Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sirius black]

A teacher friend has a student that was given this question. They have to find the incorrect answer.

Can you tell me _______________________?

1. why you are so busy
2. where the post office is
3. what your favorite subject is
4. which is the largest city in Korea
5. how many girls there are in your class


I've ruled out #s 1 and 5 automatically. 2 and 3 end in is which may or may not be a slight grammatical matter. #4 could be 'what' instead of 'which'.

Any ideas? And yes, there are some very poorly written exam questions in this country.

Thanks in advance.

[le-paul]

maybe its could you instead of can you?
mulah yeo...

[littlelisa]

I'd go for 4. "Which" does sound awkward a little there, though it would depend on the context. For example, it could be correct in a situation like, "from this list of 5 cities, can you tell me which is the largest city in Korea?" But normally we're not choosing like that and what would sound better.

I'd still pick 4, though.

[schwa]

They're all correct.

[Old fat expat]

my guess;

two of the sentences are ending in to-be verbs. I don't think that's allowed generally.

but one sentence implies a past participle - located i.e. an ending. The other does not have an ending, implied or otherwise.

seems like I read something about grammar such as that is.

but I'm old and feeble minded.

just a guess.

nevermind

[Kiwigoddess]

Can you tell me _______________________?

1. why you are so busy
2. where the post office is
3. what your favorite subject is
4. which is the largest city in Korea

I would say #4 too. Although simply replacing "which" with "what" would still be incorrect. It should be "Can you tell me what the largest city in Korea is" OR "Can you tell me which city in Korea is the largest?

[Waygeek]

[transmogrifier]

I imagine it is 4, due to the fact it is not subject+verb order like the others. The complicating factor is the use of 'which'

Which city is the largest?
Could you tell me which city is the largest?

The indirect question here preserves the Wh+subject+verb order expected.

However, if we are already aware of the topic, the noun can be skipped.

I don't know which city to visit.
Well, which is the largest?

The indirect version of this: Could you tell me which is the largest?

The question inserts city in the wrong place, but it sounds right. And that's why it is confusing.

[schwa]

Not buying it.

You could word that question various ways, but there is nothing wrong with "Can you tell me which is the largest city in Korea?"

[Dalton]

Every choice can be answered 'yes I can' or 'no I can't' so I'd say they are all correct.

I'd reorder #4 to 'Can you tell me which city in Korea is the largest?' since no choice of cities to choose from has been offered but that doesn't mean the question isn't possible. It just annoys me.

[newb]

They're all incorrect. We don't speak that way. You have to be a dork.

[edwardcatflap]

As people have said they're all correct. However from what I know of Korean tests, 4 is 'incorrect' as the word order is that of a question and not an indirect question. So strictly speaking it should be

'Can you tell me which the largest city in Korea is? '

[transmogrifier]

[edwardcatflap]

Yeah I must admit it sounds wrong to me but I still think it's the 'correct answer' (ie the wrong one in this case as far as the Koreans are concerned

[some waygug-in]