how to recast this sentence

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Toefarm
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how to recast this sentence

Post by Toefarm »

How can I recast this:

I have no idea what the gift certificat was for?
Buddhaheart
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Post by Buddhaheart »

I don’t know what was the purpose of the gift certificate?

What was the meaning of the gift certificate?

What occasion was the gift certificate for?
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Krisi
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Re: how to recast this sentence

Post by Krisi »

Toefarm wrote:How can I recast this:

I have no idea what the gift certificat was for?
Your given example is not a question it is a statement/declaration so, it should end with a period. (computer lingo - full stop)

Question: Do you have any idea what is a gift certificate?
Reply: I have no idea what is a gift certificate.

Question: Do you know what is a gift certificate?
Reply: I don't know what is a gift certificate.

Question: Do you know when can I use a gift certificate?
Reply: I don't know when can you use a gift certificate. (This leads to a different meaning but the idea is still there.)

and so on...

I hope this will help.
Last edited by Krisi on Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Buddhaheart
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Post by Buddhaheart »

I think Toefarm might actually mean that to be a question? Toefarm, please clarify. If it’s meant to be a question, he’s not asking what a gift certificate was or when to use one. The question concerns with the purpose of the gift certificate (given to him).
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Krisi
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Post by Krisi »

Buddhaheart wrote: The question concerns with the purpose of the gift certificate (given to him).
This idea may be true to you. Since the given sentence is vague you have to be opened to the possibility that it could give another meaning to others.
Buddhaheart wrote: (given to him]
I think this assumption is unacceptable because it was not specified on the the given sentence. (unless you have witnessed it!)
trungkienb
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Re: how to recast this sentence

Post by trungkienb »

krisi wrote:
Toefarm wrote:How can I recast this:

I have no idea what the gift certificat was for?
Your given example is not a question it is a statement/declaration so, it should end with a period. (computer lingo - full stop)

Question: Do you have any idea what is a gift certificate?
Reply: I have no idea what is a gift certificate.

Question: Do you know what is a gift certificate?
Reply: I don't know what is a gift certificate.

Question: Do you know when can I use a gift certificate?
Reply: I don't know when can you use a gift certificate. (This leads to a different meaning but the idea is still there.)

and so on...

I hope this will help.
that's wrong. I'll recast them.
Question: Do you have any idea what a gift certificate is?
Reply: I have no idea what a gift certificate is

Question: Do you know what a gift certificateis ?
Reply: I don't know what a gift certificate is.

Question: Do you know when I can use a gift certificate?
Reply: I don't know when you can use a gift certificate
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Krisi
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Re: how to recast this sentence

Post by Krisi »

trungkienb wrote: that's wrong. I'll recast them.
Question: Do you have any idea what a gift certificate is?
Reply: I have no idea what a gift certificate is

Question: Do you know what a gift certificateis ?
Reply: I don't know what a gift certificate is.
Thanks trungkienb! (Yes, you are right.) I'll keep this in mind. :wink:

Explanation:
There are 2 types of questions the (1) Direct Question, and (2) Indirect Question. The given example above is an Indirect Question.
Indirect questions have 2 parts; (1) the polite expression, and (2) the question wherein the subject/verb is not reversed (contrary to the normal questions where the subject/verb are inverted).
Example (as given):
Do you have any idea - is the polite expression
what a gift certificate is? - is the question part
note: in the question part, we do not reverse the subject and verb like a normal question.
:)
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