Which is correct, “He asked how am I” or “He asked how I am”?
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Which is the correct word order?
He asked how am I.
He asked how I am.
I have heard both forms, I think latter one is correct, but so many people use the first one, that I'm not sure anymore...
I think it should rather be “He asked how I was”, no?
grammaticality
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
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Which is the correct word order?
He asked how am I.
He asked how I am.
I have heard both forms, I think latter one is correct, but so many people use the first one, that I'm not sure anymore...
I think it should rather be “He asked how I was”, no?
grammaticality
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
1
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Which is the correct word order?
He asked how am I.
He asked how I am.
I have heard both forms, I think latter one is correct, but so many people use the first one, that I'm not sure anymore...
I think it should rather be “He asked how I was”, no?
grammaticality
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
Which is the correct word order?
He asked how am I.
He asked how I am.
I have heard both forms, I think latter one is correct, but so many people use the first one, that I'm not sure anymore...
I think it should rather be “He asked how I was”, no?
grammaticality
grammaticality
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
edited Apr 18 '16 at 6:31
NVZ
20.8k1359110
20.8k1359110
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
asked Apr 18 '16 at 5:32
Gergő
612
612
Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
1
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37
add a comment |
Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
1
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37
Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
1
1
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37
add a comment |
3 Answers
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He asked how I was is the more usual idiomatic form. He asked how I am is a possibility, but it suggests a more continuous sense of "I am".
He asked how am I is not grammatical, punctuated like that. He asked "How am I?" is a soliloquy, in which he poses the question to himself.
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
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Both are correct, but they mean different things.
"He asked how I am" means that he inquired as to your well-being.
"He asked how am I" means that he had just given his rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy and he wanted your appraisal of his performance. (Though note that, in writing, it would be more condign to write "He asked 'How am I?'".)
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
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He said ,"How are you?" Direct speech
Indirect speech-- He asked How I was
Indirect speech has no questioning statement and verbs change into past tense.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
He asked how I was is the more usual idiomatic form. He asked how I am is a possibility, but it suggests a more continuous sense of "I am".
He asked how am I is not grammatical, punctuated like that. He asked "How am I?" is a soliloquy, in which he poses the question to himself.
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
He asked how I was is the more usual idiomatic form. He asked how I am is a possibility, but it suggests a more continuous sense of "I am".
He asked how am I is not grammatical, punctuated like that. He asked "How am I?" is a soliloquy, in which he poses the question to himself.
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
He asked how I was is the more usual idiomatic form. He asked how I am is a possibility, but it suggests a more continuous sense of "I am".
He asked how am I is not grammatical, punctuated like that. He asked "How am I?" is a soliloquy, in which he poses the question to himself.
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
He asked how I was is the more usual idiomatic form. He asked how I am is a possibility, but it suggests a more continuous sense of "I am".
He asked how am I is not grammatical, punctuated like that. He asked "How am I?" is a soliloquy, in which he poses the question to himself.
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
edited 2 hours ago
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
answered Apr 18 '16 at 6:55
WS2
51k27111240
51k27111240
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
Both are correct, but they mean different things.
"He asked how I am" means that he inquired as to your well-being.
"He asked how am I" means that he had just given his rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy and he wanted your appraisal of his performance. (Though note that, in writing, it would be more condign to write "He asked 'How am I?'".)
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
Both are correct, but they mean different things.
"He asked how I am" means that he inquired as to your well-being.
"He asked how am I" means that he had just given his rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy and he wanted your appraisal of his performance. (Though note that, in writing, it would be more condign to write "He asked 'How am I?'".)
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
Both are correct, but they mean different things.
"He asked how I am" means that he inquired as to your well-being.
"He asked how am I" means that he had just given his rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy and he wanted your appraisal of his performance. (Though note that, in writing, it would be more condign to write "He asked 'How am I?'".)
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
Both are correct, but they mean different things.
"He asked how I am" means that he inquired as to your well-being.
"He asked how am I" means that he had just given his rendition of Hamlet's soliloquy and he wanted your appraisal of his performance. (Though note that, in writing, it would be more condign to write "He asked 'How am I?'".)
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
answered Sep 20 '16 at 1:38
Hot Licks
18.8k23677
18.8k23677
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
He said ,"How are you?" Direct speech
Indirect speech-- He asked How I was
Indirect speech has no questioning statement and verbs change into past tense.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
He said ,"How are you?" Direct speech
Indirect speech-- He asked How I was
Indirect speech has no questioning statement and verbs change into past tense.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
up vote
-1
down vote
He said ,"How are you?" Direct speech
Indirect speech-- He asked How I was
Indirect speech has no questioning statement and verbs change into past tense.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
He said ,"How are you?" Direct speech
Indirect speech-- He asked How I was
Indirect speech has no questioning statement and verbs change into past tense.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
answered 3 hours ago
Zeeshan
1
1
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Zeeshan is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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Possible duplicate of "What this thing was" vs "what was this thing"
– user140086
Apr 18 '16 at 9:02
1
The distinction between "am I" or "I am" is an idiomatic one: both are correct grammatically. The difference between the present or past tense in this question depends on how accurately you want to consider the passage of time, since the statement is that at some time in the past, he asked how you were (then). But if, perhaps, he were asking about your state of being in the future, which might, for some brief period of time, be expressed most accurately with the present tense, then "I am" may be better. Yada yada yada---both sentences are grammatical with slightly different meanings.
– modulus0
Apr 18 '16 at 9:37