"What something is?" vs "what is something?"

Question

I can write "what a cup is?" as question and I can write "what is a cup?". Are both forms grammatically correct?

The former one looking a bit off when used without context, but I'm planning to use it in a pair like: "What a cup is not?" and "What a cup is?". Stressing on IS rather than on a cup in this case, as I want to stress that definition is important and important when done in comparison to a not part.

Maybe it is sound even better with some adjective rather then noun, like: "What flexibility is not?" vs "What flexibility is?".

But I feel that this is somehow wrong still.

"What a cup is?" is wrong. That is not correct word order for an English question. Only "What is a cup?" is the correct word order. — stangdon, Jan 09 '23 at 15:33
Does this answer your question? "Do you know where's Linda?" vs "Do you know where Linda is?" Also "Do you know what IS IT?" vs "Do you know what IT IS?" and "What's it say" VS "What is it saying" or "What it is saying"? Are the the same?, among others. — FumbleFingers, Jan 09 '23 at 16:19
You're in good company. By my estimate, probably 99% of all non-native Anglophones struggle with this specific point! — FumbleFingers, Jan 09 '23 at 16:36
Does this answer your question? "Do you know what IS IT?" vs "Do you know what IT IS?" — James K, Jan 09 '23 at 20:17

Lambie · Accepted Answer · 2023-01-09T15:40:56.340

1

What is a cup? is a question form.

I can tell you what a cup is. is a statement form.

The question in writing always requires the inverted form.

Title: What a Cup Is and What It Is Not.

OR What Is or Is not a Cup

edited Jan 09 '23 at 15:40

answered Jan 09 '23 at 15:26

Lambie

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Oh, yes. I completelly confused those. Thanks! – Artsiom Miksiuk Jan 09 '23 at 15:35

"What something is?" vs "what is something?"

1 Answers1