[Grammar] wh- Noun clause

[dido4]

1. I don't know what is in the box.
2. I don't know who Mary is.

No. 2 Why the word order is changed? Who is Mary? is changed into who Mary is.


Thank you.

 

[Barb_D]

"Who is Mary?" is a direct question.
I don't know "who Mary is" is an indirect question.

The word order changes if you change from a direct question to an indirect question.

 

[Raymott]

I think the question is also asking : Why do you invert 2, and not 1?
"What is in the box?" is a direct question. But when you change to the indirect question, it remains the same.