Asking questions correctly can sometimes be confusing in English. You may wonder if you are putting the words in the correct order. Today I talk about two types of questions, yes/no and wh. I also talk about both of these types of questions with the verb ” to be” and with all other verbs. I discuss asking questions in the simple present, present progressive, simple past, and future tenses. At the end there will be a download to give you additional practice in asking questions.
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Questions with the verb “to be.”
When asking questions, the be verb works a little bit differently than all other verbs in English. It is possibly the most important verb in English.
Yes/no questions with be verb.
1. To form a question, you first need to know how to form a statement. Word order for statements using be is generally subject + verb
I am a student.
He is a student.
They are students.
Word order for asking yes/no questions is simply a reversal of a statement, verb + subject. This works for either simple present or simple past.
Are you a student? 
Yes, I am. No, I’m not.
Is he a student? Yes, he is. No he’s not.
Were they students? Yes, they were. No, they weren’t.
2. In the the present progressive, you also need to know how to make a statement. The word order is a statement is subject + am/are/is + ing form of the verb.
He is cooking dinner right now.
The word order for asking questions in the present progressive is also the reverse of a statement: am/are/is + subject + ing form of the verb.
Is he cooking dinner right now? Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.
3. In the future tense we can make statements and ask questions with the word “will.” For a statement, the correct word order is subject + will + base form of the verb (be).
She will be in Mexico tomorrow.
For questions, the word order is the reverse of a statement, will + subject + base form of the verb (be).
Will she be in Mexico tomorrow? Yes, she will. No she won’t.
Wh questions with be verb
When we ask wh questions, we usually think of six words: who (for a person), what (for a thing), when (for a time), where (for a place), why (for a reason) and how (for a method). To ask wh questions with be verb, we use the yes/no word order. Then we simply place the wh word at the beginning, so it is the first word in the sentence. This works with any tense.
Is he a student?
Where is he a student? At the University of Colorado.
Were they students?
When were they students? Three years ago.
Is she cooking?
What is she cooking? Spaghetti and meatballs.
Will she be in Mexico?
Why will she be in Mexico? Because she needs a vacation.
Questions with all other verbs.
Asking questions with all other English verbs requires a slightly different structure.
Yes/no questions with all other verbs.
- To form questions with all other verbs, you first need to know the word order of statements. Like be verb, it is subject + verb.
We work in a hospital.
He drives and old car.
I ate in a restaurant yesterday.
I get to work by bus.
To form yes/no questions, we need to verb “to do.” Simply put the correct form of do in front of the statement. This applies to both simple present and simple past tenses.Here is the correct word order for questions: do/does/did + subject + base form of the verb.
Do you work in a hospital? Yes, we do. No, we don’t.
Does he drive an old car? Yes, he does. No, he doesn’t.
Did you eat in a restaurant yesterday? Yes, I did. No, I didn’t.
Do you get to work by bus? Yes, I do. No, I don’t.
2. For asking yes/no questions in the present progressive tense, first, think of the word order for statements: subject + am/are/is + ing from of the verb.
Roberto is driving to California.
To form yes/no questions, we reverse the word order from statements: am/are/is + subject + ing form of the verb.
Is Roberto driving to California? Yes, he is. No, he isn’t.
3. To ask yes/no questions in the future tense, we can use “will.” Here is the word order for statements: subject + will+ base form of the verb.
My sister will graduate in May.
To form a question, simply reverse the word order form the statement: will + subject + base form of the verb.
Will your sister graduate in May? Yes, she will. No, she won’t.
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Wh questions with all other verbs
If you can ask yes/no questions, then asking wh questions is easy. Like asking questions with the be verb, for all other verbs, we simply use the yes/no structure and place the wh word in front so it is the first word of the sentence. This works for all tenses.
- The word order for wh questions in the simple present and simple past is as follows: wh + do/ does/did + subject + base form of the verb. Below is the yes/no structure and the wh structure. You will see that they are very similar.
Does he work in a hospital?
Where does he work? In a hospital.
Do they work on Mondays?
When do they work? Every day except Monday.
Did you call your family last week?
Who did you call last week? My sister, but not my brother.
Do you get to work by train?
How do you get to work? By bus.
