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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > question
question
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Venus78
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question
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Hi everyone,
I have a question that I �d already submited a similar one in the forum before.
what would you say if you were to make a question of this sentence?
I �m the third child in the family. (there are two older brother or sister)
now I want to ask someone this question that what number is he or she in the order
of children in the family?
I �m looking for a more informal way to ask rather than "Where do you you stand in the line of children in your family?" or similar formal ways of asking.
something like "what number are you in the order of children in your family?" Is this correct?
Thanks,
Venus
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28 Nov 2010
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Kate (kkcat)
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I think it �s ok to ask "which child are you in the family?"
Your questions are correct but very very formal :)
have a good day!
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28 Nov 2010
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PhilipR
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Do you have any sisters or brothers? Are they older or younger than you?
These two questions should give you (indirectly) the answer you want. I wouldn �t use your question; it sounds overly formal and contrived - incorrect even. |
28 Nov 2010
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Redbull
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(1) Are you the youngest child in the family?
(2) How many children in your family? (3) their are three children in the family correct? (4) Your the third child in the family correct? (1) Answer ( Yes i �m the youngest of three, I have one brother and one sister ) (2) Answer ( We have three children in the family, i �m the youngest of the three. (3) Answer ( Yes three children me being the youngest of three. (4) Answer ( Yes the youngest.
what number are you in the order of children in your family? isn �t used.
REDBULL GIVES YOU WINGS YOU KNOW  . |
28 Nov 2010
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Venus78
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Thanks for your replies.
I was looking for a particular way to ask this this question. I know there are some other indirect ways to ask, but because there �s an exact question word in farsi for it, I was wondering what the best way in English is to ask.
for example if you were to ask what �s Obama �s number in ordinal orders of presidents, I �d say: In which place does Obama stand in the order of presidents? the answer would be: 44th
But I was looking for a way informal way to ask it, I guess there �s no such question word in English.
Thanks anyways for your help :)
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28 Nov 2010
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mish.cz
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Interesting:-) I know this was dealt with on the forum some time ago, but, as usually, I forgot the answer to that, so thank you, Venus, for raising this topic once again;-) @ native speakers: �Would you use "What number president is Obama?" Is it correct and does it have the meaning it is supposed to have? �
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28 Nov 2010
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yanogator
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We use the expression "birth order", although not commonly in a question. You can ask, "What is your birth order in your family?"
Bruce |
28 Nov 2010
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libertybelle
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If someone asks me how many children there are in my family - I answer
we �re five and I �m the oldest - or I �m number 3 in line!
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28 Nov 2010
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