Basic Details
Word: Inquired
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Asked someone for information about something. It is the past tense of inquire.
Synonyms: asked, questioned, queried
Antonyms: answered, replied
How to Spell Inquired
Syllables: in - quired
Tricky part: The q is always followed by u, and the vowel after qu is i, not e: quired. Students also write inquried, swapping the r and the i.
Watch out for: inquried, inqiured, inquirred
Memory tip: Read it as in + qu + ire + d. The ire is the same as in fire and tired, and like them it keeps a single r.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Dadi inquired whether the train to Jaipur was running late.
Example 2: The new student inquired about the timings of the football club.
Example 3: When the parcel did not arrive, Papa inquired at the post office.
Fun Fact
British English has two forms, enquire and inquire. Many British writers use enquire for simply asking and keep inquire for a formal investigation, though both spellings are correct.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word inquired as used in the sentence:
At the railway counter, the traveller inquired about the last bus to Lonavala.
a) answered
b) asked
c) hurried
d) complained
Show answer
b) asked. To inquire about something is to ask about it; answered goes the other way.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
in_u_red
a) k, i
b) q, e
c) q, i
d) c, e
Show answer
c) q, i. English words keep q and u together, and the sound after it is spelt ire, as in fire.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. inquired 2. acheived 3. persued 4. recieved
a) asked for information about something
b) reached a goal by effort
c) followed or chased
d) got or was given something
Show answer
a) asked for information about something. Received and achieved follow i before e except after c, and pursued begins with pur, so only inquired is right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these might someone have inquired?
a) Please shut the museum door.
b) I enjoyed the museum visit.
c) The museum opens at ten.
d) What time does the museum open?
Show answer
d) What time does the museum open?
2. A guest who inquired about your health ____.
a) took you to a doctor
b) wanted to know how you were
c) gave you some medicine
d) told you to go to bed
Show answer
b) wanted to know how you were
