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Should You Inquire or Enquire?

Posted by Editormum on Saturday, 26 February 2005 in Uncategorized |

This one is very easy if you are an American. In American English, inquire is the preferred form.

If you are in Great Britain, however, things get a bit more tricky. Enquire is used of informal questions, but inquire is used of official investigations. Examples: I am going into that pub to enquire whether they have Killian’s or Guinness. The local council asked a committee to inquire into the alleged embezzlement of community funds.

Here again, the author must consider his audience. If you are an American or are writing for a predominantly American audience, use inquire and inquiry. If you are British or are writing for a British audience, you must choose whether you need the informal or the formal form of the word.

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1 Comment

  • littlemspickles says:

    thanks editormum! as an Australian, we follow the Standard British English and thus need to think about both forms!

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