Questions

What is a question? A statement is a sentence that gives information. A question is a sentence that asks for information. Questions are also called "interrogative". A written question in English always ends with a question mark: ?

Basic Question Structure

The basic structure of a question in English is very simple: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb - Do you like Budi? - Are they playing football? - Will Andi go to Busan? - Have you seen 3D TV? Exception! For the verb be in simple present and simple past, we do not use an auxiliary verb. We simply reverse the positions of be and subject: - Statement: He is Indonesian. - Question: Is he Indonesian?

Basic Question Types

There are 3 basic types of question: 1. Yes/No Questions (the answer to the question is "Yes" or "No") 2. WH Questions (the answer to the question is "Information") 3. Choice Questions (the answer to the question is "in the question")

Basic Question Types

1. Yes/No Questions
Auxiliary verb + subject Do you Can you Has she Did they + main verb want dinner? drive? finished her work? go home?

Basic Question Types

2. WH Questions
WH +auxiliary verb +subject +main verb - Where do you live? - When will we have lunch? - Who did she meet? - Why hasn't Tuti done it? Exception! verb be simple present and simple past - Where is Andi? - How was she?

Basic Question Types

3. Choice Questions
auxiliary verb +subject +main verb - Do you want tea - Will we meet Johan - Did she go to Incheon OR or coffee? or Joni? or Gimpo?

Exception! verb be simple present and simple past - Is your car white or black?
- Were they 1,000 won or 10,000 won?

Negative questions
contain negation in their phrasing. Types:
With contractions:
Didn't she come yesterday? Why didn't she come yesterday?

Without contractions:
Did she not come yesterday? Why did she not come yesterday? When we make negative questions without contractions it gives it more emphasis or stress. It makes the sentence stronger.

Negative questions
Uses:
to confirm information or to express an opinion:
Didn't she come yesterday? Why didn't she come yesterday?

to confirm negative beliefs:

Did she not come yesterday? Why did she not come yesterday?

when we want the listener to agree with our opinion (it is not as exact or definite):
Isn't it beautiful? (I think it's beautiful, but what do you think?) Doesn't he sing well? (I think he is a good singer. How about you?)

Negative questions
Answering negative questions:
A: Haven't you read the book? B: No, I havent. I'm too busy. A: Don't you brush your teeth every day? B: Yes, of course I do.

Answer a negative question the same as a regular question.

However, it is sometimes unclear whether the answer should be the opposite of the answer to the non-negated question.
When one doesnt have a pen:
"Do you have a passport?" "Don't you have a passport? Both can be answered by No.
"Yes, I do mind" "No, I don't mind

Answering Do you mind :

Tag Questions
A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by a mini-question.
The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag".

Btw, A "tag" is something small that we add to something larger.

We use tag questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?"

Tag Questions
Basic structure:
Positive statement, negative tag? Negative statement, positive tag?

Examples: take a look at the module. Some special examples/cases:

I am right, aren't I? Nothing came in the post, did it? Let's go, shall we?

Tag Questions
Uses:
to verify or check information that we think is true to check information that we aren't sure is true just for effect

Intonation:
If the tag is a real question it has a rising intonation.
You don't know where my wallet is, do you?

If the tag is not a real question it has a flat or falling intonation.

It's a beautiful view, isn't it?

Tag Questions
Question tags with imperatives
Sometimes we use question tags with imperatives but the sentence remains an imperative and does not require a direct answer.
We use won't for invitations.
Take a seat, won't you?

We use can, can't, will, would for orders.

Help me, can you? (quite friendly) Help me, can't you? (quite friendly, but with irritation?) Close the door, would you? (quite polite) Do it now, will you? (less polite) Don't forget, will you? (with negative imperatives only will is possible)

Tag Questions
Same-way question tags
it is sometime possible to use a positivepositive or negative-negative structure. We use same-way question tags to express interest, surprise, anger etc, and not to make real questions.
So you're having a baby, are you? That's wonderful! So you think that's amusing, do you? Think again.

Negative-negative tag questions usually sound rather hostile:

So you don't like my looks, don't you? You think you're funny, do you?