Questions, Question Types, Question Grammar

A typical question
Question
word optional

First verb/
Dummy
verb

Subject

Second
verb/real verb

Objects,
time,
place,
manner

examples
How long did you stay there?
Why does she say this?
Do you think she is right?
Has she ever been to Bulgaria before?
How often do you spend your weekend in the mountains?
Did she even try to explain?
Who is in charge of the project?
When is the meeting scheduled?
Why on earth did you tell her that?

A question about the SUBJECT

WHO/WHAT

Second verb, if
any

First verb

Objects,
time,
place,
manner

examples
Who was there?
What happened?
What was her name?
Who is the man over there?
What was the original price?
Who is making the presentation?
What was her answer?
What is the weather like?
Who called you earlier?

A NEGATIVE question (I)

Question
word optional

First verb/
Dummy
verb with
affixed negation

Subject

Second
verb/real verb

Objects,
time,
place,
manner

A NEGATIVE question (II)

Question
word optional
1

First verb/
Dummy
verb

Subject

NOT

Second
verb/real verb

Wordland International 2006

Objects,
time,
place,
manner

examples
Why didnt you say so?
Who didnt want to participate?
Why doesnt she tell you the truth?
Who isnt going to like this?
Why hasnt she called yet?
Why did you not say so?
Who did not want to participate?
Why does she not tell you the truth?
Who is not going to like this?
Why has she not called yet?

A question on verbs with prepositions (I)

Question
word optional

First verb/
Dummy
verb with
affixed negation

Subject

Second
verb/real verb

Preposition

A question on verbs with prepositions (II)

Preposition

Question
word optional

First verb/
Dummy
verb with
affixed negation

Subject

examples
Where does he go to?
Who does it belong to?
What event did she participate in?
What event will she join you to?
For who(m) is this gift? -> Who is this gift for?
How much does it amount to?
For who(m) are you waiting? -> Who are you waiting for?
Who does she talk to?
What are we going to talk about?
Where is he from?

Wordland International 2006

Second
verb/real verb

Top question words

WHO, WHAT
who ever, who on earth
what + noun
what kind of
whose
which
who for
WHEN, WHERE, WHY
since when
where to
where from
HOW
how + adjective
how much, how many
how long
how far
how soon
how old
how often

Ten rules about questions

Rule #1
If the verb of the original affirmative phrase is to be, then you shall not use a dummy verb such as to do.
am, is, are, was, were (+/- Ving)
NO
do, does, did
Rule #2
Questions that refer to the 1st and 2nd persons singular and plural are going to change subjects, with the exception of rhetorical
questions. Questions that refer to the 3rd person singular or plural are going to preserve the same subject, with the exception of
questions that refer to the respective subject itself.
Rule #3
The presence of the dummy verb to do is going to render the second verb an infinitive, thus no ending of the type -(e)s, -(e)d is going
to be used after. These endings are actually present via the verb to do.
Rule #4
Words such as someone, something, somewhere (some- compounds) become anyone, anything, anywhere (any- compounds).
Rule #5
Questions on the subject (WHO, WHAT) ARE NOT going to use dummy verbs such as to do.
Rule #6
Questions on the object (WHO, WHAT) ARE going to use dummy verbs such as to do.
Rule #7
If the question is about an object of a prepositional verb, then the preposition is regularly stranded at the end of the question.
Rule #8
If the question includes a time adverbial, it might come between the two verbs of the question.
Rule #9
If the question includes a negative verb, the first verb is always going to be negated, and the negation, if affixed, will stay with the
respective verb.
Rule #10

Wordland International 2006

If the question includes a negative verb, the first verb is always going to be negated, and the free negation is going to follow the
respective first verb and its subject.

practice: ask questions about the underlined

constituents
She spends a lot of time reading.
..
We get along really well.
..
I am reading a book on astrophysics.
..
She booked a flight for Monday morning.
..
She took the glass and put it back in the shelf.
..
We signed the contract yesterday.
..
They decide on her future.
..
The doctor told her she was in good shape.
..
Somebody called.
..
I dont know him.
..
He drives very elegantly. He drives very elegantly.
..
We will never know the truth.
..
They have been discussing this issue since yesterday morning.
..
There are better things to do in life.
..
She is allergic to chocolate.
..
They dont spend too much time together.
..
Our mission was to tell her the bad news.
..
I feel better today.
..
The new PC costs 450. The new PC costs 450. The new PC costs 450.
..
Somebody came here earlier.
..
I need to prepare some reports.
..
Her story seems less plausible.
..
They ordered pizza.
..
He ordered pizza.
Wordland International 2006
4

..
I suggest that we start over again.
..
The deadline is March, 15.
..
Their flight was canceled.
..
Her mother bakes extremely tasty cakes. Her mother bakes extremely tasty cakes.
..
The movie was called Its all about love.
..
Their manager is out of the office.
..
The attachment contained two viruses.
..
I could not get there in time because of the traffic.
..
She must have a very good reason.
..
Her sweater was light blue.
..
They wanted to come here.
..
We wrote to them.
..
We wrote to them an email.
..
We wrote to them an email telling them the results.
..
She has lived in Sweden since October 2001.
..
They never tell the truth.
..
She has never been in England before.
..
I am happy for her.
..
I need an idea for a gift.
..
I count on your advice.
..
I count on your advice.
..
Her flowers are always nicer than mine.
..
She was sitting on a bench in the park.
..
Her brother got married last week.
..
I am going to buy a pair of jeans.
..
She left her keys in the car.
..
5

Wordland International 2006

She left her keys in the car.

..
She left her keys in the car.
..
I translated the contract into English. I translated the contract into English.
..
She comes here frequently.
..
We got married last year.
..
My leg often hurts.
..
I always send her flowers on her birthday.
..
I went to the mall yesterday.
..
She saw Jane last week.
..
My cousin brought me a nice T-shirt from Belgium.
..
I graduated from the University in May.
..
We enjoyed the movie very much.
..
Her boyfriend is coming too.
..
Last night I had dinner with friends.
..
I ironed all the shirts.
..
They told me their names, but I forgot.
..
Jack told me you were sick.
..
My children did the washing-up last week.
..
He didnt agree with their decision.
..
I spoke to you about this a couple of days ago.
..
I spoke to you about this a couple of days ago.
..
She believed what I told her.
..
She always believes what I tell her.
..
Her proposal is very good.
..
The photocopier broke down last week.
..
Her dentist told her to come back soon.
..
6

Wordland International 2006

Their friends never come that late.

..
I have a pet frog.
..
Her contract expired last month.
..
He didnt understand what I tried to explain.
..
Her neighbor bought an identical car.
..
Her neighbor bought a different car.
..
I convinced her.
..
I tried to call her.
..
I dont know where my credit card is.
..
The covers of the book are in plastic.
..
I prefer the table in the corner.
..
She is 100 years old.
..
I took this photo in Paris.
..
I didnt visit them.
..
I havent visited them of late.
..
I expect an answer from her.
..
She should have a party.
..
We should call someone.
..
They wanted to join their parents in Rome.
..
She called to say she was going to be late.
..
I received an interesting proposal from her.
..
I received an interesting proposal from her.
..
I suspect there are more people waiting.
..
She wanted to tell me something.
..

Wordland International 2006