Question / question

AT this material We will try to figure out with you how to answer questions in English.

Note: How to explain to a child how to compose answers to questions in English read

First, let's figure out how to make an interrogative sentence in English. To do this, you need to know the word order. In any English sentence, the word order is strict and clear, any violation leads to an error.

As a rule, a feature of interrogative sentences in English is the presence of auxiliary and modal verbs.

For example,
Is it a dog? - This is a dog? (Sentence in present simple tense, auxiliary verb "is")
Do you swim? - You swim? (Sentence in present simple tense, auxiliary verb "do")
Does he go? - He walks? (Sentence in present simple tense, auxiliary verb "does")
Did she fly? Did she fly? (Sentence in past simple tense, auxiliary verb "did")
Can you jump? -You can swim? (Sentence in present simple tense, modal verb "can")
May I come in? - Can I come in? (Sentence in present simple tense, modal verb "may")

Now let's take a look at the word order interrogative sentence of English language:
1. question word (what, which, when, where, why, how, how much, how long, etc.)
2. auxiliary or modal verb
3. subject (who, what)
4. semantic verb(the verb that gives meaning to the whole sentence)
5. addition
6. circumstance of the place (where, where)
7. circumstance of time (when, what time).

To reveal the secret of correctly answering an interrogative sentence in English, you need to follow only two rules:
1. Know the translation of the question, and for this you need to know the vocabulary.

Note: Most easy technique memorization English words contained in the section "".

2. The answer itself is hidden in the question itself, i.e. it is necessary to listen carefully to him, to hear the words, to understand the structure, to change, if necessary, the face.

How to answer a question in English?

The answer to the question can be complete (repetition of the entire sentence), or short. If you are just starting to learn English, it would be better to start by learning how to give a complete answer to the question.

Full answer to the question in English

After the word order in the interrogative sentence has been learned, it will not be difficult to answer the question. The full answer is used less often, it contains a verb in full form and all related words:

Look closely at the diagram below. You just need to rearrange the word order in the interrogative sentence.

Scheme of a positive answer to the question: subject + semantic verb + object + circumstance of place + circumstance of time.

For example,
Do you like apple? Yes, I like apple.

Scheme of a negative answer to the question: subject + auxiliary or modal verb + negative particle "not" + semantic verb + object + circumstance of place + circumstance of time.

For example,
Do you like apple? No, I don't like apple.

Short answer to a question in English

Of course, the question can be answered in simple words yes or no. This is possible in colloquial speech. But with all the brevity of colloquial speech, foreigners know how to use a short answer correctly and beautifully, and use it. We must know this too.

Short Answer Principle: after yes/no add the stem of the sentence (subject + auxiliary or modal verb).

Scheme:
Yes, subject + auxiliary or modal verb.
No, subject + auxiliary or modal verb + negative particle "not".

How does this happen:
1. Listen to the question carefully, especially its beginning, since the beginning is an auxiliary or modal verb and the subject.
2. Mentally change their places. Add yes or no.

For example,
Does she like cheese? – Yes, she does.
Is he swimming in the river? – Yes, he is.
Can you swim? - No, I can't. (abbreviations in denial)
Do you know Mr. Wallace? — No, I don't.

Remember!
If the short answer is no, then a negative particle not.

Compiling answers to questions in English

There are four key groups of interrogative sentences - general, special, alternative and disjunctive. According to the traditional academic system, except for special questions of the subject, all the rest are built with a rearrangement of members relative to a similar affirmative turnover. However, in real speech (both oral and written), interrogative sentences are often found that are identical to affirmative ones. How to write a question in English? There are sentences whose interrogative expression is carried out only due to intonation, without putting the predicate before the subject and using additional non-sense verbs (to be, do) and interrogative words. Some turns with a rearrangement of words will sound incorrect, ridiculous or even impolite in certain situations. Therefore, along with the classical scheme, we will also analyze in which cases it is possible to compose a question from words in English without a mandatory rearrangement.

semantic orientation. Words that carry the main load

It is necessary to determine which word carries the fundamental “questioning” load in order to approve the scheme for construction and understand how to compose a question in English. It is somewhat incorrect to classify interrogative sentences according to their relationship with the response sentence, i.e., for example, to say that the question with which we want to know something about the object that performs the action is a question to the subject. After all, we do not yet know what the answer will be, and whether it will be at all; our task is to ask, and we must base ourselves on that alone.

Members with which we express the main information need, and should serve as a signal for identification. We will call these questions. through subject, etc. to tell you how to write questions in English. The table below shows line by line whether questions are asked through the subject, for example - /Who did it?/ Who did he do it? /, or through a predicate, for example - / Did he do it? / He did this?/, or through minor member, for example, through the circumstance - /He did it in time?/He did it in time?/ The expression of the question through the minor term is easy to confuse, to see this, compare last example with a sentence - /Did he do it in time?/He did is it on time? Sure offer / He did it in time?/ can be built in exactly the same way, but here you need to change the accent: /Did he do it in time?/. The question, expressed through the predicate, is built with the setting of a meaningless verb (do, to be) before the subject.

