Module 12: Sentence Types and Purpose - Lesson 12.2: Interrogative Sentences - Asking Questions

Module 12: Sentence Types and Purpose - Lesson 12.2: Interrogative Sentences - Asking Questions

Lesson 12.2: Interrogative Sentences - Asking Questions

Welcome to Lesson 12.2! In this lesson, we will focus on Interrogative Sentences. We will define interrogative sentences, examine different types of questions (Yes/No questions, Wh- questions, Tag questions, Indirect questions), understand their specific structures and question words, and practice forming these various question types. Mastering interrogative sentences is essential for effective communication as asking questions is a fundamental part of interaction and information gathering.

Interrogative Sentences Defined - Seeking Information:

Interrogative Sentences are sentences that ask questions. Their primary purpose is to elicit information, seek clarification, or inquire about something. They are designed to get a response or answer. Interrogative sentences are crucial for conversations, learning, and problem-solving.

Typical Structure of Interrogative Sentences - Question Formation:

Interrogative sentences differ structurally from declarative sentences. The most common characteristic of question formation is the inversion of the subject and auxiliary verb, or the use of 'do/does/did' auxiliary. The specific structure varies based on the type of question.

Punctuation of Interrogative Sentences: Interrogative sentences always end with a question mark (?).

Types of Interrogative Sentences:

There are several main types of interrogative sentences, each with its structure and purpose:

  1. Yes/No Questions (Polar Questions):

    Yes/No Questions are questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no" (or responses that are equivalent to yes/no). They inquire about whether something is true or false, or whether an action has occurred or not. They often start with an auxiliary verb or 'be' verb, followed by the subject, then the main verb and other sentence elements.

    Structure of Yes/No Questions:

    • Auxiliary/Be Verb + Subject + Main Verb (+ Object/Complement/Modifiers)? (using auxiliary verbs like be, have, do, can, will, should, may, might, must, etc., or forms of 'be' as main verb - is, are, am, was, were).

    Examples - Yes/No Questions:

    • Is it raining? (Auxiliary verb 'Is' + Subject 'it'). (Expected answer: Yes, it is./No, it isn't.)
    • Are you coming to the party? (Auxiliary verb 'Are' + Subject 'you'). (Expected answer: Yes, I am./No, I'm not.)
    • Have they finished their work? (Auxiliary verb 'Have' + Subject 'they'). (Expected answer: Yes, they have./No, they haven't.)
    • Can she speak French? (Modal auxiliary 'Can' + Subject 'she'). (Expected answer: Yes, she can./No, she can't.)
    • Did you go to the store yesterday? (Auxiliary 'Did' + Subject 'you' + Main Verb 'go'). (Expected answer: Yes, I did./No, I didn't.)
    • Do they live here? (Auxiliary 'Do' + Subject 'they' + Main Verb 'live'). (Expected answer: Yes, they do./No, they don't.)
    • Was he late for the meeting? (Be-verb 'Was' + Subject 'he'). (Expected answer: Yes, he was./No, he wasn't.)

    Yes/No questions are fundamental for basic inquiries and confirmations.

  2. Wh- Questions (Information Questions):

    Wh- Questions are questions that seek specific information and begin with a Wh- word (interrogative pronoun or adverb). They cannot typically be answered with just "yes" or "no"; they require more detailed information in response. Wh- questions are used to ask about who, what, when, where, why, how, etc.

    Wh- Question Words: who, whom, whose, what, which, when, where, why, how.

    Structure of Wh- Questions:

    • Wh- word + Auxiliary/Be Verb + Subject + Main Verb (+ Object/Complement/Modifiers)? (Most common structure - inversion after Wh- word).
    • Wh- word as Subject + Verb (+ Object/Complement/Modifiers)? (When 'who' or 'what' is the subject of the question, no auxiliary verb inversion is needed immediately after the Wh- word).

    Examples - Wh- Questions:

    • What is your name? (Wh- word 'What' + Be verb 'is' + Subject 'your name').
    • Where do you live? (Wh- word 'Where' + Auxiliary 'do' + Subject 'you' + Main verb 'live').
    • When will they arrive? (Wh- word 'When' + Auxiliary 'will' + Subject 'they' + Main verb 'arrive').
    • Why are you late? (Wh- word 'Why' + Auxiliary 'are' + Subject 'you' + Complement 'late').
    • How did you do that? (Wh- word 'How' + Auxiliary 'did' + Subject 'you' + Main verb 'do' + Object 'that').
    • Who is coming to the party? (Wh- word 'Who' as subject + Be verb 'is' + Main verb 'coming'). (Here 'Who' is the subject, so no inversion after 'Who').
    • What happened? (Wh- word 'What' as subject + Main verb 'happened'). (Here 'What' is the subject, no inversion).
    • Whose book is this? (Wh- word 'Whose' + Noun 'book' + Be verb 'is' + Subject 'this').
    • Which car do you prefer? (Wh- word 'Which' + Noun 'car' + Auxiliary 'do' + Subject 'you' + Main verb 'prefer').
    • Whom did you see? (Wh- word 'Whom' + Auxiliary 'did' + Subject 'you' + Main verb 'see'). (More formal - in modern English 'Who' is often used instead of 'Whom' as object).

