Question Formation

Master question formation in English: yes/no questions, wh-questions, question tags, and indirect questions for precise communication.

Level A2-B1-B2-C1-C2⏱️ 50 min📋 Requires: Basic verb tenses, Auxiliaries, Pronouns

Topic Progress0%

Question formation in English follows specific patterns that vary depending on the type of question and the verb tense. Mastering these structures is essential for effective communication and English exams.

📋 Quick Reference

1Yes/No questions: auxiliary + subject + main verb

2Wh-questions: question word + auxiliary + subject + verb

3Subject questions: no auxiliary needed

4Question tags: confirm information

5Indirect questions: more formal and polite

Yes/no questions require an auxiliary and are answered with yes or no.

Yes/No Question Structure

Tense	Structure	Example	Answer
Present Simple	Do/Does + subject + base verb	Do you like coffee?	Yes, I do / No, I don't
Past Simple	Did + subject + base verb	Did she call you?	Yes, she did / No, she didn't
Present Continuous	Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing	Are you working?	Yes, I am / No, I'm not
Present Perfect	Have/Has + subject + past participle	Have you finished?	Yes, I have / No, I haven't
Future Simple	Will + subject + base verb	Will they come?	Yes, they will / No, they won't
Modal Verbs	Modal + subject + base verb	Can you swim?	Yes, I can / No, I can't

🇪🇸 Spanish:

¿Hablas español?

🇬🇧 English:

Do you speak Spanish?

📝 Translation:

Do you speak Spanish?

🇪🇸 Spanish:

¿Está lloviendo?

🇬🇧 English:

Is it raining?

📝 Translation:

Is it raining?

💡

Remember: With the verb 'to be' you do not need an auxiliary: "Are you happy?" (not "Do you are happy?")

Questions with wh-words ask for specific information.

Question Words

Wh-word	Asks about	Example	Typical answer
What	Things, actions	What do you do?	I'm a teacher
Where	Place	Where do you live?	In Madrid
When	Time	When did you arrive?	Yesterday
Who	People (subject)	Who called you?	My mother
Whom	People (object, formal)	Whom did you see?	The manager
Why	Reason	Why are you late?	Traffic was bad
How	Manner, method	How do you cook this?	In the oven
Which	Choice between options	Which car is yours?	The blue one

Wh-Question Structure

General pattern: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + main verb

Examples:

What do you want?
Where did she go?
When will they arrive?
How are you feeling?

⚠️

Watch out! When 'who' is the subject, do not use an auxiliary: "Who lives here?" ✅ (not "Who does live here?" ❌)

The difference between subject and object questions affects grammatical structure.

Subject vs Object Questions

Type	Structure	Example	Explanation
Subject Question	Who/What + verb + object	Who broke the window?	Asks who performed the action
Object Question	Who/What + auxiliary + subject + verb	Who did you see?	Asks about the receiver of the action
Subject Question	What + verb + object	What happened?	Asks what occurred
Object Question	What + auxiliary + subject + verb	What did you buy?	Asks what you bought

🇪🇸 Spanish:

¿Quién rompió la ventana? (sujeto)

🇬🇧 English:

Who broke the window?

📝 Translation:

Who broke the window?

🇪🇸 Spanish:

¿A quién viste? (objeto)

🇬🇧 English:

Who did you see?

📝 Translation:

Who did you see?

Question tags are added at the end of sentences to confirm information or seek agreement.

Rules for Question Tags

Basic patterns for forming question tags:

Examples:

Positive sentence → negative tag: 'You like coffee, don't you?'
Negative sentence → positive tag: 'You don't smoke, do you?'
Use the same auxiliary as in the main sentence
If there is no auxiliary, use do/does/did
With 'I am' → 'aren't I?' (exception)

Common Question Tags

Main Sentence	Question Tag	Full Example
You are tired	aren't you?	You are tired, aren't you?
She doesn't live here	does she?	She doesn't live here, does she?
They have finished	haven't they?	They have finished, haven't they?
He can swim	can't he?	He can swim, can't he?
We should go	shouldn't we?	We should go, shouldn't we?
I am right	aren't I?	I am right, aren't I?

✅

Intonation: If you expect confirmation, use falling intonation. If you genuinely do not know, use rising intonation.

Indirect questions are more polite and formal, especially useful in professional situations.

Structures for Indirect Questions

Introductory Phrase	Structure	Example
Could you tell me	...where the station is?	Could you tell me where the station is?
Do you know	...what time it is?	Do you know what time it is?
I wonder	...if you could help me	I wonder if you could help me
Would you mind telling me	...how much this costs?	Would you mind telling me how much this costs?
I'd like to know	...whether they're coming	I'd like to know whether they're coming

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Pregunta directa: ¿Dónde está el banco?

🇬🇧 English:

Direct: Where is the bank?

📝 Translation:

Direct: Where is the bank?

🇪🇸 Spanish:

Pregunta indirecta: ¿Podrías decirme dónde está el banco?

🇬🇧 English:

Indirect: Could you tell me where the bank is?

📝 Translation:

Indirect: Could you tell me where the bank is?

💡

Word order: In indirect questions, use affirmative word order after the question word: "where the bank is" (not "where is the bank").

❌

Error: "Do you are happy?" ❌
Correct: "Are you happy?" ✅
With 'to be' do not use the auxiliary 'do'

❌

Error: "Who does live here?" ❌
Correct: "Who lives here?" ✅
In subject questions do not use an auxiliary

❌

Error: "Where do you come from?" vs "Where are you from?"
Both correct: But "Where are you from?" is more common ✅
Some questions have alternative forms

❌

Error: "Could you tell me where is the bank?" ❌
Correct: "Could you tell me where the bank is?" ✅
In indirect questions use affirmative word order

← Back to Theory

Question Formation