The purpose of the question. Ignorance and prejudice

How to write questions in English? The construction scheme depends on the purpose of the question, on whether the answer is expected to absolutely new information, or you clarify what is already known. In the second case, your question contains an assumption about the answer or a manifestation of surprise, doubt about a fact or a previous remark of the interlocutor (let's call such questions prejudiced). For example, you don't know if your friend is in Chicago, and inquire about it: /Is he in Chicago?/Is he in Chicago?/; or you assume that your friend may be in Chicago, and specify this moment: /He is in Chicago? Chicago?/; or you heard that your friend came to Chicago, and are surprised by this: /He is in Chicago already? /Is he in Chicago already?/ Located Is he already in Chicago?/.)

In this case, you do not need to try to pass absolutely all the revolutions through each of these schemes. Some combinations, due to their specificity, may have a limited range of use.

Interrogative sentences are divided into types based on what kind of information they expect to receive in response.

General

How to write a general question in English? Such a question requires a negative or positive answer, which will be disclosed directly (yes, no) or indirectly (with the help of an explanation from which such a conclusion can be drawn). Those classical schemes that we are used to seeing in textbooks relate to expression through the predicate, when a suitable non-semantic verb or verb part is placed before the subject compound predicate. However, interrogative sentences similar to affirmative ones are often found in English, so we will analyze the semantic shades that can allow this.

General through the predicate

/Did you do it? did this is?/

General through the subject

/will you do it?/ or /You will do it?/ You will you do it?/

General through minor terms

/Did you do it quickly?/You did it quickly?/You did it fast?/

How to compose a question in English if it clarifies the intended or partially known information? Prejudiced questions can be classified as general. When a question through a predicate is prejudiced, the structure of a similar affirmative sentence does not change. For example, /He took more points than anybody else. - He won?/ [He scored more points than the others. - Did he win?] (Compare with /He took part in the competition. - Did he win?/He took part in the competition. - Did he win?/)

Asking again

You can select a group of general questions that ask the interlocutor again, expressing interest. The logical place of these questions is before the answer, that is, the answer is ahead of the question, and a request is expressed, as it were, to voice it again. In such a requirement, the scheme is preserved, but some members of the sentence are often omitted.

/I am living in Chicago too. - Are you?/I also live in Chicago. - Seriously?/

Special

How to write a special question in English? Such a question requires an answer containing unique information. It is specified by special words /Who/Who, Whom/Whom, Whose/Whose, What/What/What, Which/Which, When/When, Where/Where, Why/Why, How/How (/How/ is often used with verbs, adjectives, etc., which complement its meaning: / How many / How many, How long / How long, How come / How did it happen, etc.), which take the first position. These questions are not prejudiced. Cases when a non-sense verbal part is needed before the subject are determined by the member through which the need for information is expressed - through the predicate, subject (or definition of the subject) or other secondary parts of the sentence. To know how to compose a question in English using the special. words, remember - if from a general question a special one is obtained by simple substitution, for example, /Why/ or /When/, the ordering scheme, by analogy, can remain unchanged compared to such an affirmative sentence.

The schema may remain unchanged in statements beginning with special word inserted in an interrogative sentence. For example, /Do you know why he is looking at it?/You you know why is he looking at it?/ where /why he is looking at it/why he is looking at it/ is a specific reason.

In cases where the interrogative pronouns Who, What, Whom, Whose, Which are subjects or are part of the subject, the construction scheme is identical to the affirmative sentence. If the interrogative pronoun plays the role of a definition with the subject, the restructuring also does not occur. In other cases, the non-sense verb comes before the subject.

For example, how to compose a question in English in a situation where /Who/ acts as a nominal part of the predicate or when it is the subject? - /Who would you pretend to be in the game?/Who would you like to be in the game?/ , - /Who is the superman?/Who is the superman?/ .

Special through compound nominal predicate

/ Who is she to you? / Who is she to you?

Special questions through the subject

/Who will join me?/Who will join me?/

Special through definition with subject

/Which bus goes to the airport?/Which bus goes to the airport?/

Special through other minor members

/Where did they meet?/Where did they meet?/

/For how long have we been here?/How long have we been here?/

How long until it happens?

Also very common are sentences like /How long until it happens?/, /How long before it happens?/How long before it happens?/ etc., in which omitted phrases like /should we wait/ or /does it need/ (/How long should we wait until it happens?/How long should we wait before this happens? or /How long does it need before something happens?/How long does it take for something to happen?/).

Alternative

How to compose in English? Such a question proposes possible options expressed in terms of similar members and asks for approval of any of them.

