Questions
In English, there are different types of questions. In this lesson, you will get to know them briefly and see some examples for each type. Are you ready?
What Is Considered a Question?
Everything we say or write that needs an answer is called a question. In writing, questions are usually followed by a question mark.
In technical terms, we call questions 'interrogatives' in grammar.
Intonation of Questions
When you want to express a question verbally, notice that questions have a particular type of intonation that tells the listener that you are expecting a response.
Types of Questions
There are many types of questions in the English language. Here are some of the different types of questions in English:
- Yes/No questions
- 'Wh' questions
- Alternative (also called 'choice') questions
- Indirect (also called 'embedded') questions
- Rhetorical questions
- Statement questions
- Two-step questions
- Follow-up questions
- Echo (also called checking) questions
- Negative questions
- Tag (also called disjunctive) questions
Yes/No Questions
Yes/No questions are the most basic type of questions in English grammar. We can only answer these types of questions by 'Yes' or 'No.' However, we can sometimes (but not always) add a longer answer to them.
'Wh' Questions
Alternative Questions
Alternative (also called choice) questions ask the listener to choose between two or more options. These options are linked to each other by the conjunction 'or.'
Do you prefer to wake up early
Does she like spaghettis
Indirect Questions
Indirect (also called embedded) questions are the types of questions that are not asked directly. Instead, they are embedded within another sentence or question.
The most common uses of these questions are in polite questions or reported speech.
Can you tell me where he plays tennis?
Do you know what time it is?
Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical questions do not require any answers. They are merely used as expressions or reactions to persuade the listener or to produce the desired effect on them.
Duh... Is the sky blue?!
Do you want to be a failure for the rest of your life?
a choice question
Statement Questions
Statement questions are declarative sentences (statements) that are used to ask yes/no questions. These sentences have a different intonation when used as a statement or as a question.
Jackson
He
Two-step Questions
In informal or spoken English, sometimes we ask two questions together. The first question is kind of an introduction for the listener. They tend to make the first question less direct:
Do you like your job? I mean, do you enjoy it?
What are we playing tonight? Poker?
Follow-up Questions
Especially in spoken English, when the speaker(s) and the listener(s) know the context of the conversation, people often shorten the wh-questions in conversation:
'I've decided to work part-time.' '
'I'm going out.' '
(Who are you going out with?)
Echo Questions
Usually, echo (also called checking) questions are statements with a wh-word at the end.
When we do not understand what we have just heard or when we want to confirm what we have heard, we use echo questions.
'Paul's getting married again.' 'Paul's getting married again?!'
'He's moving to Rome'. 'He's moving to Rome?'
Negative Questions
A negative question usually starts with negative contracted or uncontracted verbs. Contracted and uncontracted negative questions have different word order.
Aren't you coming? or Are you not coming?
Didn't you see Brian at the party?
Negative questions are ordered in such a way that require a 'no' response for an affirmative answer and a 'yes' response for a negative answer.
Tag Questions
Tag (also called disjunctive) questions can transform a statement into a yes-no question. Normally, the tag questions contain an affirmative main clause and a negative tag, or a negative main clause and an affirmative tag.
Myra makes the best chocolate cake,
He's not a very good friend,
Review
Questions are interrogative sentences that are used to ask for information about things, people, etc. Here are different kinds of questions:
| Yes/No questions | Are you having fun? |
|---|---|
| wh questions | Where are you from? |
| Alternative questions | Do you travel tomorrow or next Monday? |
| Indirect questions | Do you know where they are? |
| Rhetorical questions | Why am I dating you? |
| Statement questions | He is cheating on you? |
| Two-step questions | Which one is better? Working or studying? |
| Follow-up questions | Take a look at this hat! Which one? |
| Echo questions | 'Mira is in the China' 'Mira is in China?' |
| Negative questions | Don't you come? |
| Tag questions | She is fabulous, isn't she? |
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