In/on the black list

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

What is the right way to ask the question "was he included on the black list?" "Was he included in the black list"?

 

[GoesStation]

Use "on the blacklist". Note that it's a blacklist. A "black list" is a list which is black.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello.

[STRIKE]What[/STRIKE] Which is the [STRIKE]right way to ask the[/STRIKE] correct question?

1. "Was he included on the black list?"
2. "Was he included in the black list?"

See above. Whenever you give us options, please number them for ease of response.

You already know it's "on" and "blacklist". I see no reason for "included". You can just say "Was he on the blacklist?"

 

[Rachel Adams]

See above. Whenever you give us options, please number them for ease of response.

You already know it's "on" and "blacklist". I see no reason for "included". You can just say "Was he on the blacklist?"

Thank you for correcting my question. I cannot but ask why is it wrong to use ''what'' in my question? Is ''which'' used when there is a limited number of choices?

 

[emsr2d2]

If you're presenting us with options, it's better to use "Which". That doesn't mean you think that only one is correct. You could ask "Which of the following eight sentences ...?" and the answer could be "Seven of them".

 

[Rachel Adams]

If you're presenting us with options, it's better to use "Which". That doesn't mean you think that only one is correct. You could ask "Which of the following eight sentences ...?" and the answer could be "Seven of them".

I thought if I said ''which of the following eight sentences are correct'' I would be implying that more than one sentence may be correct but if I said ''which of the following sentence is correct'' I am implying that only one sentence may be correct. I am not sure about that, though.

 

[emsr2d2]

I thought if I said ''Which of the following eight sentences are correct'' I would be implying that more than one sentence may be correct but if I said ''Which of the following sentence is correct'' I am implying that only one sentence may be correct. I am not sure about that, though.

You're right. That would be our inference but it wouldn't change the answer.

 

[Rachel Adams]

See above. Whenever you give us options, please number them for ease of response.

You already know it's "on" and "blacklist". I see no reason for "included". You can just say "Was he on the blacklist?"

If am talking about my shopping list should I also use ''on'' in my sentence? Top three things in my list are mushrooms, cheese, and chocolate.

 

[GoesStation]

If am talking about my shopping list should I also use ''on'' in my sentence? Top three things in my list are mushrooms, cheese, and chocolate.

Use "on".

 

[Rachel Adams]

If you're presenting us with options, it's better to use "Which". That doesn't mean you think that only one is correct. You could ask "Which of the following eight sentences ...?" and the answer could be "Seven of them".

So whenever one uses "what" they are not thnking about several options. Am I right? "What is the right answer?" I have only one answer in mind.

 

[GoesStation]

I cannot but ask, why is it wrong to use ''what'' in my question?

You've hit on a tricky bit of question phrasing. You either need to make the question a separate clause with the comma I've added above, or you have to rephrase the sentence into a declaration like this: "I cannot but ask why it is wrong to use ''what'' in my question."

 

[GoesStation]

You've hit on a tricky bit of question phrasing. You either need to make the question a separate clause with the comma I've added above, or you have to rephrase the sentence into a declaration like this: "I cannot but ask why it is wrong to use ''what'' in my question."

I should have used a colon, not a comma. :-(

 

[Rachel Adams]

I should have used a colon, not a comma. :-(

Oh, it's OK. Thank you.