2. In the present progressive, we also use the yes/no structure and place the wh word first. Here is the word order: wh + am/are/is + subject + ing form of the verb
Is he driving to Colorado Springs?
Where is he driving? To Colorado Springs.
3. To ask questions in the future tense, again use the yes/no structure and place the wh word in front. Here is the correct word order: wh + will + base form of the verb.
Will you buy a scarf for your mother for her birthday?
What will you buy your mother for her birthday? A sweater. She already has a lot of scarves.
It is easy to ask questions in English. You have learned the rules for asking yes/no and wh questions with the verb “to be,” and with all other verbs. You know that if you can form a statement, to ask a question just reverse the subject and verb or we use “to do” or “will.” You also know that the yes/no form is the basic form you need to ask a questions. To ask a wh question, simply place the wh word in front of the yes/no structure. Yes/no questions begin with the words am/is/are or will (for be verb simple present, present progressive, and simple future), and do/does/did or will for all other verbs. Wh questions begin with the words who, what, when, where, why, or how. The download will give you additional practice forming both yes/no and wh questions with be and all other verbs.
Download Asking Questions in English Notes TODAY
Idioms of the day
- Dirt cheap.
This means very inexpensive. I love my new shoes. I got them on sale at Target, and they were dirt cheap. - To be on top of the world. This means to be very, very happy. Everything is going well for me. I got a raise at work, and my girlfriend told me she loves me. I’m on top of the world!
Related Lesson: Subject-Verb Agreement in English
General questions
In general questions, the auxiliary verb (do, be, have, will) is placed before the subject, and the main verb follows the subject, i.e., the word order is: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (+ object + adverbial modifier). Responses to general questions can be in the form of short «Yes» or «No» answers or in the form of full statements. (General questions are also called Yes / No questions or yes-no questions.) General questions are pronounced with rising intonation.
Do you live here? – Yes, I do. / Yes, I live here. – No, I don’t. / No, I don’t live here.
Does Bell work? – Yes, she does. – No, she doesn’t.
Did you like the film? – Yes, I did. – No, I didn’t like the film.
Are you reading now? – Yes. / Yes, I am. / Yes, I’m reading now. – No. / No, I am not. / No, I’m not reading.
Have the guests left already? – Yes, they have. – No, they haven’t.
Will you see him tomorrow? – Yes, I will. / Yes, I will see him. – No, I won’t. / No, I will not.
General questions with modal verbs have the same structure and word order.
Can you help me? – Yes, I can. / Yes, I can help you. – No, I can’t. / No, I can’t help you.
Should we call Maria? – Yes. / Yes, we should. – No. / No, we shouldn’t.
May I come in? – Yes, you may. – No, you may not.
In general questions with the verb BE as a main verb or a linking verb, the verb BE is placed before the subject.
Is he in Rome now? – Yes. / Yes, he is in Rome now. – No. / No, he isn’t.
Is Anna a teacher? – Yes, she is. / Yes, Anna is a teacher. – No, she isn’t. / No, Anna is not a teacher.
Were they happy? – Yes, they were. – No, they weren’t.
Word order in negative questions
Didn’t she like the film? – Yes, she did. / Yes, she liked the film. – No, she did not. / No, she didn’t like it.
Aren’t they reading now? – Yes, they are. / Yes, they are reading now. – No, they aren’t. / No, they are not reading now.
Isn’t he a student?
Hasn’t he left already?
Won’t you see him tomorrow?
Can’t you speak more slowly?
Note: Negative questions usually contain some emotion, for example, expecting «yes» for an answer, surprise, annoyance, mockery. Negative questions may sound impolite in some situations, for example, in requests. Read more about negative questions in Word Order in Requests and Requests and Permission in the section Grammar.
Special questions
When the question is put to any part of the sentence, except the subject, the word order after the interrogative word (e.g., how, whom, what, when, where, why) is the same as in general questions: interrogative + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (+ object + adverbial modifier). The answer is usually given in full, but short responses are also possible. Special questions (information questions) are pronounced with falling intonation.
How did you get there? – I got there by bus. / By bus.
How much did it cost? – It cost ten dollars. / Ten dollars.
How many people did he see? – He saw five people. / Five.
How long have you been here? – I’ve been here for a week. / For a week. / A week.
Who(m) will you ask? – I’ll ask Tom. / Tom.
