grammar argument!!

[murray]

:Good morning everyone! I need help to solve an 'discussion'- which is wrong? --When is your birthday? _ When is it your birthday? If one is wrong, why is it wrong?

[HeyWayne]

Grammar argument you mean?

Or do you mean an discussion?



Helpful aren't I?

[murray]

As It's husband and wife, It's a discussion!!

[jacob marley]

As It's husband and wife, It's a discussion!!

No discussion what is her veiw there is your answer jacob

[Paulottie]

First option seems better to me.
When is your birthday?
when is it, your birthday? would certainly need a comma there but it is a sentence with two objects and sounds more like the French way of saying it. Quand est-ce ton anniversaire?

[SarzWix]

Really, it should be "When was your birthday?" or "What was your birth-date?" as your 'Birth Day' only happens once - the day you are born, so it (technically) should be a past tense question!
Or you could say "When will it be your birthday?" or "What is your date of birth?" or ....

Personally, out of your 2 options I'd go for "When is your birthday?", but not because I think it's definately correct, but because it sounds right to my ear...

[murray]

eg when is it dinnertime? when is dinnertime?

[Snadger]

I agree with Jacob..........whatever the wife says is correct!

[SarzWix]

Actually, the more I think about it.... You can't say "When is it..." for something in the future can you? Because "..is it.." is present tense, unless you qualify it by saying "When is it going to be your birthday/dinner-time...?"
So, in my opinion, it should be "When is your birthday?"
Might be wrong though!

[mapcr77]

I'd say the "it" refers to the subject, but if you include the subject word in the question, you do not need to use the "it", or else it would be repetitive. So you could ask "when is it?", "it" meaning "your birthday", or "when is your birthday?".

[Paulottie]

As they say in the valleys, 'whose coat is that jacket?'..or..'whose boots are those shoes?'

maybe...'On what date were you born?'....?

[Paul Wagland]

Ooooh, I had to get involved with this one - I love a bit of grammar

I would say both are fine to use in general speech, and I wouldn't be inclined to edit either sentence if I came across one in text.

But if you want to be pedantic (and I usually do ):

"When is your birthday?" - This is perfectly correct grammar. It refers to a repeating date, ie one that comes around every year.

"When is it your birthday?" - This is incorrect, as it uses the present tense for a specfic future event (the person's next birthday). It should instead be "When will it be your birthday?"

[Snadger]

As they say in the valleys, 'whose coat is that jacket?'..or..'whose boots are those shoes?'

maybe...'On what date were you born?'....?

Or in Sunderland "Wheese keese are theese?"

[scared55]

Murray. Are you sure that is what the 'discussion' is about? Is there, perhaps, something deeper you wish to share with the group?

KK

[mapcr77]

"When is it your birthday?" - This is incorrect, as it uses the present tense for a specfic future event (the person's next birthday). It should instead be "When will it be your birthday?"

Ok, I have to ask about this one. English is not my mother tongue, so I'm intrigued, and would like to know why this is so, as I would have thought the way to phrase that question should be "When will your birthday be?"