the name of the person who is calling me.
(C) Yes. Please tell Max that Casiopea is calling him.

All the best.
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