Basic Question Formation
Questions help you talk to people. Here you learn yes/no questions and questions with what, where, when and how. The subject is the person or thing that does the action, for example I, you, Anna. A helper verb is a small verb like do, does or can. It comes before the subject.
Structure
- Questions with be: (Question word +) Am/Is/Are + subject + other words. Example: Is he your brother? Example: Where is the library?
- Questions with other verbs: (Question word +) Do/Does + subject + verb. Example: Do you like tea? Example: What do you like?
- Questions with can: (Question word +) Can + subject + verb. Example: Can she come?
How the Grammar Works
- With be (am, is, are): put the verb before the subject. Do not add do or does. Example: You are happy. becomes Are you happy?
- With can: put can before the subject. Do not add do. Example: She can swim. becomes Can she swim?
- With other verbs: add Do or Does before the subject. Use Do with I, you, we, they. Use Does with he, she, it. Example: They play soccer. becomes Do they play soccer?
- After does, the verb has no -s. Example: She likes coffee. becomes Does she like coffee?
- Question word: put it first. Then add the verb and the subject. Example: Where do they live? Example: Where are they?
Common Use Cases
- Asking about likes: Do you like coffee?
- Asking about time: When does the class start?
- Asking about places: Where is the library?
- Asking about what you can do: Can you swim?
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- No helper verb with other verbs: In writing, use do or does. Wrong: What you like? Right: What do you like? Friends sometimes say You like tea? in speech, but Do you like tea? is the standard question. (Who lives here? has no do. You learn this later.)
- -s after does: Wrong: Does she likes tea? Right: Does she like tea? The word does already shows he, she or it.
- Wrong helper verb: Wrong: Do he play soccer? Right: Does he play soccer? Use does with he, she, it.
- do/does with be: Wrong: Do you are happy? Right: Are you happy? Wrong: Is he be your brother? Right: Is he your brother?
Comparison with Related Grammar
A statement has the subject first. In a question with be or can, the verb goes first. Compare: You are happy. and Are you happy? With other verbs, you add do or does. Compare: You like tea. and Do you like tea?
Example Sentences
- Do you play soccer?
- What is your name?
- Can she come to the party?
- Where do they live?
- Is he your brother?
- Does she like tea?
- When does the class start?
- Are you happy?
When to Use This Rule
Use these questions to ask for information or to check things. Move be and can before the subject. Add do or does with other verbs.