Making Questions

Previous knowledge:- making indirect questions- 1st and 2nd conditional- modal verbs

modal or auxiliary + verb

• Invert the modal or auxiliary with the verb tomake a question

– You can drive – Can you drive?

– I am amused -- Am I amused?

– She would burst into tears. – Would she burst…?

Simple Present or Past

• Add do/does with simple present

– I live in a cabin. – Do you live in a cabin?

– She damages the diagram – Does she damage…?

– She devoted her life to design – Did she devote…?

• Add did with simple past

– The doctor cured me. – Did the doctor cure…?

– We described the flowers. – Did we describe…?

Show surprise or ask for agreement

• Make the question negative

– Why didn’t you hide the dirty product?

– Didn’t you dislike the smell?

– Didn’t you doubt his affirmation?

– Isn’t it a thoughtfull gesture?

– Wasn’t the museum finished?

– Don’t you want an ice cream?

Verb followed by a preposition

• The preposition often goes at the end.– What are you talking about?

– Who were you dreaming about?

– Which party are you preparing for?

– What did you glue it to?

• In colloquial conversation just use the questionword and the preposition– A: I’m thinking. B: About what? or What about?

– A: We’re going on vacations! B: Where to? or Towhere?

Who / What / which as subjects

• When who / what / which is the subject, don’tuse do /did

– Who wrote this?

– What happened yesterday?

– Who runs the shop?

– Which cousin came?

Indirect Questions

• Make polite questions in a affirmation form.

• Don’t use “do” or “did” in the second part of thesentene.

• Use “if” or “whether” to separate the sentence

– Could you tell me where I am?

– Would you teach me how to sing better?

– Could you instruct me how to use the program?

– Do you know where he lives?

– Do you mind if I load the car?