the question inquires

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the question inquires" is not correct in standard English usage.
It is typically used to indicate that a question is seeking information or clarification. Example: "The question inquires about the reasons behind the decision made by the committee."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was instrumental in the creation of industry standards for polling methods and the wording of questions and was best known for having written the question inquiring whether one feels that "things in this country are generally going in the right direction" or that they have "seriously gotten off on the wrong track".

Encyclopedia Britannica

In the last related query, which was inspired by the idea of generative technologies (Zittrain, 2005), the question inquired if the participant thought that information and communication moved by technology promoted positive changes, improvement, or innovation at their site.

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy

The question inquired about 'now' having/not having a pet (cat, dog, other animal) with 3 response alternatives (yes, no/not wanted, no/impossible to keep).

Plosone

The question inquiring about the frequency of tooth brushing offered four answer options, later dichotomized to twice daily or less frequently.

BMC Oral Health

We received multifaceted responses to the question inquiring to what extent the students experienced an actual increase in performance as a result of drug use.

BMC Medical Ethics

The answers to the question inquiring the mode of action of the contraceptive method in use ("How does your current contraceptive method protect you from becoming pregnant?") were rated by a committee featuring four researchers.

BMC Women's Health

The question inquiring about using a computer on school days was the only item which indicated a fair agreement, and expressed the lowest value of ICC (0.33) for all respondents among all the selected items in this study.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

The questions inquire the experience of the items in the past week and each item is scored from 0 (did not apply to me at all) to 3 (applied to me very much).

BMC Psychiatry

The questions inquired about cattle housing conditions, cow replacement, provision of own grazing area or free range on the farm, the presence of horseflies in summer, dehorning, the use of plastic sleeves for rectal palpation, change of needles used for herd vaccination, colostrum feeding, and general data on herd demography.

BMC Veterinary Research

If they had, the next question inquires after the number of consultation with this healthcare provider during the past four weeks.

BMC Health Services Research

If they were, the next question inquires after the number of hours lost to this inefficiency.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "the question inquires", opt for simpler and grammatically correct alternatives such as "the question asks" or "the inquiry seeks".

Common error

Avoid using "inquires" directly after "the question". While "inquire" is a valid verb, it doesn't fit well structurally in this phrase. It's more appropriate to say "the question asks" or rephrase to something like "the inquiry seeks".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the question inquires" is intended to function as a statement indicating what a question is designed to elicit. However, Ludwig AI indicates this phrasing is not grammatically correct and advises using alternative phrasing.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "the question inquires" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests opting for alternatives like "the question asks" or rephrasing the sentence to use a grammatically sound structure such as "the inquiry seeks". While the intention is to convey the purpose of a question, using correct grammar enhances clarity and credibility. Therefore, it's advisable to avoid "the question inquires" in formal writing and speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the question asks

Replaces "inquires" with the more common and grammatically standard verb "asks".

the question seeks

Replaces "inquires" with "seeks", which is a more formal but grammatically correct alternative.

the inquiry asks

Replaces "question" with "inquiry" and uses the verb "asks", making it grammatically sound.

the query asks

Substitutes "question" with "query", retaining a similar formal tone while correcting the verb.

the survey asks

Changes "question" to "survey" which implies a set of questions, correcting the grammatical error.

the item asks

Replaces "question" with "item", often used in questionnaires and surveys, paired with the correct verb.

the form asks

Uses "form" instead of "question", suggesting a document with questions, and corrects the verb conjugation.

the survey includes a question that asks

Expands the phrase to clarify that the survey contains a question, resolving the grammatical issue.

the investigation seeks

Replaces "question" with "investigation" which is a broader concept, and uses the correct verb "seeks".

the research explores

Changes the structure to highlight the exploratory nature of the research question.

FAQs

What is a grammatically correct alternative to "the question inquires"?

A grammatically correct alternative to "the question inquires" is "the question asks".

When is it appropriate to use the word "inquire" in relation to questions?

It is appropriate to use "inquire" when the subject is the person or entity doing the asking, not the question itself. For example, "The researcher inquired about the participants' experiences."

What are some formal alternatives to "the question inquires"?

Formal alternatives include "the inquiry seeks" or "the question seeks to determine".

Is there a difference in meaning between "the question asks" and "the question inquires"?

While the intended meaning might be similar, "the question inquires" is not considered standard English. "The question asks" is the grammatically correct and commonly used phrase.