I know that if I was supposed to spin a grammatically correct sentence with the same meaning, I would probably say:
Does anybody else have any other concerns?
However, is the sentence in the subject of the question correct as well, even if unusual??
-
And you would probably be right!– mplungjanCommented Aug 28, 2013 at 10:00
-
The sentence in the subject is not overly grammatically incorrect as such, but it is not a question. It is a kind of equivalent of, “I do have other concerns”, i.e., an emphatic statement. The thing that makes it grammatically dubious is the fact that pronouns/determiners that begin with ‘any’ are not used in positive statements, but only in questions and negated statements. Instead, you would have to say, “Somebody else does have (some) other concerns”.– Janus Bahs JacquetCommented Aug 28, 2013 at 10:49
-
Would the “does” really be used? “Anybode else want some coffee?”– Carsten SCommented Aug 28, 2013 at 11:13
-
@CarstenSchultz: The Does ... is implied (and elided) in that construction.– RobustoCommented Aug 28, 2013 at 11:36
-
1If it is intended to be a question, then the use of anybody is correct - and your second version beginning "Does ..." is fine. But as JBJ said in his first comment "The sentence in the subject ... is not a question." - the word order is wrong. If I were reading / hearing the sentence in the subject line, I would not know whether you were asking a question or making a statement, because the word order suggests a statement, but the use of anybody suggests a question.– TrevorDCommented Aug 28, 2013 at 12:19
|
Show 2 more comments
1 Answer
Anybody else does have any other concerns?
To my mind it is not clear whether this sentence is a statement or a question:
If it's intended to be a statement, then the use of "Anybody" is incorrect, because that implies a question, so it should be something like:
Somebody else does have (some) other concerns
I do have other concernsIf, on the other hand, it is intended to be a question, then the use of "anybody" is correct, but the subject-verb word order is wrong for a question and should be reversed. Hence your alternative version is fine:
Does anybody else have any other concerns?
Summarising, if I were reading / hearing the sentence:
Anybody else does have any other concerns?
I would not know whether you were asking a question or making a statement, because the word order suggests a statement, but the use of "anybody" suggests a question.
-
english.stackexchange.com/questions/112766/… has already addressed the (agreed correct) device of using non-inverted sentences as questions. 'John is in prison?' Such a sentence is marked as a question by intonation in speech and by a question mark in print. However, structures involving auxiliaries are a little trickier when combined with pronouns/determiners that begin with ‘any’ (though the do-elision recommended by Carsten works). Commented Aug 28, 2013 at 22:46