Our topic today is English language issues. Namely: how to ask them correctly, the difference between general and special questions, questions to the subject, and we will also talk about the use of various question words. This topic is relevant for students of any level of language proficiency, because mistakes are possible even at higher levels. high level when it comes to constructing questions in English. They confuse word order, miss auxiliary verbs, and use incorrect intonation. Our mission is to prevent such errors from occurring. Can we start?
The first thing you need to know about questions in English is that they differ from the structure of affirmative sentences. We usually (but not always!) ask questions in English by changing the word order: we put the auxiliary verb first before the subject. Another (main) verb is placed after the subject.
Continuing to delve deeper into this topic, it is worth mentioning what types of questions there are in the English language. The differences in the construction of those same questions in English depend on this.
5 types of questions in English
Common question in English
We ask this question when we want to know general information. Are you learning English? We can answer it with one word “yes” or “no”.
Special question
We need such questions in order to find out certain, specific information that interests us. When did you start learning English?
Question to the subject
We set it when we want to find out who is performing the action. Who teaches your English courses?
Alternative question
This is a question in which you are given a choice of 2 options. Do you study English with a teacher or on your own?
Dividing question
This question requires confirmation of some information. You continue to learn English in the summer, don’t you?
Now let's look at how each of these questions is constructed in English.
General questions
When forming such questions, reverse word order is used. This means that we put the auxiliary verb in first place, the subject in second place, and the main verb in third place.
Tom likes swimming in the sea. - Does ( auxiliary verb) Tom ( subject) like ( main verb) swimming in the sea?
She goes to work everyday. - Does ( auxiliary verb) she ( subject) go ( main verb) to work everyday?
General questions in English they are also constructed with modal verbs. In this case modal verb will replace the auxiliary, that is, put in first place.
Could you close the door, please? - Could you close the door, please?
May I come in? - Can I come in?
Should I put on a sweater? - Should I wear this sweater?
We draw your attention to the verb to be. We can safely consider it special - in general questions there is no need to add an auxiliary verb to it.
Is he a teacher? - Is he a teacher?
Was the weather good yesterday? - Was the weather good yesterday?
We form a negative general question. To do this you need to add a particle not. It will come immediately after the subject. However, if we use the short form not - n't, she will stand in front of him. Let's look at an example:
Does she not go to work on Sunday? = Doesn’t she go to work on Sunday? - She doesn't go to work on Sunday?
Have you not watched this movie? = Haven’t you watched this movie? -Have you seen this film?
Special questions
This type of question requires an extensive and detailed explanation. A special question can be asked of any member of an interrogative sentence in English. The word order in such questions is the same as in general, only one of the question words must be placed at the beginning:
- What?- What?
- When?- When?
- Where?- Where?
- Why?- Why?
- Which?- Which?
- Whose?- Whose?
- Whom?- Whom?
In a descriptive format, we will build a special question according to the following scheme:
Question word + auxiliary (or modal) verb + subject + predicate + object + other parts of the sentence.
Easier - with an example:
What (question word) are (auxiliary verb) you (subject) cooking (predicate)? - What are you cooking?
What (question word) do (auxiliary verb l) you (subject) want to eat (predicate)? - What do you want to eat?
When (question word) did (auxiliary verb) you (subject) leave (predicate) the house (addition)? - When did you leave home?
Due to the fact that a special question in English is posed to almost any member of a sentence (addition, circumstance, definition, subject), you can use it to find out any information.
Questions to the subject
This type of question differs from the previous topics discussed because it does not use auxiliary verbs. You just need to replace the subject with who or what, add a questioning intonation and a veil - the question is ready.
The scheme for constructing a question to a subject in English is as follows:
Question word + predicate + minor members offers
Who went to the supermarket? - Who went to the supermarket?
What happened to your friend? - What happened to your friend?
Who did that? - Who did this?
At first glance it is very simple. But you should not confuse questions to the subject and special questions - questions in English to the object. A complement is a member of a sentence that gives some additional information and answers questions in English: “who?”, “what?”, “to whom?”, “what?”, “what?”. And most often the question to the addition begins with the interrogative pronoun who or whom and what. This is where there is a similarity with questions to subjects. Only context will help you understand. Examples for comparison:
The girl saw me yesterday. - The girl saw me yesterday.
