Practice question word order

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?

1   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Tom a lot of people invited.

b) A lot of people Tom invited.

c) Tom invited a lot of people.

d) Tom invited of people a lot.

2   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) I think you should never put this T-shirt on.

b) I think you never should put this T-shirt on.

c) I think you should put this T-shirt never on.

d) I think you should put never this T-shirt on.

3   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) The biggest animal on Earth the blue whale is.

b) On Earth is the biggest animal blue whale.

c) Is the biggest animal on Earth the blue whale.

d) The blue whale is the biggest animal on Earth.

4   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) We often don’t go to the cinema.

b) We don’t often go to the cinema.

c) We don’t go often to the cinema.

d) We don’t go to the cinema often.

5   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Scott drives to work every day.

b) Every day to work Scott drives.

c) Scott every day drives to work.

d) Every day drives Scott to work.

6   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) I can to the swimming pool go with you.

b) I can go to the swimming pool with you.

c) Can I go to the swimming pool with you.

d) To the swimming pool can I go with you.

7   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) You would like some coffee?

b) Some coffee would you like?

c) Would like you some coffee?

d) Would you like some coffee?

8   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) John doesn’t often go to the theatre.

b) John often doesn’t go to the theatre.

c) John doesn’t go often to the theatre.

d) Often John doesn’t go to the theatre.

9   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) A federation is Australia of six states.

b) A federation of six states Australia is.

c) Australia of six states is a federation.

d) Australia is a federation of six states.

10   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Is how far your town from here?

b) How far your town from here is?

c) How far your town is from here?

d) How far is your town from here?

11   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) When did Apollo 11 land on the Moon?

b) When Apollo 11 did land on the Moon?

c) Did Apollo 11 land on the Moon when?

d) When did land Apollo 11 on the Moon?

12   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) In a modern big house lived Harry.

b) Harry in a big modern house lived.

c) Harry lived in a modern big house.

d) Harry lived in a big modern house.

13   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) My purse my brother found outside the house.

b) My brother found my purse outside the house.

c) Outside the house found my brother my purse.

d) My brother outside the house found my purse.

14   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Is what the name of this street?

b) The name of this street is what?

c) What is the name of this street?

d) What the name of this street is?

15   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Julia bought eleven yellow amazing tulips.

b) Julia eleven amazing yellow tulips bought.

c) Julia bought eleven amazing yellow tulips.

d) Julia eleven yellow amazing tulips bought.

16   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Pete comes from England.

b) Comes Pete from England.

c) From England Pete comes.

d) Pete from England comes.

17   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Patrick White received in 1973 the Nobel Prize.

b) Patrick White received the Nobel Prize in 1973.

c) In 1973 the Nobel Prize Patrick White received.

d) Received Patrick White the Nobel Prize in 1973.

18   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Steve was wearing a fantastic Italian coat.

b) Steve was wearing an Italian fantastic coat.

c) Steve was a fantastic Italian coat wearing.

d) Steve was an Italian fantastic coat wearing.

19   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) They not are walking in the park.

b) They are walking in the park not.

c) Not they are walking in the park.

d) They are not walking in the park.

20   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) New Zealand is about the same size as Great Britain or Japan.

b) New Zealand about the same size as Great Britain or Japan is.

c) About the same size as Great Britain or Japan New Zealand is.

d) New Zealand about the same size is as Great Britain or Japan.

21   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) You have ever been to Boston?

b) Have you ever been to Boston?

c) Have you been ever to Boston?

d) Have you been to Boston ever?

22   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) It is a nice small town in France.

b) It is a small nice town in France.

c) In France it is a nice small town.

d) In France it is a small nice town.

23   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) The Olympics take place every four years.

b) Every four years take place the Olympics.

c) The Olympics take every four years place.

d) Take place the Olympics every four years.

24   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Her husband returns usually home at 7 p.m.

b) Her husband usually returns home at 7 p.m.

c) Her husband returns home at 7 p.m. usually.

d) Her husband returns home at usually 7 p.m.

25   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) You can show me the way to Westminster Abbey?

b) Can show you me the way to Westminster Abbey?

c) Can you show me the way to Westminster Abbey?

d) To Westminster Abbey you can show me the way?

26   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) What your favourite colour is?

b) Is what you favourite colour?

c) What is you favourite colour?

d) Your favourite colour is what?

27   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Five years before in London had she met Jim.

b) She had five years before met Jim in London.

c) She five years before had met Jim in London.

d) She had met Jim in London five years before.

28   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) A famous American actress Marilyn Monroe was.

b) Marilyn Monroe was a famous American actress.

c) Marilyn Monroe a famous American actress was.

d) Was Marilyn Monroe a famous American actress.

29   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) 2,500 kilometers long The Great Wall of China is.

b) The Great Wall of China is 2,500 kilometers long.

c) Is The Great Wall of China 2,500 kilometers long.

d) The Great Wall of China 2,500 kilometers is long.

30   Choose the sentence with the right word order:

a) Wolfgang Mozart was in 1756 in Salzburg born.

b) Wolfgang Mozart was born in 1756 in Salzburg.

c) Wolfgang Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756.

d) Wolfgang Mozart in 1756 in Salzburg was born.

Английское предложение строится по своему установленному порядку – члены предложения следуют в строгой последовательности друг за другом – сначала подлежащее, затем сказуемое и второстепенные члены. Если предложение вопросительное, то сначала следует употреблять вопросительное слово, затем вспомогательный глагол в зависимости от грамматического времени, подлежащее и сказуемое.

Разделяют вопросительный порядок слов, прямой и инверсию. Второстепенные члены предложения также расставляются в предложении согласно определенному порядку слов.

Предлагаем вам пройти тест на тему порядка слов в английском предложении. Уровень теста — сложный. Будьте внимательны!  

Word order / questions

1. I couldn’t understand … .

a) To whom she was addressing

b) Whom she was addressing to

c) Who she was addressing to

d) To who she was addressing

2. Who … this phone number? – Sorry, I can’t tell.

a) Did give you

b) Gave you

c) Did you give

d) You gave

3. Did you ask him … to do this job?

a) If he was professional enough

b) Was he professional enough

c) Was he enough professional

d) If he was enough professional

4. Never … such a nice and peaceful scene!

a) I have seen

b) Have seen I

c) Have I seen

d) Seen have I

5. Do you remember that neighbor of ours? She … on the balcony and watch people.

a) Normally would sit

b) Normally sit would

c) Would sit normally

d) Would normally sit

6. Why didn’t you send … ? I’ve been waiting for it!

a) To me this article

b) This article me

c) Me this article

d) Me to this article

7. Look! Those are nice shoes. Why don’t you… ?

a) Try them on

b) Them try on

c) Try on them

d) Them on try

8. I don’t think she’s being reasonable. — … .

a) Nor I do

b) I do neither

c) Neither I do

d) Nor do I

9. a) Would you like to see … ? I’ve got two tickets.

a) With me this film on Friday

b) This film with me on Friday

c) On Friday with me this film

d) With me on Friday this film

10. Why do you love your … dress so much? Does it remind you of something?

a) Old silk red

b) Old red silk

c) Red old silk

d) Silk old red

2 Comments on Тест Word order / questions