Forming Questions
English questions require specific word order changes.
Yes/No Questions
Questions answered with “yes” or “no”.
With Auxiliary Verbs
Pattern: Auxiliary + Subject + Main Verb
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| She is working. | Is she working? |
| They have finished. | Have they finished? |
| He can swim. | Can he swim? |
| We will go. | Will we go? |
With “Do/Does/Did”
When there’s no auxiliary, add do/does/did:
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| You like coffee. | Do you like coffee? |
| She works here. | Does she work here? |
| They went home. | Did they go home? |
Note: Main verb returns to base form:
- She works → Does she work?
- They went → Did they go?
With “Be” as Main Verb
“Be” moves before the subject:
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| She is a doctor. | Is she a doctor? |
| They are ready. | Are they ready? |
| He was late. | Was he late? |
Wh-Questions
Questions that ask for specific information.
Question Words
| Word | Asks about |
|---|---|
| What | things, actions |
| Who | people (subject) |
| Whom | people (object) |
| Whose | possession |
| Which | choice |
| Where | place |
| When | time |
| Why | reason |
| How | manner, degree |
Pattern: Wh-word + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb
- What are you doing?
- Where does she live?
- When did they arrive?
- Why is he leaving?
- How can I help you?
”How” Combinations
| Combination | Asks about |
|---|---|
| How much | quantity (uncountable) |
| How many | quantity (countable) |
| How often | frequency |
| How long | duration |
| How far | distance |
| How old | age |
Examples:
- How much does it cost?
- How many books do you have?
- How often do you exercise?
- How long have you been waiting?
Subject vs. Object Questions
Object Questions (normal pattern)
The question word replaces the object:
- You saw someone. → Who did you see?
- She bought something. → What did she buy?
Subject Questions (no auxiliary needed)
The question word replaces the subject:
- Someone called. → Who called?
- Something happened. → What happened?
Compare:
- Who called you? (subject question - no “did”)
- Who did you call? (object question - needs “did”)
Negative Questions
Often express surprise or seek confirmation:
- Don’t you like it?
- Isn’t she coming?
- Haven’t you finished?
- Why didn’t you tell me?
Tag Questions
Short questions at the end to confirm:
Pattern: Positive statement → negative tag (and vice versa)
- You like coffee, don’t you?
- She isn’t coming, is she?
- They have finished, haven’t they?
- He can swim, can’t he?
In English questions, the auxiliary verb always comes before the subject (Do you…?, Is she…?). Forgetting to invert the subject and auxiliary is the most common question-formation error for learners.