Whom (Who) did the girl see yesterday? -Who did the girl see yesterday?
We are waiting for the train. - We're waiting for the train.
What are you waiting for? - What are you waiting for?
Alternative questions
Based on the name, it is clear that these questions presuppose an alternative or the right to choose. By asking them, we give the interlocutor two options.
Will you fly to England or Ireland? - Will you fly to England or Ireland?
In such a question there is always a conjunction “or” - or. The question itself is constructed as a general one, only at the end with the help of the above or We're adding choice.
Scheme for constructing a question:
Auxiliary verb + actor + action performed + ... or ...
Will they go to the park or to the cinema? - Will they go to the park or to the cinema?
Did you buy an apples or pears? - Did you buy apples or pears?
Does he work or study? - Does he work or study?
If an alternative question contains several auxiliary verbs, then we place the first one before the subject, and the rest immediately after it.
She has been studying for several years. - She has been studying for several years.
Has she been studying or working for several years? - Is she studying or working for several years?
An alternative question in English can also begin with a question word. Then such a question consists directly of a special question and the following two homogeneous members of an interrogative sentence in English, which are connected through the conjunction or.
When were you interrupted: at the beginning or in the middle of your speech? - When were you interrupted: at the beginning or in the middle of your speech?
Dividing questions
These questions in English can hardly be called questions in full, since their first part is very similar to an affirmative sentence. We use them when we are not 100% sure about something and want to verify or clarify information.
Disjunctive questions consist of two parts: the first is an affirmative or negative sentence, the second is short question. The second part is separated from the first comma and is called tag or in the Russian version "tail". That is why dividing questions are also called tag-questions or English tail questions.
Dividing questions are very popular in spoken English. And here's why:
- They do not ask the question directly, but encourage the interlocutor to answer.
- They can express many emotions and states (irony, doubt, politeness, surprise, etc.).
- They use direct word order. A regular sentence is constructed, a “tail” is added to it, and the question is ready.
“Tails” are translated into Russian by the words “truth”, “isn’t it true”, “isn’t it so”, “correctly”, “yes”.
Let's look at examples and see for ourselves:
I am your friend, aren’t I? - I'm your friend, aren't I?
He isn’t your brother, is he? - He's not your brother, right?
They aren't at home now, are they? - They are not at home now, are they?
Your friend worked in IT, didn’t he? - Your friend worked in the IT field, didn’t he?
You used to get up at 5 a.m., didn’t you? - You used to get up at 5 am, right?
Pay attention to the “tails” for the pronoun I (I) - in a negative sentence the auxiliary verb changes.
I am not right, am I? - I'm wrong, right?
I am right, aren’t I? - I'm right, right?
If you have a sentence with a verb have, then several options for “tails” are possible with it.
You have a cat, have you? (British English) - You have a cat, right?
We have a car, don’t we? (American English) - We have a car, right?
Also sometimes there is no negative in the first part of the sentence not before the auxiliary verb and it will still be considered negative. Here's an example: They never went there, ...What will we deliver? Right, did they! And all because the word never(never) has a negative meaning. To words like never, can be attributed rarely(rarely), scarcely(barely) hardly(hardly) Barely(barely) little(few), few(some).
They rarely go out, do they? - They rarely go out, right? ( there is a word with a negative meaning rarely)
It's unbelievable, is it? - It's incredible, right? ( the word unbelievable with a negative prefix, so the first part is considered negative)
Nothing is impossible, is it? - Nothing is impossible, right? ( nothing and impossible are words with a negative meaning)
They have nowhere to go, do they? - They have nowhere to go, do they? ( nowhere - a word with a negative meaning)
Conclusion
As you managed to replace, there is nothing difficult in asking a question and finding out the information you are interested in. We hope that this article will help you understand all the subtleties and nuances. Learn English, be inquisitive and ask correct English questions to your interlocutors. Cheers!
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Today we will learn to ask any questions in English.
This process is slightly different from the question system in Russian, so you will have to learn some principles and rules.
We remember that a question - an interrogative sentence - is essentially a type of sentence, along with an affirmative one, and has its own unique, inimitable structure.
