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Understanding Question Forms in English

The document provides guidelines on forming positive and negative questions, emphasizing the use of auxiliary verbs and prepositions. It explains the structure of indirect questions for politeness and the appropriate use of 'which' and 'what' based on the number of options. Additionally, it highlights the correct word order when asking about the subject of a sentence.

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4 views8 pages

Understanding Question Forms in English

The document provides guidelines on forming positive and negative questions, emphasizing the use of auxiliary verbs and prepositions. It explains the structure of indirect questions for politeness and the appropriate use of 'which' and 'what' based on the number of options. Additionally, it highlights the correct word order when asking about the subject of a sentence.

Uploaded by

watanyarrashad108
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Question forms

Instructor: Shamriz Sadat


University of central Asia

1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 1


• Positive and negative
questions Most questions
have an auxiliary verb (e.g. be,
do, have or modal verbs)
before the subject. The
Positive and auxiliary verb can be positive
or negative:
negative How do you spell that?
questions
Prepositions usually come at
the end of questions.
Where are you from? NOT From
where are-you?
In very formal questions they
1/6/2025
can go at the beginning.
Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 2
Tip

We can make short questions


from who / what / why
We use negative questions to
+ preposition:
express surprise:
A: I'm going to a party tonight.
Haven't they finished yet? (I'm
B: Who with?
surprised)
A: Can I borrow your phone?
B: What for? (Why?)

1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 3


• When we ask about the
subject of a sentence the
word order
doesn't change and we don't
use an auxiliary verb.

Somebody wrote this book. >


Who wrote this book?
NOT Who did write this book?

1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 4


• We use indirect questions to sound polite.
Start indirect
questions with Can you tell me ... / Do you
know ... We don't use
an auxiliary verb and the word order
Indirect doesn't change: Use if in
indirect yes / no questions.
questions Why did she become famous? > Do you
know why she became
famous?
Do you like foreign films? > Can you tell
me if you like foreign
films?

1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 5


• We can also use indirect
questions in sentences
starting with:
I'm not sure ... I know / don't
know ... I wonder ... I can't
remember ... etc.
Is this answer correct? -> I'm
not sure if this answer is
correct.
Where have they been? > I
wonder where they've been.

1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 6


Tip
• We use which + noun
when there is a limited
number
of options and what +
noun when there are many
possibilities:
We can have our meeting
at 10.00, 12.15 or 14.30.
Which time would you
prefer?
I'm free all day. What time
do you want to meet?
1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 7
1/6/2025 Instructor: Shamriz Sadat 8

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