    Wh- questions are used to gather specific details and are essential for in-depth conversations and inquiries.

  3. Tag Questions (Question Tags):

    Tag Questions are short questions added to the end of a declarative statement. They turn a statement into a question, usually to seek confirmation or agreement. They consist of an auxiliary verb (or form of 'be' or 'do') and a pronoun subject, and their polarity (positive/negative) is usually the opposite of the main statement.

    Structure of Tag Questions:

    • Declarative Statement, + Tag Question (opposite polarity)?
    • Positive Statement, Negative Tag? (e.g., "It's a nice day, isn't it?")
    • Negative Statement, Positive Tag? (e.g., "It isn't raining, is it?")

    Examples - Tag Questions:

    • It's a nice day, isn't it? (Positive statement + Negative tag. Statement uses 'is', tag uses negative 'isn't' + pronoun 'it').
    • She is coming, isn't she? (Positive statement + Negative tag. Statement uses 'is', tag uses negative 'isn't' + pronoun 'she').
    • They have finished, haven't they? (Positive statement + Negative tag. Statement uses 'have', tag uses negative 'haven't' + pronoun 'they').
    • You will be there, won't you? (Positive statement + Negative tag. Statement uses 'will', tag uses negative 'won't' + pronoun 'you').
    • He doesn't like coffee, does he? (Negative statement + Positive tag. Statement uses 'doesn't', tag uses positive 'does' + pronoun 'he').
    • It isn't raining, is it? (Negative statement + Positive tag. Statement uses 'isn't', tag uses positive 'is' + pronoun 'it').
    • They haven't left yet, have they? (Negative statement + Positive tag. Statement uses 'haven't', tag uses positive 'have' + pronoun 'they').
    • You wouldn't mind helping, would you? (Negative statement 'wouldn't' + Positive tag 'would').

    Tag questions are used to invite agreement, keep conversations going, or soften statements into polite questions.

  4. Indirect Questions:

    Indirect Questions are questions that are embedded within a statement or another question. They are not asked directly but are reported or phrased as part of a larger sentence. They often start with phrases like "I wonder...", "Could you tell me...", "Do you know...", "I'd like to know...", etc. Indirect questions have declarative word order (subject-verb), not the inverted question word order of direct questions, and end with a period (if embedded in a statement) or question mark (if the main clause is a question).

    Structure of Indirect Questions:

    • Introductory Phrase + Question Word (if applicable) + Subject + Verb (+ Object/Complement/Modifiers) (Declarative word order in the embedded question part).

    Examples - Indirect Questions:

    • Could you tell me where the station is? (Introductory phrase 'Could you tell me' + question word 'where' + Subject 'the station' + Verb 'is' - declarative order. Ends with question mark because main clause is a question).
    • I wonder what time it is. (Introductory phrase 'I wonder' + question word 'what' + Subject 'it' + Verb 'is' - declarative order. Ends with period because main clause is a statement).
    • Do you know if she will come? (Introductory phrase 'Do you know' + 'if' (like question word) + Subject 'she' + Verb 'will come' - declarative order. Ends with question mark because main clause is a question).
    • She asked why I was late. (Introductory phrase 'She asked' + question word 'why' + Subject 'I' + Verb 'was' - declarative order. Ends with period because main clause is a statement).
    • I'm not sure whether they understood. (Introductory phrase 'I'm not sure' + 'whether' + Subject 'they' + Verb 'understood' - declarative order. Ends with period because main clause is a statement).

    Indirect questions are more polite and formal than direct questions, and are used when reporting questions or embedding them into other sentences.

Key takeaway: Interrogative sentences ask questions and end with a question mark. Main types are Yes/No questions (start with auxiliary/be verb), Wh- questions (start with Wh- words), Tag questions (short tags for confirmation), and Indirect questions (embedded in statements, declarative word order). Understanding these types and their structures is essential for asking questions effectively in English. Next, we will explore Lesson 12.3: Imperative Sentences - Giving Commands!