Professional Questions (I)
Rewrite the questions. Some of the prompts are not very clear; to see possible approaches, please look at the example answers provided.
1
Will how long we take be up to us? > Do you think (that) ...
2
Does your colleague [who has long red hair] still work in Germany? > (use apposition)
Does your colleague, the one with long red hair, still work in Germany?
3
Something must have happened. What? > (Wh- "think"-based)
What do you think has happened?
4
What are your feelings about the ultra-rich? > (particular opinion)
Do you have any particular opinion about the ultra-rich?
5
We need data, do you think? > Do ...
Do we need data?
6
Are we expected to reduce noise to below -24dB? > (supposed to)
Are we supposed to reduce noise to below -24dB?
This one is not really about reformulating a question; it is just practising "supposed to".
7
Are YOU responsible for data security? > (use "it" to focus)
Is it you who is responsible for data security?
8
Where are we supposed to be focusing our energy? > (let ... know)
Let me know where we are supposed to be focusing our energy?
9
Would you like photocopies? > Have ...
Have some photocopies!
I am interpreting this question as an offer. There is no specific punctuation for offers. You could use a question mark or an exclamation mark, as I have done.
10
Is ignoring comfort really so disastrous? > TAG
Ignoring comfort isn't really disastrous, is it?
11
We bought food for the buffet. Will there be sufficient? > (rel. prn)
Will the food that we bought be sufficient for the buffet?
12
Sorry! Could you repeat the initial part of the explanation! > (missed)
Sorry! I missed the initial part of your explanation!
The original sentence is grammatically a question, but functionally it is a request (ie asking somebody to do something). My rewrite implies the same function.
13
Tell me the date! > (mind)
14
Sorry! Could you repeat that? > (mind)
15
Does the request that Tom made entail a lot of extra work? > (use apposition)
16
But, has the incidence really increased in Spain? > TAG
17
Should I sign the receipt? > (supposed to)
18
How's things? > (life)
19
Is the new head office to be in MADRID? > (use "it" to focus)
20
What do you reckon to the proposed VAT exemptions? > (thoughts)
21
The results haven't come in yet, right? > Haven't ...
22
They need to change the layout. How? > (Wh- "think"-based)
23
The woman helped you. Did she accept your gift? > (rel. prn)
24
Did who you spoke with understand the problem? > Do you think (that) wh- ...
Do you think (that) how long we take will be up to us?
Using "Do you think..." may be a simple way to make questions (because the inversion is taken care of), but it also sounds less aggressive.