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Questions vs Inquiry - What's the difference?

questions | inquiry |

As nouns the difference between questions and inquiry

is that questions is plural of question while inquiry is the act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning.

As a verb questions

is third-person singular of question.

questions

English

Alternative forms

* (archaic)

Noun

(head)
  • A game in which players must only say questions, and if they don't they lose. Below is an example of how to play.
    • A: Do you know the time?
    B: Can you wait a second while I look for my watch?
    A: Can't you just look at the clock?
    B: Where's the clock?
    A: What clock?
    B: Do you mean the clock on the wall or the one by the door?
    A: What door?
    B: Can you turn around to see the door?
    A: Turn around like this?
    B: Are there any other ways to turn around?
    A: Can you tell me the time yet?
    B: Do you want it the 12-hour or 24-hour format?
    A: Do you think I care?
    B: What does this number on my watch say?
    A: Can't you read numbers?
    B: Do you want to know the time or not?
    A: Of course I do!
    B: Yes, I've just won!
    A: You've won what?
    B: I've won questions !
    A: Ha, that time I won. One all! Game on!

    Verb

    (head)
  • (question)
    • ----

    inquiry

    English

    (wikipedia inquiry)

    Alternative forms

    * enquiry

    Noun

    (inquiries)
  • The act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning.
  • Search for truth, information, or knowledge; examination of facts or principles; research; investigation; as, physical inquiries.

    • Usage notes

    According to Fowler's Modern English Usage'' (1926), ''inquiry'' should be used in relation to a formal inquest, and ''enquiry'' to the act of questioning. Many (though not all) British writers maintain this distinction; the Oxford English Dictionary, in its entry not updated since 1900, lists ''inquiry'' and ''enquiry'' as equal alternatives, in that order. Some British dictionaries, such as ''Chambers 21st Century Dictionary'' [http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?title=21st&query=inquiry], present the two spellings as interchangeable variants in the general sense, but prefer ''inquiry'' for the "formal inquest" sense. In Australian English, ''inquiry'' represents a formal inquest (such as a government investigation) while ''enquiry'' is used in the act of questioning (eg: the customer enquired about the status of his loan application). Both spellings are current in Canadian English, where ''enquiry'' is often associated with scholarly or intellectual research. (See Pam Peters, ''The Cambridge Guide to English Usage , p. 282.) American English usually uses inquiry .

    References

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