Understanding the Differences Between 'This is What We Are Looking For' and 'What Are We Looking For'

The English language is rich with nuanced expressions that can be easily mistaken for one another. One such pair of sentences is 'This is what we are looking for' and 'What are we looking for.' A simple glance might not reveal the underlying differences between these sentences. However, understanding the grammatical and contextual distinctions between these expressions is crucial for effective communication and clear writing.

What is a Declarative Statement?

Firstly, let's explore the phrase 'This is what we are looking for.' Consider the sentence:

'This rug is what we are looking for.'

This is a declarative statement. It states a fact or provides information. The structure of the sentence is straightforward and does not involve any question mark or inverted subject-verb order. The sentence can be easily recognized as a statement because it begins with 'This' and lacks any elements that typically denote a question.

What about the Question?

On the other hand, the sentence 'What are we looking for?' is a question. Questions in English are characterized by their inverted subject-verb order, which is why this sentence begins with 'What' followed by 'are.' This inversion is a clear indicator that the sentence is a question and not a statement. Questions typically end with a question mark to explicitly denote that the sentence is an inquiry seeking information.

Relative Clause vs. Interrogative Pronoun

To further understand these differences, it is important to distinguish between relative clauses and interrogative pronouns:

Relative Clause

In the sentence 'This is what we are looking for,' 'what we are looking for' is a relative clause. A relative clause is a dependent clause that provides additional information about a noun, known as the antecedent. In this case, 'rug' is the antecedent, and 'what we are looking for' provides further detail about this rug:

'This rug is what (that/which) we are looking for.'

The phrase 'what we are looking for' is not a complete sentence on its own but rather part of a larger sentence that provides a complete idea. It serves as the object of the main verb 'is,' making it a subordinate clause.

Interrogative Sentence

The sentence 'What are we looking for?' is an interrogative sentence. An interrogative sentence is asked to elicit information. The subject-verb inversion ('What' followed by 'are') is a key feature of interrogative sentences. Here, 'What' is an interrogative pronoun, and the question structure is intact, making it clear that the sentence is a query rather than a statement.

Clarity in Academic and Professional Writing

Understanding these distinctions is crucial in academic and professional writing. Misusing these structures can lead to confusion and miscommunication. In academic papers and professional reports, clear and precise language is essential. By recognizing whether a sentence should be a declarative statement or a question, writers can convey their ideas more effectively.

Common Misconceptions

One of the common misconceptions is the usage of 'what' in both contexts. While 'what' can serve as both a relative pronoun and an interrogative pronoun, the context and structure of the sentence determine its function. As seen in the following examples:

He wondered what we are looking for.

In this sentence, 'what' is a relative pronoun, and the sentence is a declarative statement. It implicitly includes the prepositional phrase 'for what,' which makes the relativity of the clause more apparent. The subject-verb inversion occurs in the phrase 'wondered for what we are looking' but is typically simplified to 'wondered>.

What are we looking for?

Here, 'what' is an interrogative pronoun, and the sentence is a question. The inversion of subject and verb is a key feature that makes the sentence a question.