What is he doing? – He’s sleeping. / Sleeping.
What did she say? – Nothing.
What book is he reading? – The Talisman.
Which coat did she choose? – The red one.
When is he leaving? – He’s leaving at six. / At six.
Where does she live? – She lives on Tenth Street. / On Tenth Street.
Where are you from? – I am from Russia. / From Russia.
Where did he go? – He went home. / Home.
Why are you late? – I missed my bus.
Why didn’t you call me? – I’m sorry. I forgot.
Questions to the subject
When the interrogative word «who» or «what» is the subject in the question (i.e., the question is put to the subject), the question is asked without an auxiliary verb, and the word order is that of a statement: interrogative word (i.e., the subject) + predicate (+ object + adverbial modifier). The same word order is used when the subject of the question is in the form of which / whose / how many + noun.
Who told you about it? – Tom told me. / Tom did. / Tom.
Who called her yesterday? – I called her. / I did.
Who will tell him about it? – I will.
Who hasn’t read this book yet? – I haven’t.
What happened? – I lost my bag.
What made you do it? – I don’t know.
Which coat is yours? – This coat is mine. / This one.
Whose book is this? – It’s mine.
How many people came to work? – Ten people came to work. / Ten.
Note: «who» and «whom»
Nominative case – who; objective case – whom. The interrogative word «whom» is often replaced by «who» in everyday speech and writing, but «who» is an object in this case, not the subject, i.e., it is not a question to the subject. Consequently, an auxiliary verb is required for the formation of special questions in which «who» is used instead of «whom», and the word order in them is that of a question, not of a statement. Compare:
Who saw you? – Tom saw me.
Who / whom did you see? – I saw Anna.
Who asked her to do it? – Ben asked her.
Who / whom did she ask for help? – She asked Mike to help her.
Prepositions at the end of questions
When the interrogatives «what, whom/who» ask a question to the object with a preposition, the preposition is often placed at the end of the question after the predicate (or after the direct object, if any), especially in everyday speech.
What are you talking about? – I’m talking about our plans.
What are you interested in? – I’m interested in psychology.
Who are you looking at? – I’m looking at Sandra.
Who does it depend on? – It depends on my brother.
Who are you playing tennis with on Friday? – I’m playing tennis with Maria.
Who did she make a pie for? – She made a pie for her co-workers.
Note that not all prepositions can be placed at the end of such special questions, and the preposition at the end should not be too far from the interrogative word. In formal speech and writing, placing the preposition before the interrogative word in long constructions is often considered more appropriate. For example: With whom are you playing tennis on Friday? For whom did she make a pie?
Alternative questions
Word order in alternative questions (questions with a choice) is the same as in general questions. The answer is usually given in full because you need to make a choice, but short responses are also possible. Use the rising tone on the first element of the choice (before «or») and the falling tone on the second element of the choice.
Is your house large or small? – My house is small. / It’s small.
Are you a first-year or a third-year student? – I’m a third-year student.
Would you like tea or coffee? – I’d like coffee, please.
Would you like to go to a restaurant or would you rather eat at home? – I’d rather eat at home.
Alternative questions are sometimes asked in the form of special questions:
Where does he live: in Paris or Rome? – He lives in Rome. / In Rome.
Which do you like more: hazelnuts or walnuts? – I like hazelnuts more than walnuts. / Hazelnuts.
Tag questions
A tag question (a disjunctive question) consists of two parts. The first part is a declarative sentence (a statement). The second part is a short general question (the tag). If the statement is affirmative, the tag is negative. If the statement is negative, the tag is affirmative. Use falling intonation in the first part and rising or falling intonation in the second part of the tag question.
With the verb BE:
It’s a nice day, isn’t it?
He is here now, isn’t he?
It was true, wasn’t it?
He wasn’t invited, was he?
With main verbs:
You know him, don’t you?
He went there, didn’t he?
She will agree, won’t she?
He hasn’t seen her, has he?
He’s sleeping, isn’t he?
He didn’t study French, did he?
With modal verbs:
You can swim, can’t you?
He should go, shouldn’t he?
I shouldn’t do it, should I?
Responses to tag questions
Responses to tag questions can be in the form of short «Yes» or «No» answers or in the form of full statements. Despite the fact that tag questions are asked to get confirmation, the answer may be negative.
