What does 'I wonder' mean?

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-20 “Where am I?”, question 1

Excuse me I … if you can help me.

(a) expect
(b) hope
(c) believe
(d) wonder

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/elem-20 “Where am I?”, answer 1

Excuse me I wonder if you can help me.

Correct answer: (d) wonder
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hi,

why wonder?

thanks.
ryakar

2

Wonder in this sentence means literally I ask myself or I am curious to know. It expresses the idea that you are anxious to know something.

3

Dear Alan and friends,

Anyway, what’re the differences between 'hope" and “expect”?

Thanks in advance and I hope to see the answer soon.

Best wishes,

Made Sariada

4

Is it correct to say: I wonder if you could help me? Because could is a more polite way to ask than can. Or am I wrong?

5

You are right: ‘could’ is more formal and polite than ‘can’.

6

Does this mean that we can use both can and could in this sentence?

7

Yes, either ‘can’ or ‘could’ can be used here.

8

let’s say am not sure the person really know the place and am thinking if he or she can help me

9

I am not a teacher but how about –

  1. Excuse me, I wonder if you could help me with this address.

  2. Could you please help me with this address?

10

Hi~~~
i still confused about why can we ues ‘HOPE’ in this sentence?
is ‘WONDER’ mean 'want to know?'and ‘HOPE’ mean ‘I want to you give me a hand?’
could you guys givmi more specific explain? thx!!

11

Hi,

Back to the test sentence - you wouldn’t say: ‘I hope if you can …’. That therefore removes ‘hope’ from the possible answers. If I say: I hope you can help me’, it would be in response to: Can I help you?.

If you begin a sentence ‘I wonder if you …’, you are about to make a polite request.

Alan

12

Alan~
thank for your explain!
i think i got it

13

thank fỏ your explain!but i think simple that the mean of this sentence is better when we use “wonder”

14

Your sentence should read ‘thank you for your explanation’.[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEFL listening discussions: What is Dr Schmidt researching?[YSaerTTEW443543]

15

OMG~how can i make this kind mistake…
“your” is a ‘pronoun’, so ‘noun’ have to put behind it.

16

I’m wondering that , the wolrd needs so much peopel like you :lol:

17

Hi Torsten
I think this is my second messege from the beginning of start to learning English for you.as you said,asking is a best way for lerning and understanding evry language. Now I want tell me the defrnces of" believe"and"wonder" in question 1

Best wishes,
hassanj

18

Hi Hassanj,

Please take a look at this: Wonder[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, photographs: An exotic performer[YSaerTTEW443543]

19

it’s perfect sentence abt wonder, could & Can.

20

I want to know about the different between expect, wonder, hope and believe when we use all of it with if