1. Firstly, English questions are not asked using intonation, as in Russian - in order to ask a question in English
1) NEEDS TO BE CHANGED WORD ORDER And
2) USE AUXILIARY VERB(I’ll tell you which one later).
a. Word order in a question sentence in English:
(Question word)+ auxiliary verb + subject + main verb(predicate) + other members of the sentence.
Eat question type which stands out in its own category is the question to the subject (a subject question). It stands out separately because it does not have in its structure auxiliary question and copies the structure of an affirmative sentence. With its direct word order:
Where do you live? - Where do you live? – a question to a circumstance, asked using the auxiliary verb “do”, indicating time present simple.
Who lives with you? -Who lives with you? - a question to the subject (Who...?), asked WITHOUT the help of any auxiliary verbs - this is its structure.
*A question to the subject begins with interrogative words (interrogative pronouns):
Who – for animate nouns: “Who?”
What – for inanimate nouns: “What?”
V. What auxiliary verbs use in questions?
Am/Is/Are – for descriptive constructions, for example: Is she at home? Are you at work? Am I at the right place? – in this case, to describe the locations of people.
Do/does – for the Present Simple tense (does – for the subject of the 3rd person singular);
Have/has - for questions about belonging (Have you got...?/Has she got...?), as well as questions related to the Present Perfect tense (Have you done your homework yet?../Has she come home?).
Did - for Past Simple(Did you watch TV yesterday?..)
Will – for Future Simple(Will you go to work tomorrow?..)
Сan/Could/May/Should/Shall – for sentences containing modal verbs: the question begins with modal verbs.
2. Secondly, remember that in English there are different types of questions, depending on their functions, and each of these types of questions is asked in its own way:
1. General question– or, in another words, a “Yes/No question” – a question requiring the answer “Yes” or “No”:
Do you love oranges? – I do/Yes, I do;
Do you believe in ghosts? – Hmm, No, I don’t.
This question begins with an auxiliary verb - one of those listed in paragraph 1b.
2. Special question– a question that begins with a question word and requires specific, precise information as an answer:
What do you do? – I’m a teacher;
Where do you live? – at Korolyov;
What's your favorite fruit? – a watermelon;
What color is your bag? - It's brown.
In order to ask it correctly, we need question words:
What? - What?
How? - How?
Who? - Who?
How much? - How many?
How long? - How long?
Where? - Where?
Why? - Why?
Which? - Which?
3. Alternative question– in which the word “or” is present - “OR” and there are options: like, “Do you prefer white, or red”?..
Asked in the same way as a general question.
Why is it being asked? – to additions, circumstances, definitions and other members of the proposal.
4. Dividing question— a question with a tail, a tagged question.
Its distinctive feature is the presence, as already mentioned, of a “tail”, consisting of an auxiliary verb - from the main sentence - and a pronoun.
The function of this “tail” is mainly to confirm the information contained in the main sentence.
You can speak English, can’t you?
He wants a new car, doesn’t he?
They live nearby, don’t they?
He Is smart, isn’t he?
"Isn't that right?"
It is important that if the sentence is affirmative, then tag is negative.
And vice versa - if it is negative, then tag does not contain negations.
She can’t cook, can she?
He can drive, can’t he?
* In some cases, the tag-a form is complex and is not related to the tense or feature of the modal verb. These cases must be considered and studied separately.
3. It’s interesting that in English there is such a thing as short answers - "short answers".
They are needed to make speech as informal, natural, simple as possible and not burden you with long research.
“- Do you have a cat?” – “Yes, I do” - if yes.
“No, I don’t” – if not.
The answer “Yes, I have a cat” would sound funny and cumbersome + this is a tautology:
“Do you have a cat? “Yes, I have a cat.”
As in Russian, “- Do you have a cat?” – to which we will most likely answer: “Yes/Well, yes/Yes”, but, most likely, not so: “- Do you have a cat? “Yes, I have a cat,” unless we emphasize our statement emotionally (if we are irritated or in a bad mood).
4. And finally, consider the difference between two interrogative pronouns: “What” and “Which.”
What car do you drive? – What kind of car do you drive?
AND
Which car is yours – this, or that? – Which of the cars is yours – this one or that one?
Let's summarize: What assumes any answer and points to any (in the world/country/in the yard) car, or any other object.
Which presupposes the presence of several objects from which a choice must be made.
Or, in other words, What – “what/which”; Which – “which one/which”.