You live here, don’t you?
Yes, I do. / Yes, I live here. (agreement)
No, I don’t. / No, I don’t live here. (disagreement)
You don’t live here, do you?
No, I don’t. / No, I don’t live here. (agreement)
Yes, I do. / Yes, I live here. (disagreement)
It was difficult, wasn’t it?
Yes, it was. / Yes, it was difficult. (agreement)
No, it wasn’t. / No, it wasn’t difficult. (disagreement)
It wasn’t difficult, was it?
No, it wasn’t. / No, it wasn’t difficult. (agreement)
Yes, it was. / Yes, it was difficult. (disagreement)
(Intonation in different types of questions is described in Falling Intonation and Rising Intonation in the section Phonetics.)
Порядок слов в вопросах
Общие вопросы
В общих вопросах, вспомогательный глагол (do, be, have, will) ставится перед подлежащим, а основной глагол следует за подлежащим, т.е. порядок слов такой: вспомогательный глагол + подлежащее + основной глагол (+ дополнение + обстоятельство). Ответы на общие вопросы могут быть в виде кратких ответов Yes или No или в виде полных повествовательных предложений. (Общие вопросы также называются Yes / No questions или yes-no questions.) Общие вопросы произносятся с интонацией повышения.
Вы живете здесь? – Да, живу. / Да, я живу здесь. – Нет, не живу. / Нет, я не живу здесь.
Белл работает? – Да, она работает. – Нет, она не работает.
Вам понравился фильм? – Да, понравился. – Нет, мне не понравился фильм.
Вы читаете сейчас? – Да. / Да, читаю. / Да, я читаю сейчас. – Нет. / Нет, не читаю. / Нет, я не читаю.
Гости уже ушли? – Да, они ушли. – Нет, они не ушли.
Вы увидите его завтра? – Да, увижу. / Да, я увижу его. – Нет, не увижу.
Общие вопросы с модальными глаголами имеют такое же строение и порядок слов.
Вы можете мне помочь? – Да, могу. / Да, я могу помочь вам. – Нет, не могу. / Нет, я не могу помочь вам.
Следует ли нам позвонить Марии? – Да. / Да, следует. – Нет. / Нет, не следует.
Можно мне войти? – Да, можно. – Нет, нельзя.
В общих вопросах с глаголом BE как основным глаголом или глаголом-связкой, глагол BE ставится перед подлежащим.
Он сейчас в Риме? – Да. / Да, он сейчас в Риме. – Нет.
Анна учитель? – Да. / Да, Анна учитель. – Нет. / Нет, Анна не учитель.
Они были счастливы? – Да, были. – Нет, не были.
Порядок слов в отрицательных вопросах
Разве ей не понравился фильм? – Да, понравился. / Да, ей понравился фильм. – Нет, не понравился. / Нет, ей он не понравился.
Разве они не читают сейчас? – Да, читают. / Да, они читают сейчас. – Нет, не читают. / Нет, они не читают сейчас.
Разве он не студент?
Разве он уже не ушел?
Разве вы не увидите его завтра?
Разве вы не можете говорить помедленнее?
Примечание: Отрицательные вопросы обычно содержат какую-то эмоцию, например, ожидание ответа yes, удивление, раздражение, насмешку. Отрицательные вопросы могут звучать невежливо в некоторых ситуациях, например, в просьбах. Прочитайте еще об отрицательных вопросах в статьях Word Order in Requests и Requests and Permission в разделе Grammar.
Специальные вопросы
Когда вопрос ставится к любому члену предложения, кроме подлежащего, порядок слов после вопросительного слова (например, как, кого, что, когда, где, почему) такой же, как в общих вопросах: вопросительное слово + вспомогательный глагол + подлежащее + основной глагол (+ дополнение + обстоятельство). Ответ обычно дается полностью, но краткие ответы тоже возможны. Специальные вопросы (информационные вопросы) произносятся с интонацией понижения.
Как вы туда добрались? – Я добрался туда автобусом. / Автобусом.
Сколько это стоило? – Это стоило десять долларов. / Десять долларов.
Сколько человек он увидел? – Он увидел пять человек. / Пять.
Сколько вы здесь пробыли? – Я пробыл здесь неделю. / Неделю. / Неделю.
