Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
What vs. which vs. where
A. Could you tell me what is the next train to Bond Street?
B. Could you tell me which is the next train to Bond Street?
C. Could you tell me where is the next train to Bond Street?
1. Which is the most natural thing to say above?
2. Can I use 'what' above if I expect the train time and the platform number as answers.
3. Should I use 'which' if I see several trains and expect the platform number as an answer, the same as saying "Which platform is the next train to Bond Street?"
4. Should I use 'where' if I'm asking for the location of the train, that is, again, at which platform?
5. If my interpretations are incorrect, what is the difference between them?
6. Are my examples correct in word order? Or I should have written "Could you tell me (what/which/where) the next train to Bond Street is?"?
Please advise. Thank you.
B. Could you tell me which is the next train to Bond Street?
C. Could you tell me where is the next train to Bond Street?
1. Which is the most natural thing to say above?
2. Can I use 'what' above if I expect the train time and the platform number as answers.
3. Should I use 'which' if I see several trains and expect the platform number as an answer, the same as saying "Which platform is the next train to Bond Street?"
4. Should I use 'where' if I'm asking for the location of the train, that is, again, at which platform?
5. If my interpretations are incorrect, what is the difference between them?
6. Are my examples correct in word order? Or I should have written "Could you tell me (what/which/where) the next train to Bond Street is?"?
Please advise. Thank you.
Top answer
A. -- OK. General ignorance of train times.
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A. Could you tell me what is the next train to Bond Street?-- OK. General ignorance of train times.
B. Could you tell me which is the next train to Bond Street?-- OK. Some idea of train times.
C. Could you tell me where is the next train to Bond Street?-- OK. Wondering which track/platform
1. Which is the most natural thing to say above?-
B. Could you tell me which is the next train to Bond Street?-- OK. Some idea of train times.
C. Could you tell me where is the next train to Bond Street?-- OK. Wondering which track/platform
1. Which is the most natural thing to say above?-
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While I agree with MM I'll just add that the following versions are also possible.
Could you tell me what/where/which the next train to Bond Street is? (this is quite common in indirect questions and some people even prefer it)
Sorry, didn't see that this had already been addressed.
Could you tell me what/where/which the next train to Bond Street is? (this is quite common in indirect questions and some people even prefer it)
Sorry, didn't see that this had already been addressed.
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Thank you very much for your explanation. The difference between them makes sense to me now.
Just a follow-up question, since both versions are OK, which is more natural with regard to word order?
Could you tell me (what/which/where) the next train to Bond Street is?
Could you tell me (what/which/where) is the next train to Bond Street?
Just a follow-up question, since both versions are OK, which is more natural with regard to word order?
Could you tell me (what/which/where) the next train to Bond Street is?
Could you tell me (what/which/where) is the next train to Bond Street?
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Thank you very much, Mister Micawber and Ivanhr, for your helpful responses.
This is perfectly clear to me now.
This is perfectly clear to me now.
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