Trivia Can we delete "as to" in this sentence: "Can you give me some indication as to when I am likely to receive a reply?"?

[plhbg1]

It would be grammatically correct, but its meaning would change. The original sentence reads:

• “Can you give me some indication as to when I am likely to receive a reply?”

If we deleted “as to” it would read:

• “Can you give me some indication when I am likely to receive a reply?”

The meaning of the second sentence would now mean that you would like to receive an indication (for example, a text message) at the same point in time as when you are likely to receive a reply.

So you would not be asking for an (advance) indication of when you are likely to receive a reply, but you would be asking for “an indication” at that same point in time as when you are likely to receive a reply.

It’s a small difference, but it’s there.

 

[PHC-VICTOR]

Yes ts up to