Кого вы спросите? – Я спрошу Тома. / Тома.
Что он делает? – Он спит. / Спит.
Что она сказала? – Ничего.
Какую книгу он читает? – «Талисман».
Которое пальто она выбрала? – Красное.
Когда он уезжает? – Он уезжает в шесть. / В шесть.
Где она живет? – Она живет на Десятой улице. / На Десятой улице.
Откуда вы? – Я из России. / Из России.
Куда он пошел? – Он пошел домой. / Домой.
Почему вы опоздали? – Я пропустил свой автобус.
Почему вы мне не позвонили? – Извините. Я забыл.
Вопросы к подлежащему
Когда вопросительное слово who или what является подлежащим в вопросе (т.е. вопрос ставится к подлежащему), вопрос задается без вспомогательного глагола и порядок слов как в повествовательном предложении: вопросительное слово (т.е. подлежащее) + сказуемое (+ дополнение + обстоятельство). Такой же порядок слов, когда подлежащее в вопросе в виде which / whose / how many + существительное.
Кто вам сказал об этом? – Том сказал мне. / Том.
Кто ей звонил вчера? – Я звонил ей. / Я звонил.
Кто ему скажет об этом? – Я скажу.
Кто еще не прочитал эту книгу? – Я не прочитал.
Что случилось? – Я потерял свою сумку.
Что заставило вас сделать это? – Не знаю.
Которое пальто ваше? – Это пальто мое. / Вот это.
Чья это книга? – Моя.
Сколько человек пришли на работу? – Десять человек пришли на работу. / Десять.
Примечание: who и whom
Именительный падеж – who; косвенный падеж – whom. Вопросительное слово whom часто заменяется словом who в разговорной устной и письменной речи, но who в этом случае дополнение, а не подлежащее, т.е. это не вопрос к подлежащему. Следовательно, требуется вспомогательный глагол для образования специальных вопросов, в которых вопросительное слово who употреблено вместо whom, и порядок слов в них как в вопросе, а не как в повествовательном предложении. Сравните:
Кто видел вас? – Том видел меня.
Кого вы видели? – Я видел Анну.
Кто попросил ее сделать это? – Бен попросил ее.
Кого она попросила о помощи? – Она попросила Майка помочь ей.
Предлоги в конце вопросов
Когда вопросительные слова what, whom/who задают вопрос к дополнению с предлогом, предлог часто ставится в конец вопроса после сказуемого (или после прямого дополнения, если оно есть), особенно в разговорной речи.
О чем вы говорите? – Я говорю о наших планах.
Чем вы интересуетесь? – Я интересуюсь психологией.
На кого вы смотрите? – Я смотрю на Сандру.
От кого это зависит? – Это зависит от моего брата.
С кем вы играете в теннис в пятницу? – Я играю в теннис с Марией.
Для кого она сделала пирог? – Она сделала пирог для своих сотрудников.
Отметьте, что не все предлоги можно поместить в конец таких специальных вопросов, и предлог в конце предложения не должен быть слишком далеко от вопросительного слова. В официальной устной и письменной речи, помещение предлога перед вопросительным словом в длинных конструкциях часто считается более подходящим. Например: With whom are you playing tennis on Friday? For whom did she make a pie?
Альтернативные вопросы
Порядок слов в альтернативных вопросах (вопросах с выбором) такой же, как в общих вопросах. Ответ обычно дается полностью, потому что нужно сделать выбор, но краткие ответы тоже возможны. Употребите тон повышения на первом элементе выбора (перед or) и тон понижения на втором элементе выбора.
Ваш дом большой или маленький? – Мой дом маленький. / Маленький.
Вы студент первого или третьего курса? – Я студент третьего курса.
Вы хотели бы чай или кофе? – Я хотел бы кофе, пожалуйста.
Вы хотели бы пойти в ресторан или предпочли бы поесть дома? – Я предпочел бы поесть дома.
Альтернативные вопросы иногда задаются в форме специальных вопросов:
Где он живет: в Париже или Риме? – Он живет в Риме. / В Риме.
Что вы больше любите: фундук или грецкие орехи? – Я люблю фундук больше, чем грецкие орехи. / Фундук.
