Interrogative - Part 1

English/Inglês
Interrogative – part 1

Explanation/Explicação
Just like in other languages the interrogatory is used to ask questions. This month we will bring you all the different rules for the interrogatory in English.

1. Generally when making question we change the order of the words in a sentence. That means that the Auxiliary verb will appear before the subject.
Examples: Are you coming to the party tonight?
Can I borrow your pencil?

2. If you want to ask a question in the Simple Present you should use the verb to do as an auxiliary (do/does)
Examples: Does John like curry?
Do you think we can make it on time Sarah?

3. We also use the verb to do as auxiliary for questions in the Simple Past.
Examples: Did you talk to Ann today?
Did you find the book you were looking for?

3.1 However we do not use the auxiliary to do for questions where who/what/which are the subject.
Examples: Who is responsible for the Marketing Department here?
What happened to your train?
Which bus goes to Liverpool?

4. We must pay attention to the position of prepositions in questions started by who/what/which/where. They come after the veb.
Examples: Who would you like to talk to?
Which job have you applied for?
What was the weather like in Queensland?
Where do you come from?

5. It is also possible to ask questions in the negative. They usually used to show surprise or when we expect the listener to agree with us.
Examples: Didn’t you hear the phone? I called you three times.
Aren’t these roses beautiful?

NOTE: please note that in negative questions the answers YES and NO retain their meaning.
Example: Don’t you want ice cream? Yes (Yes, I want ice cream)/No (No, I don’t want ice cream)

NOTE: in questions started with why the subject comes after the auxiliary.
Example: Why don’t you have some tea?

Kangas