Forming questions
Build correct questions using inversion and auxiliary verbs.
Build correct questions using inversion and auxiliary verbs.
Unit 52 – Forming questions (A1)
Introduction
Every day, we ask for information: a name, a time, a place, a reason. In English, questions often have a special word order. In this unit, you will learn how to form clear, correct questions using inversion and auxiliary verbs. We will move step by step, so you can ask simple questions with confidence in real conversations.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you can: (1) form Yes/No questions with be; (2) form Yes/No questions with do/does; (3) ask Wh- questions (What, Where, When, Who, Why, How); (4) choose the correct auxiliary verb and word order.
1) Yes/No questions with the verb “be” (am/is/are)
When the main verb is be, we form a question by changing the order: the verb comes before the subject. This is called inversion.
Statement: You are tired.
Question: Are you tired?
Statement: She is at home.
Question: Is she at home?
Statement: I am late.
Question: Am I late?
Important concept
With be, you do not use do/does. You only invert: Am/Is/Are + subject + …?
2) Yes/No questions with other verbs (use “do/does”)
When the main verb is not be (for example: work, like, live, play), we usually need an auxiliary verb: do or does.
Pattern: Do/Does + subject + base verb + …?
Statement: You like coffee.
Question: Do you like coffee?
Statement: He lives in London.
Question: Does he live in London?
Statement: They play tennis on Saturdays.
Question: Do they play tennis on Saturdays?
Warning
In questions with does, the main verb stays in the base form: Does he live (not Does he lives).
3) Wh- questions (What, Where, When, Who, Why, How)
Wh- questions ask for specific information. The Wh- word usually comes first. After that, the structure depends on the verb.
A) Wh- questions with “be”
Pattern: Wh- word + am/is/are + subject + …?
Where are you?
What is your name?
Who is he?
B) Wh- questions with “do/does”
Pattern: Wh- word + do/does + subject + base verb + …?
Where do you live?
What does she want?
When do they start?
C) “How” questions
How are you? (with be)
How do you spell your name? (with do)
How does he go to work? (with does)
4) Choosing the correct auxiliary: a quick guide
When you build a question, first decide if the main verb is be or another verb.
If the verb is “be”: invert the verb and the subject.
Example: She is happy. → Is she happy?
If the verb is not “be”: use do/does + base verb.
Example: He works here. → Does he work here?
Then, if you want specific information, add a Wh- word at the beginning.
Example: He works here. → Where does he work?
Practice
Practice section
Write the correct question. Check the answer in the table.
| Exercise | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1) You are a student. (Yes/No question) | Are you a student? |
| 2) She is in the kitchen. (Yes/No question) | Is she in the kitchen? |
| 3) They are ready. (Yes/No question) | Are they ready? |
| 4) You like pizza. (Yes/No question) | Do you like pizza? |
| 5) He speaks English. (Yes/No question) | Does he speak English? |
| 6) We work on Monday. (Yes/No question) | Do we work on Monday? |
| 7) Your name is Anna. (Wh- question: What) | What is your name? |
| 8) You live in Rome. (Wh- question: Where) | Where do you live? |
| 9) She wants tea. (Wh- question: What) | What does she want? |
| 10) They start at 9:00. (Wh- question: When) | When do they start? |
| 11) He is my teacher. (Wh- question: Who) | Who is he? |
| 12) You spell your surname. (Wh- question: How) | How do you spell your surname? |
Unit 52 – Forming questions (A1)
Introduction
Every day, we ask for information: a name, a time, a place, a reason. In English, questions often have a special word order. In this unit, you will learn how to form clear, correct questions using inversion and auxiliary verbs. We will move step by step, so you can ask simple questions with confidence in real conversations.
Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you can: (1) form Yes/No questions with be; (2) form Yes/No questions with do/does; (3) ask Wh- questions (What, Where, When, Who, Why, How); (4) choose the correct auxiliary verb and word order.
1) Yes/No questions with the verb “be” (am/is/are)
When the main verb is be, we form a question by changing the order: the verb comes before the subject. This is called inversion.
Statement: You are tired.
Question: Are you tired?
Statement: She is at home.
Question: Is she at home?
Statement: I am late.
Question: Am I late?
Important concept
With be, you do not use do/does. You only invert: Am/Is/Are + subject + …?
2) Yes/No questions with other verbs (use “do/does”)
When the main verb is not be (for example: work, like, live, play), we usually need an auxiliary verb: do or does.
Pattern: Do/Does + subject + base verb + …?
Statement: You like coffee.
Question: Do you like coffee?
Statement: He lives in London.
Question: Does he live in London?
Statement: They play tennis on Saturdays.
Question: Do they play tennis on Saturdays?
Warning
In questions with does, the main verb stays in the base form: Does he live (not Does he lives).
3) Wh- questions (What, Where, When, Who, Why, How)
Wh- questions ask for specific information. The Wh- word usually comes first. After that, the structure depends on the verb.
A) Wh- questions with “be”
Pattern: Wh- word + am/is/are + subject + …?
Where are you?
What is your name?
Who is he?
B) Wh- questions with “do/does”
Pattern: Wh- word + do/does + subject + base verb + …?
Where do you live?
What does she want?
When do they start?
C) “How” questions
How are you? (with be)
How do you spell your name? (with do)
How does he go to work? (with does)
4) Choosing the correct auxiliary: a quick guide
When you build a question, first decide if the main verb is be or another verb.
If the verb is “be”: invert the verb and the subject.
Example: She is happy. → Is she happy?
If the verb is not “be”: use do/does + base verb.
Example: He works here. → Does he work here?
Then, if you want specific information, add a Wh- word at the beginning.
Example: He works here. → Where does he work?
Practice
Practice section
Write the correct question. Check the answer in the table.
| Exercise | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1) You are a student. (Yes/No question) | Are you a student? |
| 2) She is in the kitchen. (Yes/No question) | Is she in the kitchen? |
| 3) They are ready. (Yes/No question) | Are they ready? |
| 4) You like pizza. (Yes/No question) | Do you like pizza? |
| 5) He speaks English. (Yes/No question) | Does he speak English? |
| 6) We work on Monday. (Yes/No question) | Do we work on Monday? |
| 7) Your name is Anna. (Wh- question: What) | What is your name? |
| 8) You live in Rome. (Wh- question: Where) | Where do you live? |
| 9) She wants tea. (Wh- question: What) | What does she want? |
| 10) They start at 9:00. (Wh- question: When) | When do they start? |
| 11) He is my teacher. (Wh- question: Who) | Who is he? |
| 12) You spell your surname. (Wh- question: How) | How do you spell your surname? |
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