Разъединенные вопросы
Разъединенный вопрос (разделительный вопрос, расчлененный вопрос) состоит из двух частей. Первая часть – повествовательное предложение (утверждение). Вторая часть – краткий общий вопрос. Если повествовательное предложение утвердительное, краткий вопрос отрицательный. Если предложение отрицательное, краткий вопрос утвердительный. Употребите интонацию понижения в первой части и интонацию повышения или понижения во второй части разъединенного вопроса.
С глаголом BE:
Приятный день, не так ли?
Он здесь сейчас, не так ли?
Это была правда, не так ли?
Его не пригласили, не так ли?
С основными глаголами:
Вы знаете его, не так ли?
Он пошел туда, не так ли?
Она согласится, не так ли?
Он не видел ее, не так ли?
Он спит, не так ли?
Он не изучал французский язык, не так ли?
С модальными глаголами:
Вы можете плавать, не так ли?
Ему следует идти, не так ли?
Мне не следует этого делать, не так ли?
Ответы на разделительные вопросы
Ответы на разделительные вопросы могут быть в виде кратких ответов Yes или No или в виде полных повествовательных предложений. Несмотря на то, что разъединенные вопросы задаются для получения подтверждения, ответ может быть отрицательным.
Вы живете здесь, не так ли?
Да, живу. / Да, я живу здесь. (согласие)
Нет, не живу. / Нет, я не живу здесь. (несогласие)
Вы не живете здесь, не так ли?
Нет, не живу. / Нет, я не живу здесь. (согласие)
Нет, живу. / Нет, я живу здесь. (несогласие)
Это было трудно, не так ли?
Да, трудно. / Да, это было трудно. (согласие)
Нет, не трудно. / Нет, это было не трудно. (несогласие)
Это было не трудно, не так ли?
Нет, не трудно. / Нет, это было не трудно. (согласие)
Нет, трудно. / Нет, это было трудно. (несогласие)
(Интонация в различных типах вопросов описывается в статьях Falling Intonation и Rising Intonation в разделе Phonetics.)
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In questions, the word order subject-verbs-object is the same as in affirmative sentences. The only thing that’s different is that you usually have to put the auxiliary verb (or the main verb “be”) before the subject. Interrogatives are put at the beginning of the sentences:
| interrogative | auxiliary verb | subject | other verb(s) | indirect object | direct object | place | time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What | would | you | like to tell | me | |||
| Did | you | have | a party | in your flat | yesterday? | ||
| When | were | you | here? |
Exercise on word order in questions 1
You don’t use an auxiliary verb if you ask for the subject. In this case the interrogative simply takes the place of the subject.
| interrogative | verb(s) | object |
|---|---|---|
| Who | asked | you? |
Exercise on word order in questions 2
More Exercises
- Questions in Simple Present
- Questions in Present Progressive
- Questions in Simple Past
- Questions in Past Progressive
- Questions in Present Perfect Simple
- Questions in Present Perfect Progressive
- Questions with Interrogatives in Simple Present
- Questions with Interrogatives in Present Progressive
- Questions with Interrogatives in Simple Past
- Questions with Interrogatives in Past Progressive
- Questions with Interrogatives in Simple Past
- Questions with Interrogatives in Past Progressive
- Questions with Interrogatives in Present Perfect Simple
- Questions with and without Interrogatives in Past Perfect Simple
Порядок слов в вопросах
General questions
Общие вопросы
In
general questions, the auxiliary verb (do, be, have, will) is placed
before the subject, and the main verb follows the subject, i.e., the
word order is: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (+ object +
adverbial modifier). Responses to general questions can be in the
form of short «Yes» or «No» answers or in the
form of full statements. (General questions are also called Yes / No
questions or yes-no questions.) General questions are
pronounced with rising intonation.
В
общих вопросах, вспомогательный глагол
(do, be, have, will) ставится перед подлежащим,
а основной глагол следует за подлежащим,
т.е. порядок слов такой: вспомогательный
глагол + подлежащее + основной глагол
(+ дополнение + обстоятельство). Ответы
на общие вопросы могут быть в виде
кратких ответов Yes или No или в виде полных
повествовательных предложений. (Общие
вопросы также называются Yes / No questions или
yes-no questions.) Общие вопросы произносятся
с интонацией повышения.
