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In this lesson we learn about forming and using questions effectively, exploring complex structures and indirect questions for advanced communication. Clear explanations and practice exercises to help you learn.
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:
yes/no questions
alternative questions
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:
Wh-Questions
Embedded Questions
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?
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:
Rhetorical Questions
Statement Questions
Echo Questions
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:
Which type of question repeats part of a statement to seek confirmation or clarification?
Yes/No question
Wh-question
Echo question
Tag question
What type of question is the following: "Could you lend me a hand with this task?"
Rhetorical question
Echo question
Polite request
Alternative question
Sort the words to make a grammatically correct question.
Match each question type in Column A with its corresponding example in Column B.
Fill in the table with the correct type of question based on the description.
A question that asks for a simple yes or no answer. | |
A question with the same structure as a statement | |
A question that starts with an interrogative pronoun or adverb. | |
A question that offers a choice between two options. | |
A question embedded within another sentence. | |
A question that starts with a negative auxiliary verb. |
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