About The Question: What Do You Think I Should Do?

The Britannica Dictionary mobile search

• Home
• Ask the Editor
• Word of the Day
• Quizzes
• Core Vocabulary
• Browse the Dictionary

×

• Britannica Homepage
• Ask the Editor
• Word of the Day
• Quizzes
• Core Vocabulary
• Browse the Dictionary

The Britannica Dictionary Ask the Editor About the question: What do you think I should do? Question About the question: What do you think I should do? Answer

Question

Good day! I just want to ask the difference between "What do you think I SHOULD do?" and "What do you think SHOULD I do?" Thank you very much.  - Tin

 

 Answer

“What do you think I should do?” is the correct way to ask this question. (You can also use, "What do you think that I should do?" The word that is optional.)

In this question, the dependent clause, “(that) I should do,” is the object of the verb, think. The subject of the dependent clause, I, comes before the verb, should do. They are not inverted to question form. 

Think is one of a large group of verbs that are used in this question construction, which can be described like this:

What do + subject + verb + [that-clause as the direct object of the verb]

Here are some other examples, with the verbs believe, hope, claim, and wish:

• What do you believe (that) John is bringing tonight? [The clause “(that) John is bringing” is the object of believe]
• What do you hope (that) your father is making for dinner? [The clause “(that) your father is making for dinner” is the object of hope]
• What does Jimmy claim we’re supposed to do for homework?
• What does he wish he had said to his teacher? 

As you can see from these examples, these verbs are generally related to thinking and saying.

 

I hope this helps. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archive Select month... February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 Link to this page: You can read more articles in the archive. QUIZZES Vocabulary Quiz Test your word power Take the Quiz » Name That Thing Take our visual quiz Test Your Knowledge » WORD OF THE DAY

debris : the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed Learn More »

1. About Us & Legal Info
2. Contact Us
3. Privacy Notice
4. Terms of Use
5. Pronunciation Symbols
6. Help

© 2026 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.