Do
you live here? – Yes, I do. / Yes, I live here. – No, I don’t. /
No, I don’t live here.
Вы
живете здесь? – Да, живу. / Да, я живу
здесь. – Нет, не живу. / Нет, я не живу
здесь.
Does
Bell work? – Yes, she does. – No, she doesn’t.
Белл
работает? – Да, она работает. – Нет, она
не работает.
Did
you like the film? – Yes, I did. – No, I didn’t like the film.
Вам
понравился фильм? – Да, понравился. –
Нет, мне не понравился фильм.
Are
you reading now? – Yes. / Yes, I am. / Yes, I’m reading now. –
No. / No, I am not. / No, I’m not reading.
Вы
читаете сейчас? – Да. / Да, читаю. / Да, я
читаю сейчас. – Нет. / Нет, не читаю. /
Нет, я не читаю.
Have
the guests left already? – Yes, they have. – No, they haven’t.
Гости
уже ушли? – Да, они ушли. – Нет, они не
ушли.
Will
you see him tomorrow? – Yes, I will. / Yes, I will see him. – No,
I won’t. / No, I will not.
Вы
увидите его завтра? – Да, увижу. / Да, я
увижу его. – Нет, не увижу.
General
questions with modal verbs have the same structure and word order.
Общие
вопросы с модальными глаголами имеют
такое же строение и порядок слов.
Can
you help me? – Yes, I can. / Yes, I can help you. – No, I can’t.
/ No, I can’t help you.
Вы
можете мне помочь? – Да, могу. / Да, я могу
помочь вам. – Нет, не могу. / Нет, я не
могу помочь вам.
Should
we call Maria? – Yes. / Yes, we should. – No. / No, we shouldn’t.
Следует
ли нам позвонить Марии? – Да. / Да, следует.
– Нет. / Нет, не следует.
May
I come in? – Yes, you may. – No, you may not.
Можно
мне войти? – Да, можно. – Нет, нельзя.
In
general questions with the verb BE as a main verb or a linking verb,
the verb BE is placed before the subject.
В
общих вопросах с глаголом BE как основным
глаголом или глаголом-связкой, глагол
BE ставится перед подлежащим.
Is
he in Rome now? – Yes. / Yes, he is in Rome now. – No. / No, he
isn’t.
Он
сейчас в Риме? – Да. / Да, он сейчас в
Риме. – Нет.
Is
Anna a teacher? – Yes, she is. / Yes, Anna is a teacher. – No,
she isn’t. / No, Anna is not a teacher.
Анна
учитель? – Да. / Да, Анна учитель. – Нет.
/ Нет, Анна не учитель.
Were
they happy? – Yes, they were. – No, they weren’t.
Они
были счастливы? – Да, были. – Нет, не
были.
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1. Questions without question words and be
Subject and verb change their position in statement and question.
- Sentence: You are from Germany.
- Question: Are you from Germany?
We always use the short answer, not only Yes or No. That’s why questions without question words are also called YES/NO-questions.
2. Questions with question words and be
| Question word | Verb | Subject | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | are | you | from? | I am from Stuttgart. I‘m from Stuttgart. |
| What | is | your name? | My name is Peter. | |
| How | are | Pat and Sue? | They are fine. They‘re fine. |
Questions with question words are also called WH-questions.