So,
1) we learn the system of tenses and auxiliary verbs;
2) we understand the order of words, UNDERSTAND it and keep it in our heads;
3) learn the types of questions;
4) we train in exercises, with examples, in oral speech as often as possible - and we get pure in this aspect.
By the way, you can practice questions with.
See you again and success!
The article was written by teacher Ekaterina Semyanina.
Every day we ask questions. For example, we often ask:
- How are you doing?
- What did you do yesterday?
-Who will go to the store?
-Are you going to the cafe or not?
Everyone who learns English must know how questions are formed, because without them you will not be able to communicate. In English there is 5 types of questions.
In the article I I will explain how they differ from each other, when they are used and how they are formed.
Special questions in English
The word “special” means “intended exclusively for something.” Accordingly, this question needed to find out specific information you are interested in. That’s why it’s called special, that is, you want to clarify special information.
For example
Where will you go on vacation?
We find out specific information - the place where the person will go.
How to construct a special question?
It is asked using the following question words:
- what - what,
- where - where,
- when - when,
- who - who,
- why - why,
- how (much/often/long) - how (many/often/long).
A special question is constructed according to the following scheme:
Question word + auxiliary verb + character + action being performed?
Examples
Step by step guide
>> How to ask specific questions.
Question to the subject in English
The subject names who or what the sentence is talking about.
In the survey, the subject is asked with the interrogative words who and what, which replace the character or thing being talked about in the sentence. For example
Who will pack your suitcase for you?
Consequently, we ask a question to the subject when we do not know who performed the action or has the attribute.
How to construct a question to the subject?
Feature this issue will be the order of words in the sentence. In this type of question, the word order never changes and proceeds as in an affirmative sentence. The outline of such a proposal would be as follows:
Who + action?
For example, we have an affirmative sentence
They played tennis.
They played tennis.
We simply substitute the question word who instead of they
Who played tennis?
Who played tennis?
At the same time, we imagine that who/what is a person in singular the person in question (he, she). Therefore, the sentence should be constructed as if in place of who/what costs he/she.
For example, we have a proposal
They were in the car.
They were in the car.
When asking a question, we forget about they and introduce he in its place, therefore, we replace were with was
Who were in the car?
Who was in the car?
Examples
Who likes to sing?
Who loves to sing?
What was in the box?
What was in the box?
Who is a doctor?
Who is the doctor?
Step by step guide:
>> How to construct a question to the subject? .
Alternative questions in English
True to its name, this question presupposes an alternative, that is, the right to choose. By asking it we give the interlocutor two options to choose from.
Example
Will you fly to England or Germany?
In such a matter always there is a conjunction or (or). The question itself is constructed as a general one, only at the end we add a choice clause using our or.
Scheme for constructing an alternative question:
Auxiliary verb + actor + action performed + ___ or ___?
Examples
Will they go to the park or to the cinema?
Will they go to the park or to the cinema?
Did you buy apples or pears?
Did you buy apples or pears?
Does he work or study?
Does he work or study?
Step by step guide:
>> How to construct an alternative question correctly.
Dividing questions in English
This type of question is also called a “tail question.” Such a question expresses doubt or desires confirmation of something.
For example
You've already packed your suitcase, haven't you?
It is divisive because consists of 2 parts, separated by commas.
The first part is constructed as an affirmative or negative sentence with the usual word order.
The second part (“tail”) looks like quick question. It consists of:
- auxiliary verb (depending on the tense used in the first part);
- character (I, you, he, she, they, it, we, you) used in the first part.
We translate such a “tail” into Russian as “isn’t it so” / “isn’t it true?”
1. If the first part of the sentence is affirmative, then the second part is negative.
Affirmative sentence + auxiliary verb + not (in shortened form) + character?
Examples
He called you yesterday, didn't he?
He called you yesterday, didn't he?
They play tennis every weekends, don't they?
They play tennis every weekend, don't they? Examples
So, we have looked at all five types of questions in English. Now let's move on to practice.
Reinforcement task
Make 5 types of questions from the following affirmative sentences:
1. He went to school yesterday.
2. She gave me a phone.
3. We will read this book.
4. They bought a car.
5. She doesn’t like to cook.
Leave your answers in the comments below the article.
The word order in general questions is as follows (with examples):
I have seen the new film by E. Ryazanov.
