Question Formation

Learn how to form different types of questions correctly

What is Question Formation?

Questions in English follow specific patterns depending on whether they're yes/no questions, wh-questions, or subject questions. The word order changes from statements, and we often use auxiliary verbs.

Yes/No Questions

With BE: Be + subject + ...?

Are you tired?
Is she coming?
Was it difficult?
Were they happy?

With DO/DOES/DID (simple tenses): Do/Does/Did + subject + base verb?

Do you like coffee?
Does she speak English?
Did they call you?

With Modal Verbs: Modal + subject + base verb?

Can you help me?
Will she come?
Should I wait?
Would you like tea?

With HAVE (perfect tenses): Have/Has + subject + past participle?

Have you finished?
Has she arrived?
Had they left?

Wh- Questions (Information Questions)

Question Words:

What - things/actions: What do you want?
Who - people: Who is that?
Where - places: Where do you live?
When - time: When did you arrive?
Why - reasons: Why are you late?
How - manner/way: How do you do it?
Which - choice: Which one do you prefer?

Pattern: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + main verb?

What do you want?
Where does she live?
When did they arrive?
Why are you leaving?
How can I help?

Subject Questions (Who/What as Subject)

No auxiliary needed when who/what is the subject:

Who called? (someone called - who is subject)
What happened?
Who lives here?
What caused the problem?

Compare with object questions:

Subject: Who called you? (who = subject, no auxiliary)
Object: Who did you call? (who = object, need auxiliary)

How + Adjective/Adverb Questions

How old are you?
How long have you lived here?
How much does it cost?
How many people came?
How often do you exercise?
How far is it?

Question Tags

Positive statement → negative tag:

You're tired, aren't you?
She likes coffee, doesn't she?

Negative statement → positive tag:

You aren't tired, are you?
She doesn't like coffee, does she?

Common Mistakes

❌ Where you live? → ✅ Where do you live?
❌ What she wants? → ✅ What does she want?
❌ Where does he lives? → ✅ Where does he live? (base form)
❌ Who did call? → ✅ Who called? (subject question)
❌ How you do it? → ✅ How do you do it?

Practice Tips

🔄 Inversion rule: Questions switch auxiliary and subject: "You are" → "Are you?" "She can" → "Can she?"
📝 DO family: Use do/does/did for simple present/past without other auxiliaries.
👤 Subject questions: When who/what IS the subject, no auxiliary: "Who called?" NOT "Who did call?"
✅ Base form: After do/does/did, use base verb: "Does she live?" NOT "Does she lives?"
🎯 Practice question words: Master what, who, where, when, why, how - use them in daily conversation.