What Is a Question?

Questions allow us to gather information or ask opinions. In writing, questions are usually followed by a question mark. In technical terms, questions are called 'interrogatives'.

Questions: Types

Questions can be formed in different ways depending on their structure and purpose. Here are some of the different types of questions in English:

  • Close-Set Questions
  • Open-Set Questions
  • Non-inquiry Questions

Close-Set Questions

Close-set questions (also called invariable questions or polar questions) require a limited (or closed) set of answers. They are further categorized into three groups:

  1. yes/no questions
  2. alternative questions
  3. tag questions

Yes/No Questions

Yes/No questions are the most basic type of questions in English grammar. These questions are formed by inversion of the subject and the auxiliary verb. These questions are typically answered using a simple 'yes' or 'no.'

Is Carla your sister?

Do you know a good restaurant downtown?

Negative Questions

A negative question is expressed in a way that reverses a yes/no question. Answering these questions with a "yes" or "no" might cause confusions for the listener. These questions usually start with a negative contracted auxiliary verb, or an auxiliary followed by the subject and the negative marker "not".

Didn't you see Brian at the party?

Here, if the listener answers "yes", if might be understood as "I did not see Brian at the party" and if they answer "no" it might imply that they did see Brian at the party, since it is a negative answer.

Are you not coming?

Alternative Questions

Alternative questions (also called choice questions) ask the listener to choose between two or more options. These options are linked to each other using the conjunction 'or'. The structure of these questions also involves inversion of subject and auxiliary verb. Pay attention to the examples:

Do you prefer to wake up early or late?

Are you sad or tired?

Tag Questions

Tag questions (also called disjunctive questions) can transform a statement into a yes-no question. Normally, if the main clause is affirmative the tag must be negative and if the main clause is negative, the tag must be positive. The tag is formed by inversion of the auxiliary and the subject. Take a look at the examples:

Myra makes the best chocolate cake, doesn't she?

He's not a very good friend, is he?

Open-Set Questions

Open-set questions (also called variable questions or non-polar questions) require different answers. There is no limit to the range of possible answers given to these questions. They are further categorized into two groups:

  1. Wh-Questions
  2. Embedded Questions

Wh-Questions

Wh-questions start with an interrogative pronoun or adverb such as why, when, where, what, who, whose, which, and how. To form a wh-question, the interrogative words is followed by the auxiliary or modal and the subject.

What do you do for a living?

Where is the nearest pharmacy?

Tip!

Particularly in spoken English, when the speaker(s) and the listener(s) know the context of the conversation, wh-questions might be shortened. For example:

- 'I've decided to work part-time.' +'What for?'

-'I'm going out.' +'Who with?'

(Who are you going out with?)

Embedded Questions

Embedded (also called indirect) questions are those that are not asked directly. Instead, they are embedded within another sentence or question. An embedded question is a dependent clause rather than the main clause of the sentence. Unlike a direct question, indirect questions follow the normal word order, meaning no inversion happens in their structure.

Can you tell me where he plays tennis?

Do you know what time it is?

I'm not sure which way is the correct way home.

Pro-Sentences

In informal or spoken English, sometimes two questions can be asked together. The first question is a kind of introduction for the listener. The second question is a pro-sentence, because it is a single word that acts as a whole sentence.

What are you making? Pizza?

What are we playing tonight? Poker?

an example of an alternative question

Non-inquiry Questions

Non-inquiry are used to make a point or seek confirmation rather than seeking new information. They may be used to express sarcasm or surprise and wonder. They are further categorized into four groups:

  1. Rhetorical Questions
  2. Statement Questions
  3. Echo Questions
  4. Polite Requests

Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions do not require any answers. They are merely used as expressions or reactions to persuade the listener or make a point.

Do you want to be a failure for the rest of your life?

Can't you do anything right?

Statement Questions

Statement questions have the same structure as declarative sentences (statements) but are used as yes/no questions, usually to express surprise. In speech, these questions are distinguished from statements by their different intonation.

Jackson is getting married?!

He's your brother?

Echo Questions

Echo questions, also known as confirmation questions, repeat or echo part of a statement made by someone else. They are often used to seek confirmation or clarification of what was said by the other person. Sometimes, they are formed with an interrogative word at the end.

- 'Paul's getting married again.' + 'Paul's getting married again?'

- 'He's moving to Rome'. + 'He's moving where?'

Polite Requests

Polite requests are requests that are phrased in the form of a question to soften the request and make it sound more polite. For examples:

Could you help me with this project?

Would you mind closing the window?

Intonation of Questions

In speech, questions have a particular intonation that tells the listener a response is expected. Questions have a rising intonation at the end.

Review

Questions are interrogative sentences that are used to ask for information about things, people, etc. Here are the different types of questions in English:

Yes/No questions Are you having fun?
Negative questions Won't you come?
Alternative questions Do you travel tomorrow or next Monday?
Tag questions She is fabulous, isn't she?
Wh- questions Where are you from?
Embedded questions Do you know where they are?
Rhetorical questions Why am I dating you?
Statement questions He's cheating on you?
Echo questions - 'Mira is in China' + 'Mira is in China?'
Polite requests May I borrow your pen?

Quiz:


1.
Which of the following is not a Yes/No question?
A
Can you swim?
B
Is he a pilot?
C
What is your name?
D
Are you tired?
2.
What is the correct structure for a Wh-question with a modal verb?
A
Wh-word + subject + modal verb
B
Wh-word + modal verb + subject + main verb
C
Wh-word + 'have' + subject + main verb
D
Wh-word + 'do' + subject + main verb
3.
Sort the words to make a correct wh- question:
did
?
go
last
you
where
night
4.
Complete the table by choosing the type of question.
QuestionType
Did he finish his homework?
What are you doing tomorrow?
Can you solve this problem?
Who is knocking on the door?
Do you know her address?
Why did they call you?
Yes/No Question
Wh-Question
5.
Match the beginnings of the questions with their correct endings.
Can
Where
Did you
What
Are
do you live?
can I do for you?
you leaving?
forget your keys?
you swim?
6.
Fill the blanks with the correct auxiliary or modal verb or wh- word to complete the questions.
she like tea?
spoke at the meeting?
is in your bag?
you see my message last night?
he your brother?
I help you?
does
who
what
did
is
can

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