SECTION 8 questions and negatives

GRAMMAR SUMMARY
To make questions, we normally put an auxiliary verb (be, have, can etc)
before the subject.
The bus has left. → Has the bus left? She's crying. → Why is she crying?
To make negatives, we put not or n't after an auxiliary verb.
It is raining. → It is not raining. I could see. → I couldn't see.
If there is no other auxiliary verb, we use do.
I work in Sheffield. → Where do you work? He said 'No! → What did he
say?
She likes ice cream. → She doesn't like ice cream.
We do not use do when a question word is the subject.
What happened? (NOT What did happen? )
Prepositions often come at the end of questions.
What are you thinking about? Where's she from?
Negative questions can have two possible structures.
Is she not ready? (very formal) Isn't she ready? (informal)
No is used before nouns and -ing forms to mean ‘not any’.
There's no bread left. NO SMOKING

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 revise the basics: questions
In questions, we normally put an auxiliary verb before the subject.
Have you seen Isabel? (NOT You have seen Isabel?)
When can I pay? (NOT When I can pay?)
Why are those men laughing? (NOT Why those men are laughing?)
If there is no other auxiliary, we use do.
What does 'gaunt' mean? (NOT What means gaunt?)
We do not use do with other auxiliaries or with be.
Can you tell me the time? (NOT Do you can …?) Are you tired?
After do, we use the infinitive without to.
What does she want? (NOT What does she to want? OR What does she wants?)
Did you go out last night? (NOT Did you went…? OR Did you to go....?)
 Correct the mistakes.
How you pronounce 'write? do you………………
1 She is happy?..........................................................
2 What he thinks?......................................................
3 Did you saw Max?.................................................
4 Where can I to sit down?.......................................
5 When the bus leaves?............................................
6 Do you can speak Arabic?....................................
7 What means ‘vast’?..............................................
8 Where you went?..................................................
9 Why she is crying?...............................................
10 What I must to do now?.................................

We only put an auxiliary verb before the subject, not the whole verb.
Is your father coming tonight? (NOT is coming your father tonight?)
Where are the President and his family staying? (NOT Where are staying...?)
 Make questions.
The 7:30 train for London leaves from platform 2.
Does the 7:30 train for London leave from platform 2?.......................
1 Jane and her mother will be staying in Ireland.
Will……………………………………………………………………
2 John and Susan want to play golf on Saturday.
Do………………………………………………………………………
3 The Sunday newspapers have arrived.
Have…………………………………………………………………....
4 The secretary from the accounts office has telephoned.
Has……………………………………………………………………...
5 The big man with the grey beard said something.
What…………………………………………………………………....
6 Mrs Potter's two boys played football.
When........................................................................................................
7. The people who were sitting at the back of the bus were singing.
Why…………………………………………………………………......
8 Sally's planted all those flowers that she bought.
Where.......................................................................................................
Note that do may come twice in questions: as an auxiliary verb and as a main
verb.
What does your father do? What did you do at university?
104| QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES

Common question expressions before nouns:

what colour, what size, what make of, what sort/kind/type of.
What colour eyes has she got? (ALSO POSSIBLE: What colour are her eyes?)
What size shoes do you wear?
What make of car did you buy? What sort of music do you like?
Note that we usually ask What time...?, NOT At what time...?
What time does the train get in?
 Complete the questions with a suitable expression.
What colour……………………. curtains shall we have in the kitchen?
1 …………………………………………..... jeans do you wear?
2 …………………………………………….. hair has the baby got?
3 …………………………………………….. books do you read?
4 ……………………………………mountain bike do you recommend?
5 …………………………………………….. food do you like?
6 …………………………………………….. shirt do you need?
7 …………………………………………….. TV is the best?
8 …………………………………………….. fridge shall we get?
9 …………………………………………….. books does she write?
10 …………………………………………… is the concert?
Note the difference between how? and what... like?
We use how? mostly to ask about things that change - e.g. moods, health, work.
We use what... like? mostly to ask about things that don't change - e.g. people's
character and appearance. Compare:
‘How's Joe?’ ‘He's very well’ What's Joe like? ‘Tall good-looking, a bit shy’
‘How does she seem today?’ ‘Much happier.’
‘What does your sister look like?’ ‘Short, dark and cheerful-looking’
 Make questions with How or What... like.
(your flat?) What's your flat like?............. ‘Small but very comfortable.’
1 (the new teacher) ..................................................... ‘Not much good.’
2 (your mother?) ......................................................... ‘ Fine, thanks.’
3 (work going?) ........................................ ‘Not very well at the moment.’
4 (business?) ............................................................. ‘Terrible.’
5 (Anne's boyfriend?) ................................................ ‘Not very nice.’
6 (school?) ....... ................................................. ‘Much better now.’
7 (Manchester?) ................................................. ‘An interesting place.’
8 (things at home?) ............................................. ‘OK, I suppose.’
9 (your village) .................................................... ‘Very quiet.’
10 (the neighbours) .............................................. ‘A bit strange.’
105| QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES
question-word subjects Who won? What happened?
When who and what are subjects, we make questions without
do/does/did. Compare:
‘WhoSUBJ won’ ‘UnitedSUBJ won.’ (NOT Who did win?)
‘WhoSUBJ did you tell?’ ‘I told AnnaOBJ.’
‘WhatSUBJ happened?’ ‘SomethingSUBJ nice happened.’ (NOT What did
happen?)
‘WhatOBJ did he say?’ ‘He said somethingOBJ nice.’
The same thing happens when subjects begin with which, what, whose or
how much/many.
Which team won? (NOT Which team did win?) What country hosted the
1928 Olympics?
How many families live here? (COMPARE How many familiesOBJ do
youSUBJ know?)
Whose child broke that window?
 Circle the correct form.
  Who works /does work in that office?
 What means catalyst? / does catalyst mean?
1 Who played / did play in goal?
2 What caused did cause the explosion?
3 How many people came / did come to the party?
4 What sort of music helps / help you to relax?
5 What mean you? I do you mean?
6 Who told / did tell you?
7 What happened / did happen to your arm?
8 Which car costs/ does cost more?
9 What colours suit / do suit you best?
10 What says the letter? / does the letter say?

