In Conversations^x, Direct questions^x

I know 'would' carries many meanings. My problem is sometimes I find it difficult to tell which meaning the speaker uses. I think I understand its hypothetical usage, and in some contexts, its politeness usage. Below is a post that has several woulds I have trouble interpreting. I also...

You are correct for careful writing, but in fact native speakers do with some frequency place the indirect question in direct-question order in casual conversation.

Dear teachers, Would you please correct my answers? But before that I’d like to ask you if I understood the meaning of the underlined expressions or ideas. Furthermore, I’d like to ask British teachers if they confirm what she says about the “British thing” and give me more elements about this...

Either 2 or 3 is fine. To me, the only difference would be if the conversation took place a long time ago, I'd use the "was." No, with indirect questions, you do not use the question mark.

Hi, According to 'Modern English Usage' by Fowler, an indirect question is the grammarian's name for a modification of what was originally a question. I don't see an 'original question' at the start of this exchange. It sems to me that the conversation could be something like A: Tom is my...

The question is "may I know...?" and the rest is an indirect question, so (1) flows better. In conversation you might well use (2), but it's not a single sentence.

I went to Circuit City, one of the electronic shops in the area, for a new portable PSP product from SONY which *have (agreement) just *been released. I *was a mystery shopper who *wants (tense) to buy one of *this hottest PSP, which *could play movieS, music, and video games in one single...

I need you helping me over this, my grammar is my main problems. Thanks in advance I went to Circuit City, one of the electronic shops in the area, for a new portable PSP product from SONY which have just released this several months. I pretended to be a customer who wants to buy one of this...

I need you helping me over this, my grammar is my main problems. Thanks in advance I went to Circuit City, one of the electronic shops in the area, for a new portable PSP product from SONY which have just released this several months. I pretended to be a customer who wants to buy one of this...

Let's say that you want to speak everyday American English, not write a formal paper. In that case you would not go far wrong to use "whom" immediately after a preposition, "who" otherwise. Since the sentence initial position is never after a preposition (by definition of "initial position"),...