short sentence

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Newguest

#494307 Sat, 29 Mar 08 02:02 PM

I read this sentence somewhere and I wonder if it's correct.

I want you to explain to me what exactly did you send me.

Shouldn't it rather be: I want you to explain to me what exactly you sent me.

Newguest

Joined on Sun, Feb 25 2007

Contributing Member (1,104)

Philip

#494318 Sat, 29 Mar 08 03:01 PM

Your sentence is correct. (I would place 'exactly' between 'me' and 'what', however.)

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,181)

At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

RayH

#494327 Sat, 29 Mar 08 03:22 PM

Newguest
Shouldn't it rather be: I want you to explain to me what exactly you sent me.

I find the repetition of "me" somewhat awkward here.
Try this:
I want you to explain exactly what you sent me.
or, for added emphasis this:
I want you to explain what, exactly, you sent me.

RayH

Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008

CA, USA

Regular Member (735)

Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert.

Newguest

#494332 Sat, 29 Mar 08 03:40 PM

Thanks guys. It was helpful.

One more question. Is the direct question in my sentence: What sent you to me?

You sent me something. So the word "what" is the object, and that's why we should reverse it, i.e., ....what you sent me, instead of "what did you send me". right?

Newguest

Direct questions

RayH

#494335 Sat, 29 Mar 08 03:51 PM

Newguest
One more question. Is the direct question in my sentence: What sent you to me?

You sent me something. So the word "what" is the object, and that's why we should reverse it, i.e., ....what you sent me, instead of "what did you send me". right?

No. The question is: "What did you send me?"
I'll have to defer, as always, to the grammar experts for the explanation.

RayH

Grammar, Direct questions

Newguest

#494345 Sat, 29 Mar 08 04:16 PM

I purposefully omitted "did" Smile

Someone has told me that when I want to know the word order in indirect questions, I need to work out the implied direct question, and put it in a form without the auxiliaries.

Newguest

Auxiliaries, Word order, Indirect questions, Direct questions