Pre-existing concepts 

1. Yes/No Questions

Used when the expected answer is a simple confirmation or denial. They always start with an auxiliary verb (do, be, have or a modal verb).

Structure:

Form: Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb + Complement?

• • Example: "Did you use a professional video camera to make it?" (Past Simple)

  • Example: "Are they coming to the party tonight?" (Present Continuous)

2. Wh-Questions (Simple Direct Questions)

Used to ask for specific information (who, what, when, where, why, how, which).

Structure:

Form: Wh-Word + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb + Complement?

• • Example: "Which influencers do you follow?"

  • Example: "Where have you been all day?"

Rules for Question Types

When to use them:

1. Tag Questions:
Used to check information or make a comment. They turn a statement into a question by adding a short question (tag) at the end. The tag uses the auxiliary verb of the main statement.

Rule: If the statement is positive, the tag is negative. If the statement is negative, the tag is positive.

Example: "You haven't messed up, have you?"

2. Indirect Questions:
Used to sound polite or when they are embedded within a main sentence. They often start with a phrase like "Can you tell me..." or "I wonder...".

Rule: After the introductory phrase and the linking word (if, whether, when, why), the subject and main verb follow the same order as an affirmative sentence (Subject + Verb). No auxiliary verb (do/does/did) is used in the embedded question part.

Example: "Could you tell us why you've stopped vlogging?"

3. Object Questions:
Used to ask about the object of a sentence. They follow the standard Wh-question order (Wh-Word + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb). The subject performs the action, and the answer is the object.

Example: "Which influencers do you follow?" (You = Subject, influencers = Object)

4. Subject Questions:
Used to ask about the subject of a sentence. The Wh-word is the subject, so there is no auxiliary verb (do/does/did). The question order is similar to an affirmative sentence.

Example: "Which influencers follow you?" (Influencers = Subject, follow = Verb)

5. Yes/No Questions:
Used to get an answer that starts with Yes or No.

Example: "Did you use a camera?"   👍 Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.

Tips to Remember

Ask Yourself: Am I asking about who did the action (Subject Question) or who received the action (Object Question)?

Subject Question: Do not use do/does/did. The Wh-word is followed immediately by the main verb (in the correct tense).

• • Example: "Who ate the last cookie?"

Object Question: Standard question structure (Auxiliary is used).

• • Example: "What did you eat?"

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Practice exercises