Interrogatives are words and grammatical forms used to ask questions. They enable speakers to request information, clarification, or confirmation, making them essential for communication. In English, interrogatives include question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) and auxiliary verbs used to form questions.
- Interrogatives are used to form questions and elicit information.
- They include question words and special grammatical structures.
- Understanding interrogatives is key to both asking and answering questions correctly.
Question Words
Who, what, where, when, why, and how are English question words.
Question words, also known as interrogative words, are used to begin questions that ask for specific information. They cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no" and require more detailed responses.
Interrogative words are question words used to ask for specific information.
Interrogative words ask for information about person, thing, place, time, reason, manner, and amount.
| Question Word | Information Asked For | Example Question | Example Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Person | Who is coming to dinner? | Sarah is coming. |
| What | Thing/Information | What are you eating? | I'm eating pasta. |
| Where | Place | Where do you live? | I live in New York. |
| When | Time | When is your birthday? | It's on July 5th. |
| Why | Reason | Why are you late? | Because of traffic. |
| How | Manner/Method | How do you make coffee? | I use a French press. |
| Which | Choice/Option | Which color do you prefer? | I prefer blue. |
- Who asks about people.
- What asks about things or information.
- Where asks about places.
- When asks about time.
- Why asks about reasons.
- How asks about manner or method.
- Which asks about choices among options.
'How' can sometimes be used to ask about reasons, as in 'How come?'
Interrogative words are usually placed at the beginning of a question.
Examples include 'Who is your teacher?' (Who), 'What do you want for lunch?' (What), 'Where is the nearest bank?' (Where), 'When does the movie start?' (When), 'Why are you studying English?' (Why), 'How do you solve this problem?' (How), 'Which dress will you wear?' (Which).
Questions using interrogative words include who, what, where, when, why, how, and which.
- Question words are used to ask for specific information.
- They cover topics like person, place, time, reason, and manner.
- Examples: who, what, where, when, why, how, and which.
'Why' asks for reasons; 'How' asks about manner, method, or condition.
Sample questions are 'Who is your best friend?', 'What do you want to eat?', 'Where do you live?'
'Which' is a question word used for choosing between options.
Interrogative words can also function as relative pronouns in sentences like 'The person who called you...'
Exercises
- Match the question word to the information it asks for: (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How)
- the reason
- a person
- a place
- a thing
- the time
- the manner or method
- Write a question for each situation using an appropriate question word:
- Asking about a person's name
- Asking about the location of a meeting
- Asking for an explanation about homework
- Asking how to operate a new gadget
- Asking when a holiday begins
- Choosing between two options for dinner
- Identify the question word in each sentence and explain what information is being requested:
- "Who will join us for lunch?"
- "What did you think of the movie?"
- "Where are my keys?"
- "When should we leave?"
- "Why is the sky blue?"
- "How do you make bread?"
- "Which route is faster?"
- Are the following sentences correct questions? If not, correct them:
- "What is you name?"
- "Where do you going?"
- "When the train arrives?"
- "Why you are upset?"
- "How can I help you?"
- Create two questions using each of the following interrogative words: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, Which.
Yes/No Questions
Yes/no questions are those that can be answered with 'yes' or 'no'.
Yes/no questions are formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb, or using 'do/does/did' for main verbs.
Yes/no questions are questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." In English, they are formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb, or by using auxiliary verbs like do, does, or did.
- Yes/no questions expect answers like "yes" or "no."
- Common formation: inversion of subject and auxiliary verb (Are you...? Do you...?).
- If no auxiliary verb is present in a statement, use do/does/did for questions.
| Statement | Yes/No Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|---|
| You are happy. | Are you happy? | Yes, I am./No, I'm not. |
| She eats breakfast. | Does she eat breakfast? | Yes, she does./No, she doesn't. |
| They played soccer. | Did they play soccer? | Yes, they did./No, they didn't. |
Yes/no questions include 'Are you coming?', 'Do you like chocolate?', and 'Will it rain tomorrow?'.
A question can start with an auxiliary verb in yes/no questions.
The correct yes/no question is 'Do you eat apples?'
'She can swim?' is incorrect for writing; 'Can she swim?' is the correct form.
Yes, different auxiliaries like do/does/did/will are used for different tenses.
Common question words
| Word | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Person | Who is there? |
| What | Thing/Info | What is that? |
| Where | Place | Where is it? |
| When | Time | When is dinner? |
| Why | Reason | Why wait? |
| How | Manner/Method | How does it work? |
Reference
Answer Key
- d) How
- b) Do you like pizza?
- a) What, asking for information about a meal
- b) Where, when, why, how
- a) Correct: "Are you coming to the party?"
Incorrect: "You are going to the party?" → Are you going to the party?
The typical structure is auxiliary verb + subject + main verb.
- Yes/no questions expect a "yes" or "no" answer.
- Formed by inverting subject and auxiliary verb.
- Use do/does/did if no auxiliary is present in the statement.
Interrogative Pronouns
'Who,' 'whom,' and 'what' are interrogative pronouns.
Interrogative pronouns replace the noun that the question is about.
Interrogative pronouns are question words that replace nouns in questions, so the question doesn't repeat the noun. The main interrogative pronouns in English are who, whom, what, which, and sometimes whose.
- Interrogative pronouns replace the thing or person being asked about.
- Common ones: who, whom, what, which, whose.
- They can be subjects or objects in a question.
| Interrogative Pronoun | Usage | Example Question | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Subject (person) | Who called you? | Used for subjects |
| Whom | Object (person) | Whom did you see? | More formal than "who" |
| What | Subject/Object (thing/info) | What is your name? | Used for things or ideas |
| Which | Subject/Object (choice) | Which do you prefer? | Used when selecting |
| Whose | Possession | Whose book is this? | Asks about ownership |
'Who' is used as a subject; 'whom' is used as an object.
'What' can be used both as a subject and an object in questions.
'Which' can be an interrogative pronoun or adjective depending on usage.
Correct use of interrogative pronouns: who, whom, what, which, whose.
- Interrogative pronouns replace nouns in questions (who, whom, what, which, whose).
- 'Who' is used for subjects; 'whom' for objects.
- They can function as subjects, objects, or show possession.
Exercise
- Fill in the blank with the correct question word: ... do you study? (for a reason)
- Convert to a question: “She can drive.” (Yes/No)
- Identify the interrogative pronoun: “What did you say?”
- Make a question using “which” (choice about food).
- Are these correct? If not, correct them:
- “Who are you talking to?”
- “When you will arrive?”
Summary
Interrogatives are vital for asking questions and obtaining information. They include:
- Question Words: who, what, where, when, why, how, which.
- Yes/No Questions: Formed by inverting subject and auxiliary (Are you...? Do you...?).
- Interrogative Pronouns: who, whom, what, which, whose (used in place of nouns).
Understanding and using interrogatives correctly allows for clear and effective communication in any context.