Interrogative sentences are used to ask questions in English. They may begin with a question word (like who, what, where), or with an auxiliary verb (like do, does, is). Forming a correct interrogative often involves do-support or inversion.
Question Words
Question words introduce a question with more detail about the type of information being requested. They always come first in the question.
| Question Word | Usage Example | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| who | Who* is at the door? | asks about people | used for subjects or objects |
| what | What* are you doing? | asks about things or actions | used for objects or subjects |
| where | Where* do you live? | asks about place | used to ask about location |
| when | When* is the meeting? | asks about time | used to ask about time |
| why | Why* are you late? | asks about reason | used to ask for a cause |
| how | How* do you make tea? | asks about manner or process | used to ask about method, condition, or degree |
- Note: After the question word, the sentence follows normal question grammar (do-support or inversion).
Can a question word be omitted in an information question in English?
No, it must always appear at the start.
English requires question words to appear at the very beginning to form an information question.
Do-Support
When forming questions in the simple present or simple past tense (except with auxiliary or modal verbs), English uses do-support. This means adding do, does, or did at the beginning of the question.
| Tense | Example (affirmative) | Question with Do-Support | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | You like coffee. | Do* you like coffee? | use do for I/you/we/they |
| Present Simple | She goes to school. | Does* she go to school? | use does for he/she/it; verb base form |
| Past Simple | They played soccer. | Did* they play soccer? | use did for all subjects; verb base form |
Question Word + Do-Support Example
| Subject | Simple Present | Question Form | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| you | You eat apples. | Where do you eat apples?* | question word + do-support |
| she | She reads books. | What does she read?* | does + base verb |
- Important: No other auxiliary verb is needed; do/does/did carries the tense.
Inversion
Inversion means the auxiliary verb comes before the subject. This is used in questions that already have an auxiliary or modal verb.
| Auxiliary/Modal | Affirmative Example | Question Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| be (am/is/are...) | She is happy. | Is* she happy? | invert be + subject |
| have (present perfect) | They have left. | Have* they left? | invert have + subject |
| can | You can swim. | Can* you swim? | modal + subject |
| will | He will call. | Will* he call? | modal + subject |
Question Word + Inversion Example
| Subject | Verb | Question Form | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| you | are | Where are you?* | question word + inversion |
| they | have | What have they done?* | auxiliary + subject |
| she | can | Why can she go?* | modal + subject |
- No do-support is used here because the auxiliary/modal verb handles the question form.
Summary
- Question words start questions when asking for specific information.
- Do-support is used in simple present and past when no other auxiliary is present.
- Inversion occurs when an auxiliary or modal verb is already in the sentence.
- Place question words at the beginning if you need specific information.
- Use the base form of the verb after do/does/did.
- Other tenses (present continuous, present perfect, modals) use inversion, not do-support.
Final Examples
| Question Type | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/No Simple Present | Do* you like pizza? | do-support with *do |
| Yes/No Present Perfect | Have* you finished? | inversion with *have |
| Yes/No Modal | Can* she help? | inversion with modal |
| Question Word + Do-Support | Where do you work?* | question word + do-support |
| Question Word + Inversion | Why is he late?* | question word + auxiliary inversion |
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
