Forming affirmative and negative questions

• In changing statements to questions, affirmative or negative, there

are three basic principles to consider.
• 1. In statement with simple present and past tense forms of verb be,
• The affirmative question will follow the pattern: verb be + subject +
complement.
• Examples:
• It is more blessed to give than to receive.
• Is it more blessed to give than to receive?
• Is- verb, it- subject, more blessed-complement
• They were tired.
• Were they tired?
• Were – verb, they- subject, tired-complement
• 2. In statements with either the simple present or past tense form of
the verb other than the verb be, the original verb is first changed to
do, does, or did + the simple form of the verb. Thus, the question
follows the pattern: do/does/did + subject +simple form of the verb +
object. Note that you may or may not have an object.
• Examples:
• They know her.
• Do they know her?
• Do-verb, they-subject, know-present form of the verb, her- object
• A girl comes in.
• Does a girl come in?
• Does-verb, girl-subject, come-present form of the verb
• All complained.
• Did all complain?
• Did- verb, all – subject, complain- present form of the verb
• 3. In sentences with auxiliary and principal verbs, the auxiliary verb is
placed before the subject. The question follows the pattern: auxiliary
verb + subject +principal verb + object.
• Examples of auxiliary verbs
• Has shall may have will might had should
• Must would can could
• Examples:
• You have helped me.
• Have you helped me?
• Have=auxiliary verb, you=subject-verb, helped- principal , me- object
• I will come to your shop.
• Will I come to your shop?
• Will – auxiliary verb, I- subject verb, come- principal
• The boys must stop.
• Must the boys stop?
• Must-auxiliary verb, boys- subject verb, stop-principal
• In forming a negative question, not may be contracted with the verb
form.[ examples: isn’t, weren’t, haven’t, won’t, etc. ] before the
subject , or may be placed after the verb.
• Examples:
• The shoemaker was not out of the shop.
• Was the shoemaker not out of the shop?
• Was- verb, shoemaker- subject, not out- complement OR
• Wasn’t the shoemaker out of the shop?
• Wasn’t- verb + not, shoemaker-subject, out- complement
• The cobbler did not leave his work.
• Did the cobbler not leave his work?
• Did- verb, cobbler-subject, leave-present form of the verb,work- object OR
• Didn’t the cobbler leave his work?
• Didn’t- verb + not, cobbler-subject, leave-present form of the verb,
• Work- object
• A fellow could not reach the place.
• Could a fellow not reach the place?
• Could- auxiliary verb, fellow-subject of the verb, not-not, reach-
present form, place- object OR
• Couldn’t a fellow reach the place?
• Couldn’t- auxiliary verb + not, fellow- subject of the verb, reach-
present form, place- object
Quiz 6
• Construct questions out of the given sentences.
• 1. She helped me yesterday.
• 2. They are all busy.
• 3. My cousin arrived early.
• 4. I will call you later.
• 5. She reviews her report.