 Make questions. Ask about the words in italics.

 (a) Sam loves computers. (b) Sam loves computers.
(a) Who loves computers?.........(b) What does Sam love?..........................
1 (a) Alice broke her arm. (b) Alice broke her arm.
......................................................................................................................
2 (a) Paul found a necklace. (b) Paul found a necklace.
......................................................................................................................
3(a) The bomb destroyed a school. (b) The bomb destroyed a school.
......................................................................................................................
4 (a) Fred lost the map. (b) Fred lost the map.
......................................................................................................................
5 (a) Julie teaches Japanese. (b) Julie teaches Japanese.
......................................................................................................................
6 (a) His wife prefers classical music. (b) His wife prefers classical music.
......................................................................................................................
7 (a) Room 6 holds 300 people. (b) Room 6 holds 300 people.
......................................................................................................................
8 (a) Her baby keeps us awake at night. (b) Her baby keep us awake at
night.
......................................................................................................................

9 (a) Sheila can't wear red. (b) Sheila can't wear red.
......................................................................................................................
10 (a) Peter caught the first train. (b) Peter caught the first train.
......................................................................................................................
 Write five questions to test somebody's general knowledge.
1 Who wrote.................................................................................................
2 Who buit....................................................................................................
3 Who invented............................................................................................
4 Who discovered........................................................................................
5 Who said...................................................................................................
106 | QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES
prepositions in questions What are you thinking about?
Prepositions often come at the end of questions.
With whom... ?, For what... ? etc are unusual and very formal.
We usually prefer Who... with?, What... for? etc.
Who did you go with? What did you say that for?
 Write questions for these answers, using 'Who... ?' or ‘What...?’
 'I went with my sister.' ‘Who did you go with?’.................................
1 'I'm thinking about my exams.'..............................................................
2 'I bought it from Janice.'........................................................................
3 ‘She sent it to the police.’ .....................................................................
4 ‘I'll carry it in a paper bag.’...................................................................
5 ‘You can eat it with a spoon.’...............................................................
6 ‘She hit him with her shoe.’ .................................................................
7 'My father works for Shell Oil.'............................................................
8 'I made it for you.'.................................................................................
9 ‘The book's about Egypt.’ ....................................................................
10 ‘I was talking to Patrick.’......................................................
 Write questions for these answers, using 'Who... ?' or 'What...?'
 ‘Soup.’ (starting) ‘What are you starting with?’................................
1 'A bus.'
(waiting) ......................................................................................................
2 'The future.'
(worried) ..............................................................................................
3 'Films.
(talking) ........................................................................................................
4 'The manager.' (want to
speak) ................................................................................
5 'Universal Export."
(work) .......................................................................................
6 'A strange bird."
(looking) .......................................................................................
7 'My keys.'
(looking) .................................................................................................
8 Travel and music."
(interested) ................................................................................
9 'My mother."
(writing) .............................................................................................
10 'Life."
(thinking) ....................................................................................................
In conversation, we often ask short questions with Who/What/Where +
preposition.
‘I'm going to France.’ "Who with?" 'We need to talk' 'What about?'
 Complete the conversations with two-word questions.
 I'm writing a poem.' ‘What about?’.............. 'Lost love.'
1 ‘I’ve had a strange letter’...................................‘My American friend.’
2 ‘I've bought some chocolates.’........................... ‘You.’
3 ‘We're thinking of moving.’..............................‘Ireland.’
4 ‘Joanne's in love again.’.....................................‘A policeman.’
5 ‘Carola's got engaged.’.......................................‘To my cousin Robert.’
6 'I'm really worried.'.............................................‘Everything.’
7 'We went to Spain in May.’.................................‘Harry and Lydia.’
8 'I'm still waiting.'.............‘The phone call they promised two hours ago.’
9 'I managed to open the lock.'................................ 'A piece of bent wire.'
10 'I've cleaned the sofa.’.........................................‘Furniture polish.’

