Yes/no-questions are fully explained in paragraphs 5.12 to 5.20.
The other main type of question begins with a wh-word such as what, where, or when. When you ask a question of this type, the answer cannot be yes or no.
‘Who gave you my number?’ – ‘Your mother did.’ ‘Why didn’t you ask me?’ – ‘I was afraid to.’ ‘Where is he now?’ – ‘He’s at university.’
This type of question is called a wh-question. When wh-words are used as pronouns or adverbs at the beginning of a wh-question, they are called interrogative pronouns or interrogative adverbs.
Wh-questions are explained in paragraphs 5.21 to 5.34.
Yes/no-questions
position of auxiliary verbs
5.12 In a yes/no-question, if there is an auxiliary verb, the auxiliary verb comes first, followed by the subject, then the main verb.
Are you staying here, by any chance?
Will they win again?
Will they like my garden?
Can he read yet?
If there is more than one auxiliary verb, the first auxiliary verb comes at the beginning of the clause, followed by the subject, followed by the other verbs.
Had he been murdered?
Has it been thrown away, perhaps?
For information about auxiliaries, see the Reference Section.
5.13 If there is no auxiliary verb, you put do, does, or did at the beginning of the clause, in front of the subject, followed by the base form of the main verb.
Do you understand what I’m saying?
Does it hurt much?
Did you meet George in France?
Note that if the main verb is do, you still put do, does, or did at the beginning of the clause, in front of the subject.
Do they do the work themselves?
Does David do this sort of thing often?
be and have as main verbs
5.14 If the verb is be, you do not use do. You simply put the verb at the beginning of the clause, followed by the subject.
Are you okay?
Is she Ricky’s sister?
Am I right?
Was it lonely without us?
If the verb is have, you usually put do, does, or did at the beginning of the clause, in front of the subject.
Do passengers have rights?
Does anyone have a question?
Did you have a good flight?
However, when you use have in the sense of own or possess, you do not need to use do, does, or did. You can simply put have, has, or had at the beginning of the clause. This is a slightly formal use.
Have we anything else we ought to talk about first?
Has he any idea what it’s like?
If you use have got or has got in a yes/no-question, you put have or has at the beginning of the clause, followed by the subject, followed by got.
Have you got any brochures on Holland?
Has she got a car?
Have got and has got are explained in paragraph 3.15.
Making a statement into a question: question tags
5.15 You can ask for confirmation that something is true by making a statement in the declarative, then adding an expression such as isn’t it? or was she? Constructions like these are called question tags. Question tags are most often used in spoken English.
forming question tags
5.16 Question tags are formed using an auxiliary or a form of be or do, followed by a personal pronoun referring to the subject.
If the main clause is in the affirmative, you use a negative tag. Negative tags are always contracted, except in old-fashioned or very formal English.
It is quite warm, isn’t it?
If the main clause is in the negative, you use an affirmative tag.
You didn’t know I was an artist, did you?
If the main clause of your statement has an auxiliary in it, you use the same auxiliary in the tag.
You will stay in touch, won’t you?
If the main clause has the past simple or present simple form of be as the main verb, you use this in the tag.
They are, aren’st they?
If the main clause does not have an auxiliary or the verb be, you use do, does, or did in the tag.
After a couple of years the heat gets too much, doesn’t it?
He played for Ireland, didn’t he?
Note that the negative tag with I is aren’t I, even though am is the auxiliary or main verb in the main clause.
I’m controlling it, aren’t I?
checking statements
5.17 If you have an opinion or belief about something and you want to check that it is true, or to find out if someone agrees with you, you can make a statement and add a question tag after it to make it into a question.
If you are making an affirmative statement and you want to check that it is true, you use a negative question tag.
You like Ralph a lot, don’t you?
They are beautiful places, aren’t they?
If you are making a negative statement and want to check that it is true, you use an affirmative tag.
It doesn’t work, does it?
You won’t tell anyone else all this, will you?
You can also use an affirmative tag if your statement contains a broad negative, a negative adverb, or a negative pronoun.