1. Business English
  2. English for emails
  3. Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 6: Enquiries

Where can you practise the ways we ask questions in emails? Here, of course!

Enquiries

Consider these things when writing questions.

Subject questions

These questions are about the subject of a sentence:

  • Who takes you to school?
  • Where is your favourite place?
  • What annoys you the most?
  • When is convenient?

Do not add the auxiliary verb 'do' ('do', 'does', 'did'): Who takes you ...? not Who does take you ...?

Yes/no questions

These questions usually only need a short answer like 'yes'/'yes, of course' or 'no'/ 'no, I'm sorry'.

  • Are you ready?
  • Is that convenient?
  • Do you remember me?
  • Can you send me the report, please?

Use the auxiliary verb before the subject: Do you remember ...? not You do remember ...?

Object questions

These questions are about the object of a sentence:

  • Where do you want to meet?
  • Who did you invite to the meeting?
  • Why couldn't you go?
  • How much is this going to cost?

Remember to use an auxiliary verb ('do', 'did', 'have', 'can', etc.): Where do you want to meet? not Where you want to meet?

'Let me know'

When you ask about something in an email, you can use this phrase. It shows that you want to get an answer.

  • Are you coming to the party on Saturday? Could you let me know? Thanks…
  • I would like to attend the training next Tuesday. Please can you let me know the start time?

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Choose the correct preposition for the gaps in the email below.

From: Raj (raj.kumar@stancliffschool.org.uk)
To: Victor Obinna (Victor1997@yesmail.ng)
Subject: RE: pictures from my school

Hello Victor,

Thanks for sending me the pictures of your school and your friends. My school in England is very different! I want to ask you about your school. Here are my questions.

  1. I play cricket in the school team. What sports are you good (1) in / with / at?
  2. I hate maths but I love English. What subjects are you interested (2) in / to / on?
  3. In IT, we're learning how to make a website. At your school, what are you learning (3) about / on / at?
  4. My brother and I walk to school together every day. Who do you go to school (4) to / from / with?
  5. My flat is by a road with lots of cars. What is your home (5) next to / out of / away from?

Can you let me know?

Bye for now! Raj

Exercise

Task 3

Exercise

Task 4

Exercise

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Profile picture for user OlaIELTS

Submitted by OlaIELTS on Sat, 06/06/2020 - 03:02

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It's really logical.

Submitted by yuldus83 on Sun, 03/05/2020 - 12:40

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Grammar is the foundation of the English language, to know grammar properly means to ask a question clearly!

Submitted by Marwa.Mohamed on Wed, 12/09/2018 - 22:51

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Hi Sorry but I don't understand this: Do not add the auxiliary verb 'do' ('do', 'does', 'did'): Who takes you ...? not Who does take you ...? Remember to use an auxiliary verb ('do', 'did', 'have', 'can', etc.): Where do you want to meet? not Where you want to meet? How can I differentiate between subject and object questions? Another question: In task 3 question4: (on) January 4 next year.  Why not (in) January 4 next year Deep thanks. We appreciate your great efforts.
Profile picture for user Peter M.

Submitted by Peter M. on Thu, 13/09/2018 - 07:44

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Hi Marwa.Mohamed,

Subject questions are questions which ask about the subject – i.e. the person or thing performing the action. Object questions are questions which ask about the object – i.e. the person or things which the action is done to. For example:

Paul wrote this book.

Paul is the subject. The question about Paul is Who wrote this book?

'This book' is the object. The question about this book is What did Paul write?

 

We use 'in' when we are talking about a month without a date. We say 'on' when we are talking about a day: on Saturday, on the fourth of July etc.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by David240350 on Tue, 11/09/2018 - 20:29

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Can you advise whether I should use on or about in the following sentence? As we can't agree (on/about) this subject, we won't discuss it again. thanks

Hello David240350,

I think both are possible and both have a similar meaning.

We can use 'agree on' and 'agree about' to mean 'have similar opinions'.

We can also use 'agree on' to mean 'choose together', as in 'we need to agree on a time'.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by qayum2s on Tue, 19/06/2018 - 06:21

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Hello LearnEnglish team, Could you let me know your arrival time? Could you let me know when your arrival time is? Could you let me know when is your arrival time? Please let me know whether the last two are correct or not.

Hi qayum2s,

The first and second sentences are correct. The third one is not – see our Reported questions page for an explanation of this.

Best wishes,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team