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I’m, don't) and full
forms (for example I am, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.
QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES | 107

revise the basics: negatives

To make negative verb forms, we put not or n't after an auxiliary verb
or be. (Note: won't = 'will not').
We have not forgotten. She can't swim.
It wasn't raining. I won't tell anybody.
If there is no other auxiliary, we use do.
I don't like the soup. (NOT I like not the soup)
We do not use do with other auxiliaries.
You mustn't worry. (NOT You don't must worry.)
I haven't seen him. (NOT I don't have seen him.)
After do, we use the infinitive without to.
I didn't think. (NOT I didn't to think/thinking/thought.)
 Correct these sentences by making them negative.
 Karl Marx discovered America....Karl Marx didn't discover America...
1 Shakespeare was French............................................................................
2 Austrians speak Japanese...........................................................................
3 Roses are green. ........................................................................................
4 Cats can fly. ..............................................................................................
5 George Washington lived in Russia..........................................................
6 Fridges run on petrol.................................................................................
7 The sun goes round the earth....................................................................
8 Telescopes make things smaller...............................................................
9 There are seventeen players in a rugby team. ..........................................
10 Bananas grow in Scotland. ....................................................................
In standard English, we do not use not or do with other negative words
like never, hardly, nothing. (But this is common in some English
dialects.)
He never works. (NOT He does never work. OR He doesn't never work.)
It hardly matters. (NOT It doesn't hardly matter.)
He said nothing. (NOT He didn't say nothing.)
I've got no money. (NOT I haven't got no money.)
 Make the sentences negative.
 I eat fish. (not)..... I don't eat fish...........................................................
 I eat fish. (never)...... I never eat fish.....................................................
 Somebody spoke. (nobody) ..... Nobody spoke.....................................
1 I like your new glasses.
(not) ...........................................................................................
2 I understood.
(nothing) ....................................................................................................
3 Something happened.
(nothing) .......................................................................................
4 Sally likes dancing.
(not) .................................................................................................
5 Somebody wants to sing.
(nobody) ..................................................................................
6 There's somewhere to sit down.
(nowhere) ......................................................................
7 My mother drives fast.
(never) ..........................................................................................
8 I go out.
(hardly) .........................................................................................................
.......
9 We'll get there.
(never) ......................................................................................................
10 We'll get there.
(not) ........................................................................................................
108 | QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES
Note the difference between not and no.
We use not to make a word, expression or clause negative.
Not surprisingly, we missed the train. (NOT No surprisingly...)
I can see you tomorrow, but not on Thursday. I have not received his
answer.
We use no with a noun or -ing form to mean 'not any' or 'not a/an' (see
page 171).
No teachers went on strike. (= There weren't any teachers on strike.)
I've got no Thursdays free this term. (= ... not any Thursdays...)
I telephoned, but there was no answer. (= ... not an answer.)
NO SMOKING
 Put in not or no.
 We speak German in the office, but.... not..... at home.
 There's.....no....... parking in this street.
1 Sorry, I can't pay. I've got ...............money.
2 She was.................. able to understand him.
3 They had....................butter left in the shop.
4 They repaired my watch, but......... properly.
5 We've got.......................... time to talk now.
I can come round, but......................... tonight.
8 ‘Do you smoke?’ ‘.......................... usually.’
 7 They did.................................. want to help.
9 She's a woman with.............sense of humour.
10................ MUSIC AFTER 10 O'CLOCK.
 Correct the mistakes.
►We not are ready...............are not..............................
1 You don't must park here............................................
2 I understand not..........................................................
3 They didn't go nowhere..............................................
4 We were no very happy..............................................
I don't never eat meat....................................................
6 We didn't waiting.......................................................
7 I don't hardly watch TV.............................................
8 She not phoned..........................................................
9 I speak Arabic, but no well. .....................................
10 I didn't see nothing..................................................
 GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY: words for people who can't do
things.
Put the beginnings and ends together. Use a dictionary if necessary.

0 A blind person A can't see......

1 Some disabled B can't hear well.
people C can't read or write.
A deaf person D can't distinguish red and
3 A tone-deaf person green.
4 Some colour-blind E can't distinguish musical
people notes.
5 An illiterate person F can't move or work easily.

In some answers, both contracted forms (for example I'm, don't) and full
forms (for example I am, do not) are possible. Normally both are correct.
QUESTIONS AND NEGATIVES | 109