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swissprof
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Is it correct to say this ?
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How many months have 28 days
What two words have the most letters?
What goes around the world, but stays
in one corner?
I am a bit confused about these questions . Are they grammatically correct
Thanks
Nicole |
21 Aug 2010
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lshorton99
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I would say they are fine, but the second question would be better as �Which two words have the most letters? �
Is the answer to the third a stamp?!!!
Lindsey
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21 Aug 2010
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almaz
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Every month has 28 days. Post + Office have (has) the most letters. A stamp...oh, dear...very subtle: nada to do with grammar. |
21 Aug 2010
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swissprof
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I am sorry but isn �t it
How many months do have 28 days?
What two words do have the most letters ?
I don �t know but these questions look strange for me ! |
21 Aug 2010
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lshorton99
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Hi swissprof
We don �t use the auxiliary verb �do � when the answer is the subject of a sentence.
Every month has 28 days. (Question = How many months have 28 days?)
Every month has 28 days. (Question = What does every month have?)
Post + office have the most letters. (Question = Which two words have the most letters?)
Post + office have the most letters.(Question = What do post + office have the most of?)
Hope that explains it!
Oh and thanks almaz - I wasn �t even thinking about the other two questions as riddles!
Lindsey
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21 Aug 2010
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almaz
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Nicole,
I thought you were having us on. Apologies.
There �s nothing wrong with your original questions (question 2: which or what? no huge difference).
You definitely don �t need �do � - unless you don �t believe the first answer. |
21 Aug 2010
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manuelanunes3
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Which two words have the most letters?
The other questions seem ok to me. |
21 Aug 2010
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swissprof
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Thanks a lot ! Of course when it refers to the subject we don �t need "do"
You have reassured me ! Thanks
Have a sweet night ! ( it �s night in Switzerland ! ) |
21 Aug 2010
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yanogator
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In the US, at least, we generally use "which" when there are specific choices given or understood, and "what" when the field is open.
Which drawer are the knives in?
What dessert do you like best?
I hope this helps a little.
Bruce |
22 Aug 2010
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Lina Ladybird
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@Bruce
Even though I was taught British English, the way you were describing the use of "which" and "what" is exactly the way I was taught, too...
Hmmm... 
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22 Aug 2010
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almaz
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Re which and what, a good rule of thumb here is to use �which � when there is a small, or limited number of choices (how many drawers are you likely to find in the average kitchen?) and �what � when the number of choices is much greater (how many words are there in the English language?). But, as I suggested earlier, Nicole �s original questions posed no grammatical problems as they stood (and Lindsey �s use of �which � is certainly no barrier to communication either). |
22 Aug 2010
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