Question form: English grammar rules

This tutorial for beginners learners are going to learn the following:

The difference between statements and questions.

• The punctuation rules for statements and questions, including the use of full stops (periods) and question marks.
• The general rule for the form of questions in English.
• The exception to the general grammar rule for the verb BE.
• The different types of question in English with examples (Closed questions, question-word questions, choice questions and tag questions.)

Question form – General rule

Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb …?

Do you like pizza?

Were they sleeping outside?

Does he speak English?

Have you seen houses with bigger gardens?

Question form – Exception with the verb BE

Questions with the verb BE as a main verb in the present simple and past simple do not have an auxiliary verb.

Types of questions

There are several types of questions

Closed questions.

Question word-questions.

Choice questions.

Tag questions.

Let’s look at each type in more detail.

Type 2 – Question – word questions

We ask a question – word question when we want more detailed information.

The question – word indicates what type of information we want.

            Question word                    Type of information we need

                        when                                     time

                        where                                    place or location

Question word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb …?

When will he arrive at the airport?                    Where do you work?

Type 2 – Question – word questions with BE

Question word                    Type of information we need

when                                     time

where                                   place or location

When the verb BE is a main verb in the present simple and past simple:

            Question word + verb be + subject…?

Examples:

Other common question words and their uses

Question word                    Type of information we want

why                            reason

how                            manner or method / condition

what                           general information

Be as a main verb in the present simple

          and past simple:

Type 3 – Choice questions

A choice question gives someone a choice between possible answers.

The possible answers are usually already in the question.

Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb … choice 1 + “or” + choice 2 + ?

Exception with Be in the present simple and past simple.

verb Be + subject + …. Choice 1 + or choice 2 + ?

Type 4 – Tag questions

You like playing football, don’t you?

These two words “don’t you”, is an example of tag question.

We have a statement, then a comma, a statement in the affirmative, then we have a negative tag question “don’t you”.

They are complicated, there’s a lot of different rules to tag questions and so I advised you to watch my video on my you tube channel “EngllishTutorHub” about this.

So, there we are that’s the end of this lesson I hope you enjoyed it, and don’t forget to subscribe, share, like and let me know your thoughts and questions.

Love to hear from you!..

Downloadable files

Download the PowerPoint Presentation used in this English tutorial for beginners Question form: English grammar rules.

For more readings

• FAIL – 5 different meanings + expression
• The difference between “a little” and “little”
• Matter – English noun, verb and expressions
• When to use “a little” and “a few”: English Grammar Rules
• Compound Words: English Vocabulary
• The difference between MUST and HAVE TO

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