UNIT 49
Questions 1
A
In questions we usually put the subject after the first verb:
Subject + verb verb + subject
Tom will will Tom?
You have have you?
The house was was the house?
+Will Tom be here tomorrow?
+Have you been working hard?
+When was the house built?
Remember that the subject comes after the first verb:
+ Is Catherine working today? (not Is working Catherine)
B
In present simple question, we use do/does:
+Do you live near here?
you live do you live? +What time does the
The film begins does the film begin? film begin?
In past simple question, we use did:
+Did you sell your car?
you sold did you sell? +Why did the train stop?
The train stopped did the train stop?
But do not use do/does/did if who/what etc. is the subject of the sentence.
Compare:
Who object Who subject
Emma telephoned somebody
Somebody telephoned Emma.
object
subject
did Emma telephone?
Who
Who telephoned Emma?
In these examples, who/what etc. is the subject:
+ Who wants something to eat? (not Who does want)
+ What happened to you last night? (not What did happen)
+ How many people came to the meeting? (not did come)
+ Which bus goes to the centre? (not does go)
C
None the position of preposition in questions beginning
Who/What/Which/Where…?
+ Who do you want to speak to?
+ Which job has Ann applied for?
+ What was the weather like yesterday?
+ Where are you from?
You can use preposition + whom in formal style:
+ To whom do you wish to speak?
D
Isn’t it …? / Didn’t you …? Etc. (negative questions)
We use negative questions especially to show surprise:
+ Didn’t you hear the doorbell? I rang it three times.
Or when we expect the listener to agree with us:
+ ‘Haven’t we met somewhere before?’ ‘Yes, I think we have.’
Note the meaning of yes and no in answers to negative questions:
Yes. (= Yes, I want to go)
+ Don’t you want to go to the party?
No. (= No, I don’t want to go)
Note the word order in negative questions beginning Why …?:
+ Why don’t we go out for a meal tonight? (not Why we don’t go)
+ Why wasn’t Mary at work yesterday? (not Why Mary wasn’t)
EXERCISES
49.1 Ask Joe questions. (Look at it answer before you write the questions.)
1. (where/live?) Where do you live? In Manchester.
2. (born there?) ______________ No, I was born in London.
3. (married?) ______________ Yes.
4. (how long/married?) __________ 17 years.
5. (children?) ______________ Yes, two boys.
6. (how old/they?) ______________ 12 and 15
7. (what/do?) ______________ I’m a journalist
8. (what/wife/do?) ______________ She’s a doctor.
49.2 Make questions with who or what.
1. Some body hit me. Who hit you?
2. I hit somebody. Who did you hit?
3. Somebody paid the bill. Who ______________
4. Something happened What ______________
5. Diane said something. ______________
6. This book belongs to somebody. ______________
7. Somebody lives in that house ______________
8. I fell over something ______________
9. Something fell on the floor. ______________
10. This word means something. ______________
11. I borrowed the money from somebody. ______________
12. I’m worried about something. ______________
49.3 Put the words in brackets in the correct order. All the sentences are
questions.
1. (when/was/built/this house) When was this house built?
2. (how/cheese/is/made) ______________
3. (when/invented/the computer/was) ______________
4. (why/Sue/working/isn’t/today) ______________
5. (what time/coming/your friends / are) ______________
6. (why / was / cancelled / the concert) ______________
7. (where / your mother / was / born) ______________
8. (why / you / to the party / didn’t / come) ______________
9. (how / the accident / did / happen) ______________
10. (why / this machine / doesn’t / work) ______________
49.4 Write negative questions from the words in brackets. In each situation
you surprised.
1. A: We won’t see Liz this evening.
B: Why not? (she / not / come / to the party?) Isn’t she coming to the party?
2. A: I hope we don’t meet David tonight.
B: Why? (you / not / like / him?) ______________
3. A: Don’t go and see that film.
B: Why not? (it / not / good?) ______________
4. A: I’ll have to borrow some money.
B: Why? (you / not / have / any?) ______________
