Note 114 – Do you use ‘enquire’ or ‘inquire’?

In British English, some people tend to make the distinction between enquire and inquire as follows:

• The verb to enquire = to ask (the noun is enquiry)


• The verb to inquire = to investigate (the noun is inquiry)

Examples:

• I would like to enquire about swimming lessons?


• She was making an enquiry about swimming lessons.


• They inquired about the incident.


• I am making an inquiry about the incident.

In American English, the word inquiry is used for both asking and investigating, according to The Pocket Writer’s Handbook by Martin Mander & Stephen Curtis (Penguin Reference Library)

According to the Daily Writing Tips site – http://www.dailywritingtips.com/inquire-vs-enquire/ – more modern dictionaries list inquire as the standard form, but do give a mention to the word enquire; the Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus lists enquire as a variant of inquire.

My thoughts: From my research today, I have found that enquire and inquire can be used interchangeably, which shocked me a bit as I have always made the distinction as in the definitions above. I’ll be looking out for how it is used in any text I read and may even start to use inquire. Whatever you decide, just try to be consistent.

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Until tomorrow…

Sandra

My writing challenge: http://wp.me/p1x6Ui-4

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Reference list:

The Pocket Writer’s Handbook by Martin Mander & Stephen Curtis (Penguin Reference Library)

Daily Writing Tips website: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/inquire-vs-enquire/

Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus (UK)