Word order in English questions –

Summary
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1. Questions without question words and be

Subject and verb change their position in statement and question.

 Sentence: You are from Germany.

 Question: Are you from Germany?

We always use the short answer, not only Yes or No. That's why questions without
question words are also called YES/NO-questions.

2. Questions with question words and be

Question word Verb Subject Rest Answer

I am from Stuttgart.
Where are you from?
I'm from Stuttgart.

What is your name? My name is Peter.

They are fine.

How are Pat and Sue?
They're fine.

Questions with question words are also called WH-questions.

3. Questions without question words and have

Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)

Have you got a cat? Yes, I have.

Have you got a new car? No, we haven't.

Has your brother got a bike? Yes, he has.

Do you have a cat? Yes, I do.

Do you have a new car? No, we don't.

Does your brother have a bike? Yes, he does.

4. Questions with question words and have

Question word Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer

Where have you got your ruler? I've got it in my pencil case.

Where do you have your ruler? I have it in my pencil case.

5. Questions without question words in the Simple Present

Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)

Yes, I do.
Do you read books?
No, I don't.

Does Peter play football? Yes, he does.

6. Questions with question words in the Simple Present

Question
Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer
word

on your I play games on my

What do you play
computer? computer.

your She goes to work at 6

When does go to work?
mother o'clock.

7. Questions without question words in the Simple Past

Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)

Yes, he did.
Did Max play football?
No, he didn't.

BUT:
 to be Subject Rest Yes/No Subject Auxiliary (+ n't)

Yes, I was.
Were you in Leipzig last week?
No, I wasn't.

8. Questions with question words in the Simple Past

Question word Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer

What did you play yesterday evening? I played computer games.

BUT:

Question word to be Subject Rest Answer

Where were you yesterday? I was at the cinema.

9. Subject question

Question word Verb Rest Subject Verb Rest

Who runs to the shop? Peter runs to the shop.

10. Object question

Question word Auxiliary Subject Verb Rest Answer

Who did Mandy phone last Monday? Mandy phoned her uncle.

NOTE!

Subject question Object question

Who phoned John? Who did John phone?

Ask for the underlined part. Write the complete English question into the gap.

EXAMPLE:
The students play football.
ANSWER:

What do the students play?

1. John is writing a letter.

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2. She walks home from school.
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3. The children are sitting in the garden.
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4. Peter runs with his dog on Sundays.
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5. My rabbit has a cage in the garden.
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6. They go to work by bus.
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7. David likes cats because they are nice.
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8. Jenny isn't sleeping late today.
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9. We are going to the cinema.
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10. I'm leaving now.
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1. She never cleans the van.
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2. Kim and Tina are playing ball in the garden.
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3. They are running home.
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4. Mr Johnson has been living in Montreal for ten years.
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5. Anne likes her new job very much.
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6. The Barnes are planning a trip to Norway.
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7. The shop will be closed until next month.
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8. Beverly usually gets up at 6.30 am.
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9. He can't meet Sharon because she is very ill.
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10. Every evening Steven listens to his new CDs.
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11. She is opening a present.
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12. The boys are hiding under Tom's bed.
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13. My sister prefers porridge for breakfast.
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14. On Thursday Jack has German, history and maths.
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15. Yesterday Carol and Jane went to the swimming pool.
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16. The plane is landing at the airport.
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17. The telephone is ringing .
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18. Sarah has to stop because of a security check.
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19. Andrew's new mountain bike costs €1000.
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20. At sunset Peter is walking along the beach .
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