Question formation

Question formation

By Marío Medina

Direct questions

1. We make questions with modal verbs and with tenses where there is an auxiliary verb (be, have, etc.) by inverting the subject and the modal/auxiliary verb.

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Should we buy her a present?​

How many children does your sister have?​

Question formation

Direct questions

2. We often use negative questions to show surprise or when we expect somebody to agree with us.

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Why didn't you like the movie?

Isn't this a beautiful place?​

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Question formation

Direct questions

3. If a verb is followed by a preposition, the prepositions comes at the end of the question, not at the beginnng.

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About what are you talking? What are you talking about?

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We often use the question word and the preposition:

A: I'm thinking. B: What about?​

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Question formation

Direct questions

4. When who/what/which, etc. is the subject of the question, we don't use do/did:

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Who wrote this? Who did write this?​

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Question formation

Open Ended

Order the words to make questions: a/friend/scientist/your/is/?

Open Ended

Order the words to make questions: Nuria/Valencia/live/does/in?

Open Ended

Order the words to make questions: did/you/get/when/home?

​Indirect questions

We use indirect questions when we want to ask a question in a more polite way, and begin with can/could you tell me...? or when we introduce a question with do you know...? do you remember...?

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What time does the store next door open? (direct question)

Could you tell me what time the store next door opens? ​(indirect question)

Indirect questions

​Indirect questions

• In indirect questions the order is subject + verb. Can you tell me where it is?​

• We don't use do/did in the second part of the question. Do you know where he lives?

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• You can use if or whether in questions without a question word (what, how many, etc.) and after Can you tell me, Do you know, etc.​

Indirect questions

Open Ended

Make this direct question into an indirect question using "do you know...": Where did she meet her brother?

Open Ended

Make this direct question into an indirect question using "Can you tell me...": How was the film?

Open Ended

Make this direct question into an indirect question using "Can you tell me...": Why did they arrive so late?