I saw E. Ryazanov's new film.
Have you seen the new film by E. Ryazanov?
Have you seen the new film by E. Ryazanov?
You will go to the theater with me.
You will go to the theater with me.
Will do you go to the theater with me?
Will you go to the theater with me?
5. If the predicate contains two or three auxiliary verbs (I have been working, a letter will be written, the article would have been translated), then the first auxiliary verb is placed before the subject.
Has not been working here since 1985.
He has been working here since 1985.
Has he been working here since 1985?
Has he been working here since 1985?
6. A general question in the negative form is formed using the auxiliary verb to do in the appropriate form (do, does, did, etc.) and the particle not. In Russian, the corresponding sentences begin with the words really? really? and express surprise, etc.
If negation is used in short form: don’t, doesn’t, didn’t, then it is placed before the subject.
Don't you want to go to the flower-show?
(Don't) you want to go to the flower show?
If the negation is used not in the short form, but in the full form - separately, then the following word order is used: in the first place - the auxiliary verb, in the second place - the subject, then the negation not, then the main verb, etc.
One of the most difficult aspects of learning English is composing questions. This topic is considered during the study of the basics of the English language.
All English language questions can be divided into 4 groups:
- general;
- special;
- dividing;
- alternative.
General questions
This type of question is aimed at obtaining a “yes” or “no” answer. General questions are written according to the English tense that needs to be used in a given question.
For example, a common question with using Present Simple:
- Do you swim every day? - Yes/No, I do/don’t.
- Will they dance at the party? - Yes/No, they will/won’t.
Note
The question and answer must contain the same modal verb.
Correct Use:
- Did he eat sandwiches yesterday? - Yes/No, he did/didn’t.
Incorrect spelling:
- Are they playing vulleyball? - Yes/No, they do/did/will. The answer must contain the word are.
The answer should not contain names. Pronouns are used instead:
- Does Anna work in hospital? - Yes/No, she does/doesn’t.
If a verb contains two or more words, one of them comes first:
- We have done the work. - Have they done the work?
Modal verbs are placed in first place, that is, before the subject:
- She can sing very well. - Can she sing very well?
Brief affirmative answers do not shorten:
- Incorrect: Yes, he’s.
- Correct: Yes, he is.
Special questions
Special questions begin with question words:
- who - who;
- what - what;
- where - where;
- why - why;
- when - when;
- how long - how long.
For example:
- When does the train arrive?
- How long does it take you to go to the bus stop?
In order to compose special questions in English, it is necessary to add a question word to the general question, which is put in first place. For example:
- General question: Do you go to the shop every day?
- Special question: When do you go to the shop? - I go every day/after work.
Every day is the answer to the question when, so this phrase is not written down.
Dividing questions (Tag - questions)
Creating a dividing question is quite simple. To do this, we add a corresponding short question to the narrative sentence. These questions are asked to obtain additional information.
For example:
- The weather is good, isn’t it?
- They didn’t buy a new car, did they?
Note
Questions of this type are constructed according to the type of attraction of opposites, that is, if the verb in a sentence is in the affirmative form, then the interrogative part must be in the negative. And vice versa. You should also remember that there cannot be two negative particles in one dividing question.
- Incorrect: Your father doesn’t work in the bank, doesn’t he? - there are two negatives in the sentence.
- Correct: Your father doesn’t work in the bank, does he?
Alternative questions
Alternative questions are posed to offer the opponent a choice between two options.
This type of question is built on the basis of general questions and in the second part repeated words are omitted. The connecting element is the word “or”.
For example:
- Do you like ice cream with banana or with orange?
- Will you buy a book or a copy-book?
to be and to have
The verbs to be and to have are studied separately.
If a sentence contains the verb to be in variational forms: am, is, are, was, were, then it itself forms a question. To do this, we put it before the subject:
- She is drinking coca-cula. - Is she drinking coca-cula?
- Anna was in the park. - Was Anna in the park?
If the sentence contains the verb to have, then the question is composed based on the following rules:
- British version: the verb comes first.
- She has a pen. -Has she a pen.
- American version: to form a question, add the modal verb do.
- She has a pen. - Does she have a pen?
Set phrases add a modal verb before the subject
- You have lunch at 11.45 a.m. - Do you have lunch at 11.45 a.m?
