Asking Questions

Bridget Green Grammar MFWI 2007

Asking QuestionsThere are two kinds of questions in English:

Yes/No questionsInformation questions

Like this…Yes/No questions:

Are you happy?

Yes, I am.

Information questions:

Why are you happy?I’m happy because I love studying grammar.Yes/No questions

have a ‘rising’ intonation.

Information questions have a ‘falling’ intonation.

How to Make Yes/No Questions

Statements: She is reading. We can talk. I haven’t eaten today.

What is the subject?

What is the verb?

There are two parts to the verb. What are they?

Making yes/no questions withAUXILIARY VERBS

main verbauxiliary verb

She is reading.I have eaten

today. We can talk.

Four Kinds of Auxiliaries

1. BE

2. HAVEThis is not the verb have.

This is the auxiliary have.

3. MODALSwill, can, may, must, should, would

(I have a dog.)

I have eaten.

main verb

auxiliary verb

How to Make Yes/No Questions

She is reading.

Is she reading?

This is called an inversion!Inversion of the auxiliary and the subject

Questions

We can talk.

Can we talk?

An inversion!

Questions

I haven’t eaten today.

Haven’t you eaten today?

To learn more about inversion, look in your book An A-Z of English Grammar!

What is this called?!

Auxiliary 2: HAVE

Remember: This is not the verb have.This is the auxiliary have.

I have a dog.I have eaten.

Auxiliary 1: BEwith an adjective or a NPShe is funny. She is a doctor.Is she funny? Is she a doctorYes, she is. Yes, she is.

What’s the question?

with the past participle ( BE + V + ed).This car was made in Japan.Was this car made in Japan?Yes, it was.

with V+ing ( BE + V + ing).They are studying English.Are they studying English?Yes, they are.

Auxiliary 2: HAVE

I have seen that movie.

Have you seen that movie?

They had finished the test by 1:30.

Had they finished the test by 1:30?

He has been living in Tokyo.

Has he been living in Tokyo?

with the past participle

What’s the question?

(HAVE + V + ed)

(HAD + V + ed)

(HAVE + been + V + ing)

Auxiliary 3: Modalswith the verb (modal + V)I can swim.

Can you swim?

He would like a cup of coffee.

Would he like a cup of coffee?

We should study more.

Should we study more?

Modalswillcancouldmay + Vmightmustwouldshould

What’s the question?

But…

My sister loves dogs.Loves my sister dogs?

WHERE IS THE AUXILIARY?

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

When there’s no auxiliary…

Q: _______________?

A: Yes, she loves dogs. Q: Does your sister love dogs?

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Use do/does or did.

s

My sister loves dogs.

I watched Marley and Me.

Q: ______________________?

A: Yes, I watched it! QuickTime™ and a

decompressorare needed to see this picture.

In the past….

Did you watch it

short answer:

Yes, I did.

ed

The fourth auxiliary

1. BE 2. HAVE3. MODALS4. DO

inversion

Add do, does, or did + S V

Be careful! Is HAVE a main verb or an auxiliary verb?

She has a sister.

She has been to Osaka.

If it’s a main verb, use do/does or did + S + V.

If it’s an auxiliary verb, use an inversion:

Main verbAuxiliary verb

Does she have a sister? Has she been to Osaka?

Try again…I have a dog.

_____________________?Have you a dog?

I have eaten sushi._____________________?Do you have eaten sushi?

Main verb

Auxiliary verb

Main verb or auxiliary verb?

If it’s a main verb: mainIf it’s an auxiliary verb: aux

1. We have a lot of homework.2. She has done her best.3. They have worked hard.4. I haven’t seen it.

What are the questions?

main

aux

aux

aux

1. Do we have a lot of homework?

2. Has she done her best?

3. Have they worked hard?

4. Haven’t you seen it?

What are the questions?

Can you remember?

How do you make yes or no questions in English?

Inversion of subject and auxiliary!

BE, HAVE, MODALS, or DO

Do you like natto?

Positive Questions

Yes, I do.(= I like natto.)

No, I don’t.(= I don’t like natto.)

Don’t you like natto?

Negative Questions

Yes, I do.(= I like natto.)

No, I don’t.(= I don’t like natto.)

Do you like natto? Don’t you like natto?

Different questions, same answer.

Positive or Negative Questions in English…

Yes, I do.(= I like natto.)

No, I don’t.(= I don’t like natto.)

Different questions, different answers.

Do you like natto? Don’t you like natto?

Positive or Negative Questionsin Japanese…

Hai.(= I like natto.)

Ie.(= I don’t like natto.)

Ie.(= I do like natto.)

Hai.(= I don’t like natto.)

Different questions, same answers.

Do you like natto? Don’t you like natto?

Positive or Negative Questionsin English…

Yes.(= I like natto.)

No.(= I don’t like natto.)

Yes.(= I do like natto.)

No.(= I don’t like natto.)

Do you like Commons food?

Practice

Yes.(= I like Commons food.)

No.(= I don’t like Commons food.)

Yummy!Yucky!

Don’t you like Commons food?

Practice

Yes.(= I like Commons food.)

No.(= I don’t like Commons food.)

Yummy!Yucky!

Aren’t you happy?

Negative Questions

Yes.(= I am happy.)

No.(= I am not happy.)

I’m sad!I’m happy!

Haven’t you been to Disneyland?

Negative Questions

Never!Last year!

No.(=No, I’ve never been there.)

Yes.(= Yes, I have been there.)

1. Don’t you like natto? ______ (It’s good.)

2. Haven’t you seen that movie? ______ (I haven’t.)

3. Wouldn’t you like to go? ______ (I would.)

4. Can’t he speak English? ______ (He speaks English well!)

5. Wasn’t she on the swim team? ______ (She swam for 3 years.)

Yes or No? Yes.No.

You like natto, don’t you?

Tag Questions

Yes, I do. It’s good.

Yummy!

This is called a ‘tag question’.

It goes at the end of a sentence.

Answer just like any other question.

-

You don’t like natto, do you?

Tag Questions

Yes, I do. It’s good.

Yummy!

‘Tag questions’ can also be negative.

-

1. You like sushi, ___________? No, ____________

2. He has seen that movie, ___________? Yes, _______

3. You’d like to go ___________? No, ____________

4. They can speak French, ___________? Yes, _________

5. She was on the track team, ___________? No, _______

Practice Tag Questions

1. They don’t like natto, ___________? No, ____________

2. We haven’t seen that movie, ___________? Yes, _______

3. He isn’t going to be late, _________? No, ___________

4. We can’t speak French, _________? Yes, _________

5. She wasn’t on the volleyball team, _______? No, ______

Tag Questions

HOMEWORK?

Write one grammar card for yes/no questions.

Write one grammar card for negative, positive and tag questions.

Do the homework handout. Bring it to class next week.

Be careful! I will check your homework at the beginning of class. Have it ready!