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GENERAL ENGLISH · GRAMMAR PRACTICE · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SUBJECT AND
OBJECT
QUESTIONS
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1 Presentation

There are two ways of asking questions in English: using subject questions and object questions.

Subject questions Object questions

We use subject questions when we ask We use object questions when we

about the subject of a sentence: ask about the object of a sentence:
Somebody is knocking at the door. Paul is reading something.
Who is knocking at the door? What is Paul reading?
Something started the fire. John tried to call somebody.
What started the fire? Who did John try to call?

Rules for forming subject and object questions

Subject questions are easy! There is no change in the word order of the sentence. Just replace the
subject with the question word (who, where, what, why, etc.):
Somebody won the match. Who won the match?

With object questions, we change the word order.

If there is a ‘helping verb’ (auxiliary verb), for example will, was, have and can, we put the subject after
the auxiliary verb:
Allie will be at home tonight. Where will Allie be tonight?
You can speak three languages. How many languages can you speak?
If there’s more than one auxiliary verb, we reverse the position of the subject and the first auxiliary verb:
Paul has been meeting someone. Who has Paul been meeting?

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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SUBJECT AND OBJECT QUESTIONS

In present simple questions, we use do/does:

They live in Spain. Where do they live?

David eats yogurt for breakfast. What does David eat for breakfast?

In past simple questions, we use did:

They stayed at a cheap hotel. Where did they stay?

If the verb is followed by a preposition, the preposition normally goes at the end of the question:

Janet came with Michael. Who did Janet come with?

2 Practice 1

Complete the dialogue below.

Photo by: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

1
Tour guide: Welcome to the Taj Mahal. (you / have / any questions?)
2
Visitor: (how old / the building / is?)
Tour guide: The Taj Mahal was built in 1631.
3
Visitor: (who / built / it?)
Tour guide: The construction of the building was ordered by the emperor Shah Jahan.
4
Visitor: (why / he / built / it?)
Tour guide: He decided to build it because of the death of his wife. He was very sad.
5
Visitor: (how / she / died?)
Tour guide: She died while giving birth.
6
Visitor: (how long / it / took / to build?)
Tour guide: It took 22 years to build.
7
Visitor: (how many people / worked / on it?)
Tour guide: 20,000 workers.
8
Visitor: (how many people / visit / the site / every year?)
Tour guide: The Taj Mahal attracts 2-4 million visitors every year.
Audio
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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SUBJECT AND OBJECT QUESTIONS

3 Practice 2

Make questions like in the example below.

1. He visited me yesterday. Who visited you yesterday ?

2. I found it under my bed. What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
3. She lent me some money. Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
4. I lent money to him. Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
5. Jonathon is going there this weekend. Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
6. I was doing it this morning. What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
7. They have eaten all the cake. Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?
8. My interview finished then. When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ?

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TEACHER MATERIALS · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

SUBJECT AND OBJECT QUESTIONS

Key

2. Practice 1

1. Do you have any questions?

2. How old is the building?
3. Who built it?
4. Why did he build it?
5. How did she die?
6. How long did it take to build?
7. How many people worked on it?
8. How many people visit the site every year?

3. Practice 2

2. What did you find under your bed?

3. Who lent you some money?
4. Who did you lend money to?
5. Where is Jonathon going this weekend?
6. What were you doing this morning?
7. Who have eaten all the cake?
8. When did your interview finish?

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