3. Questions without question words and have
| Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Yes/No | Subject | Auxiliary (+ n’t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Have | you | got | a cat? | Yes, | I | have. |
| Have | you | got | a new car? | No, | we | haven’t. |
| Has | your brother | got | a bike? | Yes, | he | has. |
| Do | you | have | a cat? | Yes, | I | do. |
| Do | you | have | a new car? | No, | we | don’t. |
| Does | your brother | have | a bike? | Yes, | he | does. |
4. Questions with question words and have
| Question word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | have | you | got | your ruler? | I‘ve got it in my pencil case. |
| Where | do | you | have | your ruler? | I have it in my pencil case. |
5. Questions without question words in the Simple Present
| Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Yes/No | Subject | Auxiliary (+ n’t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do | you | read | books? | Yes, No, |
I I |
do. don’t. |
| Does | Peter | play | football? | Yes, | he | does. |
6. Questions with question words in the Simple Present
| Question word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What | do | you | play | on your computer? | I play games on my computer. |
| When | does | your mother | go | to work? | She goes to work at 6 o’clock. |
7. Questions without question words in the Simple Past
| Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Yes/No | Subject | Auxiliary (+ n’t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Did | Max | play | football? | Yes, No, |
he he |
did. didn’t. |
BUT:
| to be | Subject | Rest | Yes/No | Subject | Auxiliary (+ n’t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Were | you | in Leipzig last week? | Yes, No, |
I I |
was. wasn’t. |
8. Questions with question words in the Simple Past
| Question word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What | did | you | play | yesterday evening? | I played computer games. |
BUT:
| Question word | to be | Subject | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | were | you | yesterday? | I was at the cinema. |
9. Subject question
| Question word | Verb | Rest | Subject | Verb | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who | runs | to the shop? | Peter | runs | to the shop. |
10. Object question
| Question word | Auxiliary | Subject | Verb | Rest | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who | did | Mandy | phone | last Monday? | Mandy phoned her uncle. |
NOTE!
| Subject question | Object question |
|---|---|
| Who phoned John? | Who did John phone? |
Students usually form positive sentences with a correct word order easier than question sentences. They often confuse the word order especially in special questions irrespective of tense forms. Here are some exercises you can use to practise question forming both in written and oral forms. The tasks are suitable for all levels.
Task 1
Prepare sentences in the tense you want your students to practise. Students should ask questions to the underlined words:
- He saw several football matches last week.
- They have selected the material I want.
- Mary is very grateful to her.
- I have waited for her for half an hour.
- You must look through the whole text.
Task 2
Prepare a set of words and ask students to put the words in the correct order to make questions:
- stay, he, of, won’t, out, home, he’ll, going, at, instead?
- trip, England, came, Mary, any, to, made, she, has, since, business?
- your, in, you, what, brother, doing, yesterday, was. when, came?
- your, this, from, does, suggested, differ, the, method, one, by, friend?
- is, school, your, is, far, not, your, it, from, house?
Task 3
Put students in pairs. Give a set of pictures. Students should and ask each other questions on the topic in the picture. For example,
-
The examples of the questions:
— daily routines,
- When do you get up?
- What do you have for breakfast?
- When do your classes start?
— summer holidays, - Where did you spend your summer holidays?
- With whom did you go there?
- What did you do there?
- — unforgettable day,
- Have you ever had an unforgettable day?
- When was it?
- What did you like on that day?
- — your plans for the weekend
- What plans do you have for the weekend?
- Are you going to meet your friends at the weekend?
- Where are you going to go with them?
Task 4
In this fun Wh questions game, students ask each other Wh questions to establish the correct line up in teams as quickly as possible, according to the criteria you call out. For example, if you ask them to line up as quickly as possible by age, the students should ask each other the question How old are you? The first team to line up correctly wins three points. The second team wins two points. The third team wins one point. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Task 5
Ask students to form questions and type them in Wheel Decide. Then put students in pairs, ask to spin the wheel and take turns to answer the questions.
Task 6
Before class, prepare a list of answers for questions you want to review. In the activity, students play a game where they are given an answer and they have to race to come up with the correct question. The class is divided into two teams. An answer is read. The team to respond with the correct question wins a point. The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.
Task 7
Here is a fun adaptation of the famous TV game show Who wants to be a millionaire? Divide the class into two teams. Ask each team to prepare a set of questions to ask during the game. In the lesson put two chairs at the front of the class. A player from each team then comes and sits in a chair at the front of the class. The opponent’s team asks a question for 0. Give the player time to think and discuss the answer in a team. If the team gets the answer right, put a tick next to 0. Then, repeat the process with another team. When both teams have answered correctly, it’s time for a 0 question and so on. Each team also gets three lifelines to use when they are not sure of the answer. Fifty-Fifty — This is where two of the four answers are eliminated, so only two possible answers remain. Ask a friend — The players can google the answer in English.
Task 8
Organize a pair work in the form of job interviews for unusual jobs. Prepare a set of cards with the weirdest jobs ever, for example, a pet food tester, a bed tester, a line stander etc. Ask students to make a list of possible questions to be asked at the job interviews. Give 10 minutes to role play dialogues then change job seekers.
What activities do you use to practise making questions?