Is it the right way to ask if someone is asking for your help?
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2It is grammatically correct, reasonably idiomatic, and polite.– Hot LicksNov 26, 2020 at 16:09
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I'd hate to hurt anyone's feelings but I have to say that it must be found rather reasonably idiotic…– LPHNov 26, 2020 at 16:26
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Does this answer your question? Can you please tell me what is the food choice/what the food choice is? (inversion) This traditionally has to be seen as a fragment and a direct question: zero punctuation is non-standard. "Please tell me ... how can I help you?" works.– Edwin AshworthNov 26, 2020 at 16:38
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4Oops, I misread it slightly. "Please tell me how I can help you" would be more idiomatic.– Hot LicksNov 26, 2020 at 16:38
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@HotLicks I would normally agree, but I have also seen "tell me how can I help you?" Whatever.– Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_Nov 26, 2020 at 16:57
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1 Answer
It works but would typically considered a solecism.
But no, the correct sentence is:
Please tell me how I can help you.
because "how" is a clause (embedded question), and therefore it doesn't need inversion as the clause is an affirmative sentence.
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2I'd say that it's how I can help you that is a clause, an interrogative one (embedded question) functioning as complement of "tell".– BillJNov 26, 2020 at 16:49