Questions and auxiliaries
Build direct and indirect questions with the right word order and auxiliary.
Basic question patterns
In most questions, put the auxiliary before the subject. Use the base verb after do, does or did.
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Be | am/is/are + subject + complement? | Is she at home? |
| Present simple | do/does + subject + base verb? | Does he work here? |
| Past simple | did + subject + base verb? | Did they leave early? |
| Modal | modal + subject + base verb? | Can you help me? |
| Present perfect | have/has + subject + past participle? | Have you seen this film? |
| Wh- question | question word + auxiliary + subject + verb? | Where did she go? |
Do not add do to ordinary questions with be or a modal: Is she ready? Can she drive?
Choosing a question word
The question word tells your listener what kind of answer you need.
| Word | Ask about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who / whose | A person / possession | Who called? Whose coat is this? |
| What / which | An open choice / a limited choice | What happened? Which train is yours? |
| Where / when / why | Place / time / reason | Where do you live? When did it start? Why? |
| How often / how long | Frequency / duration | How often do you swim? How long did it take? |
| How much / how many | Amount or price / number | How much water? How many bottles? |
Subject or object?
If the question word itself is the subject, do not use do, does or did. If it is the object, use the normal auxiliary pattern.
| Role | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who called you? | Maya called me. |
| Object | Who did you call? | I called Maya. |
| Subject | What happened? | An accident happened. |
| Object | What did you see? | I saw an accident. |
Short answers and indirect questions
Repeat the auxiliary in a short answer. After an introductory phrase, use statement order in the embedded question.
| Use | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive short answer | Yes + subject + auxiliary | Do you know her? Yes, I do. |
| Negative short answer | No + subject + auxiliary + not | Has he arrived? No, he hasn’t. |
| Indirect wh- question | intro + question word + subject + verb | Do you know where she lives? |
| Indirect yes/no question | intro + if/whether + subject + verb | Could you tell me if it is open? |
| Common mistake | Not: Do you know where does she live? | Do you know where she lives? |