Interrogative Forms

Basic Question Structure:

Yes or no questions. Use the verbs be, have and do along with helping (also called Auxiliary) verbs such as can, will and should when you ask these questions. The helping verb comes before the subject, the main one comes after the subject. The verb to be also comes before the subject when it is an ordinary verb rather than a helping verb ( ii, v ).

Helping verb
i) ii) iii) iv) v)

Subject you they you she this

Main verb like doing finished come soccer? their homework? your meal? with us? your seat?

Do Are Have Will Is

Inversion: Auxiliary verbs are inverted with the subject in a question:

Statement:

Subject I Auxiliary verb Am

Auxiliary verb am Subject I

doing it right.

Question:

doing it right?

Question-word Questions:
Question words what, which, who (sometimes whom), whose, when, where and how are used to ask for information. The verbs be, have and do, and helping verbs such as can, will and should are also used in these questions. The helping verb comes before the subject.

Question word Where When What When

Auxiliary verb are do have will

Subject you you you we

Main verb going? get married? got meet?

there?

Question word What Where Some more examples:

i) ii)

Auxiliary verb is do

Subject your name? the birds

Main verb

go

when it rains?

Which house do you live in? What date is it today?

In these cases the subject is still after the helping verb (in example ii is is used as a main verb). Sometimes the wh-word (who, which, etc.) itself is the subject of the sentence. In this case, dont use do to form questions.
iii) iv)

Who wants to come with me? What caused the accident?

Question Tags:
Sometimes people finish what they are saying with a short question called question tag to know if the person they are speaking to agrees with them: The weather is lovely today, isnt it? The main part of the sentence is positive, but the question tag is negative. You expect the answer to a negative question tag to be yes. Use a helping verb and the subject of the sentence to make the question tag. Notice that the subject has been replaced by a pronoun in the example sentences. The pronoun in the question tag refers to the subject in bold. Tom is older than you, isnt he? Sally has got a dog, hasnt she? Anna and I can go by train, cant we? Peter and David should leave now, shouldnt they? If the main part of the sentence has I am in it, use arent I in the question tag: Im your best friend, arent I? Im taller than John, arent I? If the main part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive. You expect the answer to a positive question tag to be no: These questions arent very difficult, are they? You havent read this book, have you? Peter isnt as tall as I am, is he? She isnt eight yet, is she? There arent many clouds in the sky, are there? There isnt much wind today, is there? There werent any emails for me, were there?