Subject and Object Questions - understanding which questions require the Auxiliary Verb to do.

Most /wh-/ questions are Object questions.

Two things identify an Object Question:
1. Object Questions ask about an Object. i.e. you, they, Tina, she, in the
e!a"#$es be$ow%
&. The res#onse to an Object Question answers the question where, when,
why, what, or when, '() the answer is the Object in the res#onse. i.e.
in New York, in 2012, to find a new job, in e!a"#$es be$ow)
RULE: Object questions require the use of the auxiliary verb 'to do' .
Examples:
Q*+ST,O( -+S.O(S+
Where do you (Object) live? I live in New York (Answers the question !where"!)
When did they (Object) leave Dublin? #hey le$t %ublin in &'(& (Answers the question !when"!)
Why did Tina (Object) return to Australia" #ina returned to $ind a new job (Answers the question !why"!)
What do you (Object) eat at Christmas? )e eat ha* and +lu* +udding (Answers the question !what!")
When does she (Object) leave for work? ,he leaves ho*e at -.''a* (Answers the question !when"!)
How often do you (Object) eat out? I eat out every night (Answers the question !how o$ten"!)
Subject questions are questions we ask to find out about the Subject
of the concept. These questions are asked using who, what and which.
The answer to a Subject Question is a$so the Subject in the res#onse.
-+M+M/+-: here! hen! hy can (OT be the subject of any question.
Example: Who was the best jazz musician of the 20th century?
What happened this mornin?
Which bus oes to the airport?
(ote that the word order of a Subject Question is the sa"e as its res#onse:
S*/0+1T 2+-/ O/0+1T 1OM.3+M+(T
Q: !ho was the best jazz musician?
-: "i#es $a%ies was the best jazz musician&
Q: !hat happened this mornin?
-: 'n earth(uake happened this mornin&
Q: !hich bus oes to the airport?
-: The )* oes to the airport&
RULE: Subject questions "O #O$ require the use of the verb 'to do' .
T,.: To he$# you decide if it is an O or S question4 i"agine a #ossib$e answer to
the question. ,n a subject Question4 the answer to the question is the identity
of the Question word - who, what, which+ "i#es $a%ies, an earth(uake, the
)*, that5s why we ca$$ these questions S*/0+1T Q*+ST,O(S.
'nother way of $ooking at it:
3et6s take a sentence as an e!a"#$e:
70ohn 3ennon "arried 8oko Ono.7
,n this sentence4 90ohn 3ennon: is the subject4 and 98oko Ono: is the object.
(ow4 if we want to ask questions to disco;er these facts4 we can for" two
different kinds of questions:
,f we want to ask a question to which the answer is 90ohn 3ennon:4 then
the question wou$d be 9<ho "arried 8oko Ono=7
'nd the answer wou$d be 70ohn 3ennon "arried 8oko Ono7. ,n the question4
9<ho "arried 8oko Ono=7 the who is $ooking for the subject of the concept,
0ohn 3ennon: both the who in the Question and the -ohn .ennon in the
res#onse are the Subject.
,t is a Subject %uestion and "OES #O$ RE%U&RE the au!i$iary ;erb to do.
>owe;er4 if we want to ask a question to which the answer is 78oko Ono74
the question wou$d be 9<ho did 0ohn 3ennon "arry=7
The answer wou$d be 70ohn 3ennon "arried 8oko Ono7. ,n the question
9<ho did 0ohn 3ennon "arry=7 the who is $ooking for the object of the
concept, 8oko Ono: both the who in the Question and the Yoko /no in
the res#onse are the Object.
,t is an Object %uestion and it "OES RE%U&RE the au!i$iary ;erb to do.
#O$E $'($ )OU *OUL" O+ *OURSE (LSO S():
S*/0+1T Q*+ST,O(: 9<ho "arried 0ohn 3ennon=7 but the Subject of this
concept4 the who, is 8oko Ono: 78oko Ono Subject% "arried 0ohn 3ennon7.
'():
O/0+1T Q*+ST,O(: 7<ho did 8oko Ono "arry=7 but the Object of this concept4
the who, is 0ohn 3ennon: 7 8oko Ono "arried 0ohn 3ennon7.
<rite questions for the fo$$owing answers and identify whether they are
Subject or Object questions. ?or so"e4 both a Subject and an Object question
are #ossib$e - in these cases4 write both:
@% Aate Midd$eton "arried .rince <i$$ia".
Subject Q: <ho "arried .rince <i$$ia"=
Object Q: <ho did Aate Midd$eton "arry=
1% 0ennifer 3o#eB4 >arry 1onnick 0r C Aeith *rban are the judges on '"erican ,do$.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
&% 1ate /$anchett won the 'cade"y 'ward for /est 'ctress in &@1E.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
F% The "o;ie she won the award for was 7/$ue 0as"ine7.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
E% The highest "ountain in the wor$d is Mt +;erest.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
G% )a;id /eckha" #$ayed for Manchester *nited.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
H% -obert .attinson starred in the 7Twi$ight7 "o;ie series.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
I% Shakira sang 7<aka <aka4 This Ti"e for 'frica7 for the &@1@ ?,?' <or$d 1u#.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
J% '"erican author SuBanne 1o$$ins wrote 7The >unger Ka"es7.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
L% /ritish 'irways f$ies to 1HL destinations.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
1@% The .resident of the *nited States $i;es in the <hite >ouse.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
'(S<+- A+8: Try to e$icit Object Q5s where #ossib$e4 these are genera$$y "ore
difficu$t for S5s. Other questions are #ossib$e4 these are a guide.%
Write questions for the following answers and identify whether they are Subject or Object
questions. For some, both a Subject and an Object question are possible - in these cases, write both:
! "ate #iddleton married $rince William.
Subject %: Who married $rince William&
Object %: Who did "ate #iddleton marry&
'! (ennifer )ope*, +arry ,onnic- (r . "eith /rban are the judges on 0merican 1dol.
Who are the judges on 0merican 1dol& S/2(3,4 %
5! ,ate 2lanchett won the 0cademy 0ward for 2est 0ctress in 5'6.
Who won the 0cademy 0ward for 2est 0ctress in 5'6& S/2(3,4 %
7! 4he mo8ie she won the award for was 92lue (asmine9.
Which mo8ie did she win the award for& O2(3,4 %
6! 4he highest mountain in the world is #t 38erest.
Which is the highest mountain in the world& S/2(3,4 %
:! ;a8id 2ec-ham played for #anchester /nited.
Which team did ;a8id 2ec-ham play for& O2(3,4 %
<! =obert $attinson starred in the 94wilight9 mo8ie series.
Which mo8ie series did =obert $attinson star in& O2(3,4 %
Who starred in the 94wilight9 mo8ie series& S/2(3,4 %
>! Sha-ira sang 9Wa-a Wa-a, 4his 4ime for 0frica9 at the 5' F1F0 World ,up.
What ?song! did Sha-ira sing for the 5' F1F0 World ,up& O2(3,4 %
Who sang 9Wa-a Wa-a9 at the 5' F1F0 World ,up& S/2(3,4 %
@! 0merican author Su*anne ,ollins wrote 94he +unger Aames9.
Who wrote 94he +unger Aames9& S/2(3,4 %
B! 2ritish 0irways flies to '<B destinations.
+ow many destinations does 2ritish 0irways fly to& O2(3,4 %
'! 4he $resident of the /nited States li8es in the White +ouse.
Where does the $resident of the /nited States li8e& O2(3,4 %
Who li8es in the White +ouse& S/2(3,4 %