Question making

Question making is often called to be complex. There are many ways to form a question. There are mainly two types of questions: yes/no questions and wh- questions.

These two have different formats for forming a question. Yes/no questions can be of two types. Wh- Questions are mainly used to provide informative answers. Each type of question word gives a different meaning to the question. The basic formula for making any question is summarised as question word + auxiliary verb + subject +verb. In a question, there are times when an auxiliary verb is missing. In that case, we do not put any auxiliary verb while making the question.

Question making words

Question-making words are words that give a different meaning to the question. These types of words directly affect the answer to the question. Therefore, it is important to know the meaning of different question making words. Let us take an example to understand the question words.

• What- What is the meaning of this sentence? (This is mainly used for the information of things)
• Who- Who will answer the next question? (This gives information about the person)
• When- When will you submit the work? (This gives information about time duration)
• Why- Why is the sky blue? (This gives information about the reasoning)
• Which- Which stall did you go to? (This gives information about things when there are limited things)
• Where- Where do you live? (This gives information about a place)
• Whose- Whose pen did you borrow? ( This gives knowledge about the possession s owner)
• How- How are you? (This informs about the method in which something is done)

Question-making format

As we learned previously, question making can be mainly categorised into two categories. So the format for each type of question has a different approach. There are also exceptional cases that do not come into the discussed questions type. An example accompanies every format to have a better understanding of making questions.

•  Yes/No Questions

These questions are inquisitive and answer the question as yes or no. They use the format in the order: Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main verb. In the do/does question, the auxiliary verb is added. In some questions, we use the verb given in the sentence.

Example:

Do you like eating strawberries?

Does Karim know about your new hobby?

Is it raining outside?

Are you feeling cold?

• Wh- Questions

These questions are mainly used for information about a thing, place, reasons, time, and people. These questions use the general format for the formation of questions.(Question word + Auxiliary verb + Subject + Main Verb)

Example:

What is your nickname?

Who is hiding there?

Which way should I go?

How do you know so much?

Where is this hotel located?

Why are you so late?

When will the exam start?

• Special Cases

Some questions include choices. These questions are also called choice questions. Let us look at some examples to understand.

Examples:

Which way should I go, right or left?

Does she like pizzas or pasta?

Are you a student or a teacher?

There are also questions in which we put a tag at the end. The examples for this type of question are:

She is going to Italy, isn’t she?

John did not send her the concert tickets, did he? 

Question-Making worksheet

These are a few questions and answers given to understand the concept of question-making better.

Ex1: Given below are the affirmative sentences. The answers need to be provided.

1. I met Sally yesterday.
2. Mita talked to Rima in the afternoon.
3. I will watch the Titanic movie in the evening.
4. Ravi was studying in the morning.
5. John attended the morning lectures.

Ans:  

1. Did you meet Sally yesterday?
2. Did Mita talk to Rima in the afternoon?
3. Will you watch the Titanic movie in the evening?
4. Was Ravi studying in the morning?
5. Did John attend morning lectures?

Ex 2: Wh- Questions with Helping Verbs

Given below are the sentences, and the helping verb is underlined. Form the questions from the given sentences.

1. He will buy food.
2. I submitted my assignment at 6: 30 am.
3. Sarita visited an amusement park yesterday.
4. Rita teaches English at school.
5. That is Sharukh’s car.

Ans:

1. What will he buy?
2. When will you submit the assignment?
3. Where did Sarita visit yesterday?
4. Who teaches English at school?
5. Whose car is parked outside the school?

Conclusion:

Question making involves knowing the use of question words in a correct manner. Many students get confused due to the word order inversion. This problem can be resolved by practising a few questions formation worksheets. The examples provided in this article can also be used for reference. The main key in forming a question is to remember the formula is question word+ auxiliary verb + subject+ verb. This formula is not a fixed one, and in some sentences, we need not write an auxiliary verb, while in some, we may need to use the auxiliary verb as a question word. Hoping, that this article gives you a clear understanding of the formats of question making.