[Grammar] What is your name?/Who is your dad?

[kadioguy]

I am practicing indirect questions.
---------
1.
What is your name?
→I know what your name is. (correct) (your name=subject; is=verb)

→I know what is your name. (correct) (what=subject; is=verb)

---------
2. Who is your dad?
→I know who your dad is. (correct) (your dad=subject; is=verb)

→I know who is your dad. (correct) (who=subject; is=verb)

----------
​Am I right?

 

[GoesStation]

I am practicing indirect questions.
---------
1.
What is your name?
→I know what your name is.:tick:(correct) (your name=subject; is=verb)

→I know what is your name.:cross:(correct) (what=subject; is=verb)

---------
2. Who is your dad?
→I know who your dad is.:tick:(correct) (your dad=subject; is=verb)

→I know who is your dad. (correct) [Not natural.] (who=subject; is=verb)

----------
​Am I right?

See above.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I know who is your dad.

I think it is possible if the speaker is looking at a photo of several men.

I know what is your name.

I would omit "what is".

 

[jutfrank]

Only the first of each pair is correct.

 

[teechar]

Where are the indirect questions?

 

[kadioguy]

See above.

1.
What is your name?
→I know what is your name.

(For example, I know Tom is your name)

Technically, I think it is possible. :shock:

 

[kadioguy]

Where are the indirect questions?

a. She asked where I was going.
b. I know what your name is.

(a) is the indirect question, and (b) not. Then how can we call (b)?

 

[GoesStation]

1.
What is your name?
→I know what is your name.

(For example, I know Tom is your name)

Technically, I think it is possible. :shock:

It's not. It would be understood but it would clearly mark the person who said it as someone with an incomplete grasp of English.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I found a relevant post: https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...ized-version?p=1353364&viewfull=1#post1353364

 

[kadioguy]

I found a relevant post: https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...ized-version?p=1353364&viewfull=1#post1353364

Practical English Usage 3rd.

278.7

Questions beginning who/what/which + be can ask for a subject or a complement. Compare:

Who is the best player here?
(This asks for a subject: a possible answer is John is the best player here.)

What is the time?
(This asks for a complement: a possible answer is The time is 4.30, NOT 4.30 is the time.)

When we report the first kind of question (where who/what/which + be asks for a subject), two word orders are possible.

DIRECT:
Who's the best player here?

INDIRECT:
She asked me who was the best player.
She asked me who the best player was.

DIRECT:
What's the matter?

INDIRECT:
I asked what was the matter.
I asked what the matter was.

DIRECT:
Which is my seat?

INDIRECT:
She wondered which was her seat.
She wondered which her seat was.

This does not happen when who/what/which asks for a complement.

DIRECT:
What's the time?

INDIRECT:
She asked what the time was. (NOT USUALLY She asked what was the time.)

 

[jutfrank]

1.
What is your name?
→I know what is your name.

(For example, I know Tom is your name)

Technically, I think it is possible. :shock:

It may be technically possible but it's not correct.

 

[Matthew Wai]

"I know what is your name" ＝「我知道什麼是你的名字」, which doesn't sound correct.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Sometimes the translation could be enlightening.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please use the Other Languages forum or PMs for this purpose.

 

[kadioguy]

Only the first of each pair is correct.

When we report the first kind of question (where who/what/which + be asks for a subject), two word orders are possible.

DIRECT:
Who's the best player here?

INDIRECT:
She asked me who was the best player.
She asked me who the best player was.

Compare it to post #1:

Who is your dad?
→I know who your dad is.
→I know who is your dad.
---------
So I would think I know who your dad is and I know who is your dad are both correct. :shock:

 

[Matthew Wai]

1. I know who your dad is. He is the police commissioner.
2. I know who is your dad. The one in a purple suit is.

 

[kadioguy]

Where are the indirect questions?

a. She asked where I was going.
b. I know what your name is.
(a) is the indirect question, and (b) not. Then how can we call (b)?

Pardon me, but how can we call (b)? Can anyone help me?

 

[GoesStation]

Pardon me, but [STRIKE]how can[/STRIKE] what should we call (b)? Can anyone help me?

I don't know the grammatical term, but the above is how you should ask the question.

 

[teechar]

Pardon me, but [STRIKE]how[/STRIKE] what can/do/should we call (b)? Can anyone help me?
b. I know what your name is.

It's a declarative sentence with a main clause and a free relative clause.

 

[teechar]

how can we call

This is possible in other contexts.
A: If the truck breaks down and we get stuck, how can we call for help?
B: Use the radio equipment we have provided you.