[Grammar] I don't what are you doing/ what you are doing?

[Williamyh]

Hi Teachers,

I would like to know how to correctly write the following sentences.

1. I don't know what are you doing. or I don't know what you are doing.
2. I don't know what is happen. or I don't know what happen is.
3. I don't know what is going on. or I don't know what going on is.

Please advise.

W

 

[2006]

Hi Teachers,

I would like to know how to correctly write the following sentences.

1. I don't know what are you doing. :cross: because the underlined part is question grammar and you are not asking a question
I don't know what you are doing. :tick:
2. I don't know what is happening. :tick:
I don't know what happen is. :cross:
3. I don't know what is going on. :tick:
I don't know what going on is. :cross: unless you put "going on" in quotation marks or otherwise indicate that you are asking about the grammatical character of "going on". But I don't think you are asking that.

Please advise.

W

2006

 

[emsr2d2]

Remember that you reverse the person/verb order if it's a question. If it's a statement, you don't.

I don't know what you are doing.
What are you doing?

I don't know where the book is.
Where is the book?

He wants to know who the author is.
Who is the author?

Note that this doesn't apply when there is no "person" involved!

He doesn't know what is happening.
What is happening?