Types of

questions in
English
 Types of questions in English

There are 5 types of questions in English:

1.General question
2.Special question
3.Alternative question
4.Tag question
5.Subject question
 General questions

In this type of question there are only two

possible answers (yes or no).
The question starts with an auxiliary verb, then
goes the subject and the main verb.
•Do you like ice cream? – Yes/No.
•Did she go to Poland? - Yes/No.
•Were you eating when I called you? - Yes/No.
•Has he ever been to Rome? - Yes/No.
 Special questions

In this type of question there should be just one specific

answer (the whole sentence or just one word).
The question starts with a question word (such as
what/where/why/when/how much/how many/which) an
auxiliary verb, then goes the subject and the main verb.
•What ice cream do you like? – Strawberry.
•When did she go to Poland? – Last winter.
•What were you eating when I called you? – Popcorn.
•How many times has he been to Rome? - Three times.
 Alternative questions
In this type of question the speaker gives an alternative, and we
can choose one of two options (with the word “or”). We can
answer with the whole sentence or just one word (our choice).
The question starts with a question word an auxiliary verb, then
goes the subject and the main verb, there is also the word OR
(two options, sometimes more).
•Do you like strawberry or chocolate ice cream? – Strawberry.
•Did she go to Poland or to Germany? – Poland.
•Were you eating when I called you or when you came home? –
When I came home.
•Has he been to Rome or to Madrid? - To Rome.
 Tag questions
In this type of question the speaker asks for confirmation of some kind of
information.
It is a statement followed by a mini-question. They mean something like: "Is
that right?" or "Do you agree?"
In this type of question the first part of it doesn’t look like the previous ones.
It looks like a statement (positive or negative), but then goes an auxiliary verb
(positive or negative, the subject and a question mark).
You like ice cream, don’t you? OR You don’t like ice cream, do you?
She went to Poland, didn’t she? OR She didn’t go to Poland, did she?
You were eating when I called you, weren’t you? OR You weren’t eating when
I called you, were you?
He has been to Rome, hasn’t he? OR He hasn’t been to Rome, has he?
Tag question
 Subject questions

In this type of question the speaker wants to know who does an

action. We can answer with the name or a noun/pronoun.
It starts with the word WHO then goes the main verb and the
rest of the words.
In other words instead of the subject we should put the word
WHO.
•Who likes strawberries? – Tom/We do.
•Who went to Poland? – Polly did.
•Who was eating when I called you? – Kate/I was.
•Who has been to Rome? - I have.
 questions

Check your grammar: rewrite sentences – question words Write the questions adding the word in
brackets. Don't forget to change capital letters if necessary.
1.What you have for lunch? (did) …………………………………………………………………………….
2.Where is that letter? (from) …………………………………………………………………………………….
3.She always sing in the shower? (does) ……………………………………………………………………………….
4. When we go and visit Gran? (can) ……………………………………………………………………….
5. Who bought those boots? (you) ……………………………………………………………….
6.How do you go to the cinema? (often) ……………………………………………………………………
7.What did he in Germany? (do) …………………………………………………………………………….
8.You like another piece of cake? (would) ……………………………………………………………………………….
9. Who are you going to the party? (with) ……………………………………………………………………………
 questions

Check your grammar: word 2 word – question words Write the words in the
correct order to make sentences.
1. to Who were you ? talking ……………………………….…………………..
2. are at they ? looking What …………………………………….…………………..
3. music ? down the you Could turn ………………………………………………..
4. is for What homework the today ? ………………………………………………..
5. Who that photo ? took ………………………………….…………………..
6. match time does ? the start What ………………………………………………..
7. you How clean often ? do teeth your ………………………………………………..
8. penguins bears Why don’t ? polar eat ………………………………………………