Question Formation
Questions are sentences that ask for information. They always end with a question mark (?). There are two main types of questions you will learn.
What You'll Learn
- How to form Yes/No questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no"
- How to use question words (who, what, where, when, why, how) to ask for specific information
- Which helping words to use when forming questions
When to Use
- When you want a yes or no answer: "Do you like ice cream?"
- When you want to know a person: "Who is your best friend?"
- When you want to know a thing: "What is in your bag?"
- When you want to know a place: "Where is the library?"
How to Form
Yes/No Questions
To form a Yes/No question, move the helping word to the front of the sentence.
| Statement | Question | Helping Word |
|---|---|---|
| She is happy. | Is she happy? | is |
| They are playing. | Are they playing? | are |
| He can swim. | Can he swim? | can |
| You do like cats. | Do you like cats? | do |
| She does eat rice. | Does she eat rice? | does |
Remember: Move the helping word (is, are, can, do, does) to the front to make a Yes/No question.
Question Word Questions
Put the question word at the start of the sentence, followed by the helping word.
| Question Word | What It Asks For | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who | a person | Who is your teacher? |
| What | a thing or action | What do you like to eat? |
| Where | a place | Where is the hawker centre? |
| When | a time | When is your birthday? |
| Why | a reason | Why are you sad? |
| How | the way something is done | How do you go to school? |
Key Rules
- Every question ends with a question mark (?): Never use a full stop at the end of a question. "Where is my pencil?"
- Yes/No questions start with a helping word: Move "is", "are", "do", "does", or "can" to the front. "Is he your brother?"
- Question word questions start with the question word: The question word always comes first. "What is your name?"
- Use "do" or "does" with action words: Use "do" with I, you, we, they. Use "does" with he, she, it. "Does she like reading?"
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the book. | Where is the book? | A question needs a question mark, not a full stop |
| What you like? | What do you like? | You need the helping word "do" after the question word |
| Does she likes cats? | Does she like cats? | After "does", use the base word (like), not "likes" |
| Who is play outside? | Who is playing outside? | After "is", use the -ing form of the action word |
Clue Words
Helping words that start Yes/No questions:
is, are, am, do, does, can
Question words that ask for information:
who, what, where, when, why, how
Quick way to remember the question words:
Who, What, Where, When, Why, How -- five W's and one H
Tip: If you can answer with just "yes" or "no", it is a Yes/No question. If the answer gives more information (a name, place, or time), it is a question word question.
Practice Tips
- Turn statements into questions: Take any sentence and try to change it into a question. "She is reading." becomes "Is she reading?" or "What is she reading?"
- Match the question word to the answer: If the answer is a person, the question word is "who". If the answer is a place, use "where". If the answer is a time, use "when".
- Read your question aloud: Say it out loud to check if it sounds right. Your voice should go up at the end of a Yes/No question.
Quick Reference
| Type | How It Starts | Example | Answer Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes/No question | helping word (is, do, can...) | Do you like mangoes? | yes or no |
| Who question | Who + helping word | Who is she? | a person |
| What question | What + helping word | What do you want? | a thing |
| Where question | Where + helping word | Where is the MRT station? | a place |
| When question | When + helping word | When is recess? | a time |
| Why question | Why + helping word | Why are you laughing? | a reason |
| How question | How + helping word | How do you spell it? | the way |