INGLES TO BE

Colegio Pedro de Valdivia - Agustinas

English Department 2010

Name: _____________________________________ Course: _____

Question Word Order Handout

a) When making a question people have to bear in mind that the verb to be in simple present tense and simple past tense is the exception to the rule. This means that no auxiliar is used when making a question. The use of a Wh-question word depends on what you are asking.

Am

Is

Are

Was

Were

+ Subject + ……………….

E.g. - Are you sad?

- Is Paul at home?

- What time is Paul at home?

- Were you here yesterday morning?

- Why were you here yesterday morning?

b) When making a question you have to bear in mind that an auxiliary or modal is used before the subject. The use of a Wh-question word depends on what you are asking.

Do

Does

Did

Have

Will

Can

Should

+ Subject + Verb + ………..

E. g. - Does she dance?

- Where does she dance?

- Can you draw this map?

- When can you draw this map?

However, if you are asking for the subject you cannot use it in the question.

E.g. Who works in this place?

Who took care of you after the earthquake?

c) Some common question words are:

What= qué, cuál what time= a qué hora

what... for= para qué what kind of= què tipo de

which=cuál who= quién

who ... with= con quién who ... for = para quién

whose=de quién where= dónde

where .... from= de dónde when = cuándo

why= por qué

how= cómo how old= cuántos años

how much= cuánto how many= cuántos

how long= cuánto tiempo how many times=cuántas veces

how far= a qué distancia how good= que tan bueno

how well= qué tan bien how often= con qué frecuencia

how fast= que tan rápido

EXERCISES

I Complete the gaps using one of the question words above and form meaningful questions.

1. _______________ do you like best? Listening to music.

2. _______________ does Bill get up in the morning? I think at eight thirty.

3. _______________ is Mike? I believe he is fifteen.

4. _______________ did the Robinsons live? In Padua, Italy.

5. _______________

...