Two kinds of question
A yes/no question can be answered with yes or no. A wh- question asks for information and starts with a question word: who, what, where, when, why, how. In both kinds the word order changes from a statement.
Question word
Where
Helper
do
Subject
you
Main verb
live?
Yes/no questions
| Verb type | Statement | Question |
|---|---|---|
| be | She is a teacher. | Is she a teacher? |
| do / does (present simple) | You like tea. | Do you like tea? / Does he like tea? |
| did (past simple) | They went home. | Did they go home? |
| can / will / must | He can swim. | Can he swim? |
| have got | She has got a car. | Has she got a car? |
Wh- questions
| Word | Asks about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| what | things | What do you do? |
| who | people | Who is that man? |
| where | place | Where does she live? |
| when | time | When did you arrive? |
| why | reason | Why are you late? |
| how | way, state | How do you go to work? |
| how old / how much / how many / how often | age, amount, frequency | How often do you study? |
| which / whose | choice / owner | Which bus goes to town? Whose bag is this? |
Rule
Word order
- Question word + auxiliary (do/does/did/be/can) + subject + main verb.
- After does / did, the main verb is in the base form: Does she work? Did you see it?
- Subject questions (who/what is the subject) have no do/does/did: Who called you? What happened?
- Prepositions often go at the end: Who are you talking to?
Lots of examples
- Are you a student?be.
- Do you speak English?do.
- Does your brother live here?does.
- Did you enjoy the film?did.
- Can you help me?modal.
- Where do you live?place.
- What time does the shop open?what time.
- Why did she leave early?reason.
- How do you spell your name?how.
- Who called you? (no do)Subject question.
- What happened yesterday? (no did)Subject question.
- Who are you waiting for?Preposition at the end.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t sayWhere you live?
SayWhere do you live?Why: Use do/does for the present simple.
Don’t sayDoes she works here?
SayDoes she work here?Why: Base form after does.
Don’t sayWhat you are doing?
SayWhat are you doing?Why: Be comes before the subject.
Don’t sayWho did call you?
SayWho called you?Why: No did in subject questions.
Don’t sayWhy she left?
SayWhy did she leave?Why: Past simple needs did.