Questions in English

By Nacira Ortiz
 Questions with the Verb to Be
If there is a BE verb in the sentence, start the question with the form of
BE
Am I in the right classroom?

Are you a student?

Is it a cat or a dog?

Are we friends?

Are they happy?

Questions in the Simple Present

We use the auxiliary “do/does” to form the

questions when we expect “yes/no” answers:

Aux + Subj+ verb+ rest of the sentence

Do you like movies?

Does she enjoy cycling?

 Wh- Questions in the Simple
Present with verbs of action
We use wh- questions when
we want open answers.

Wh- + do/does+ verb+ rest

of the sentence

What do you do at home?

When do you sleep?

Where does he live?

Why do they sing so loud?

Wh- Questions in the Simple
Present with verbs to be
We use wh- questions when we want open answers.

Wh- + verb to be+ you+ verb with ing

What are you doing?

When is he coming?

Where are we going?

Why are you laughing?

Questions with the verb to be in
the progressive tense
When we want to know about an action that is
still in process.

Verb to be +subj +verb ing + rest of sentence

Is this man sitting or standing?

Are we eating hamburgers today?

Is it running around the house?

 Questions in the simple past
We use the auxiliary “do/does”
to form the questions when we
expect “yes/no” answers:

Aux + Subj+ verb+ rest of the

sentence

Did you eat ice cream

yesterday?

Did he sleep well?

Did I call you last night?

 Questions in the Simple Past

We use wh- questions when we want open answers.

Wh- + do/does+ verb+ rest of the sentence

What did you do at home?

When did you sleep?

Where did he live?

Why did they sing so loud?

Questions in the future tenses

Put the auxiliary “will” at the beginning of the

question:

Will she read tonight?

Will they cook bread today?

Will you go to school?