English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
QUESTION or STATEMENT?
I hope she remembers I’m coming tomorrow? (nonstandard)
I hope she remembers I’m coming tomorrow. (standard) When “hope” is used to express a desire with the expectation that the wish be granted, it is considered a statement; not a question.
Guess when this house was built? (nonstandard)
Guess when this house was built. (standard). When “guess” precedes question words such as “when”, “why” etc, it is considered a command, and not a question mark; hence, it does not attract a question. However, when used before telling someone something interesting or surprising, it attracts a question mark or an exclamation mark. Guess what? GAB speaks Yoruba more fluently than English.
GAB