/Am I alright or not?/

Dividing

How to write a disjunctive question in English? Such a question is often rhetorical, that is, the answer is implied in the question itself. In the first part, a certain statement is made, and in the second, its confirmation or refutation is required. The second part is separated from the first by a comma, sometimes by a dot or by an ellipsis, in some cases even pronounced by another interlocutor.

/He is alright, isn't he?/

It is not the same... Is it?

Need to remember

Also, in order to know how to correctly compose a question in English, you need to remember that the verb part in front of the subject becomes in accordance with the tense and conjugation, and after - in its original form.

When a verb is used with a preposition that complements it meaning, the preposition is the last in the order of words. For example, / What are you looking at? / What are you looking for? / What is going on? / Can we get out? / If the preposition is part of an object, it is also put at the end, for example: /Are you looking at me?/.

In the special sentences used with interrogative pronouns, nouns are used without articles.

To communicate with foreigners, sometimes just gestures are enough, but there are situations when it is extremely necessary to clarify something. This is where the difficulty begins, because few people remember how to ask General Rules often long forgotten, and the person is simply lost.

It is pointless to argue that the right question is one of the most effective and quick ways obtaining the required information from the interlocutor. Questions can help you find out:

• the name of the interlocutor;
• how to get to the place you need;
• information about the product you are interested in in the store;
• the state of your health if you find yourself in a hospital abroad;
• what to do in an emergency or emergency situation, etc.

However, people who have difficulty with English feel rather insecure in situations where they need to say something. As a rule, they are embarrassed to say anything at all, even if they need help or some kind of clarification. Therefore, the ability to correctly construct a question in English will give confidence to any person in any situation abroad.

What types of questions exist in English

Constructing affirmative sentences, as a rule, does not cause any particular difficulties for language learners, but composing questions is difficult. Only understanding their structure will make it clear for yourself how to ask a general question in English. have their own characteristics and are used in everyday communication native speakers. There are five types of questions, including:

1. General question. For example: Do you like reading (Do you like read)?
2. For example: Who bought this ugly hat(Who bought this terrible hat)?
3. For example: Do you like comedies or dramas(Do you like comedies or dramas)?
4. Question asked to the subject. For example: Which pen is yours(Which pen is yours)?
5. Separated question. For example: Children usually eat fruit and vegetables, don't they(Children usually eat fruits and vegetables, don't they)?

Let's take a closer look at how to ask a general question in English.

Purpose of the question

This is the simplest and most common type of the five existing ones. It is asked for the entire sentence and requires a simple yes or no answer. Let's look at examples:

• I like eating chocolate. Do you like eating chocolate? Yes, I do. No, I don "t. - I like to eat chocolate. Do you like to eat chocolate? Yes. No.
• Mark drives to California every month. Does Mark drive to California every month? Yes, he does. No, he doesn't. - Mark goes to California every month. Does Mark go to California every month? Yes. No.
• They can bring Kate some fruit. Can they bring Kate some fruit? Yes, they can. No, they can't. - They can bring fruit to Katya. Can they bring fruit to Katya? Yes. No.

Note that in order to construct a general question, the auxiliary word "do" is sometimes used. This verb and its derivatives are used in combination with other verbs to obtain an interrogative or negative type of interrogative sentence. However, if it contains the verb "to be", the use of the auxiliary word "do" is not required. Let's look at examples:

• He is a generous man. Is he a generous man? Isn "t he a generous man? - He generous person. Is he a generous person? Is he a generous person?
• They are doctors. Are they doctors? Aren "t they doctors? - They are doctors. Are they doctors? Are they doctors?
• They visit Margaret every Tuesday. Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Don "t they visit Margaret every Tuesday? - They visit Margaret every Tuesday. Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday?

Question construction

How to ask a general question in English? It's easier than it might seem. First of all, you need to find the verb in the sentence and determine what function it performs:

• linking verb ( to be and its derivative forms - am, are, is);
• modal verb ( must, need, can, should, have to);
• main verb (any verb, for example, jump, go, watch, work etc.).

Then you should determine the time of the question. In order not to get confused with its definition, try turning this phrase into For example, the interrogative sentence "Does your aunt like to sing?", we remake it into the affirmative "Your aunt likes to sing." After you find the verb and determine the time, proceed to the construction of the question itself.

Word order

Another point worth mentioning for those who do not know how to ask a general question in English is word order. While in Russian we just change intonation and get an interrogative sentence, this does not work with English. To ask something, it is not enough just to change the intonation to an interrogative one. In the English interrogative construction, the characteristic is reverse order words.

This means that it is especially important in this situation to use either an auxiliary or modal verb, or the linking verb "to be", in the desired form. Next comes the subject (most often expressed by a personal pronoun), the predicate and other members of the sentence. Let's look at examples:

1. They like expensive cars(They love expensive cars). AT this example"they" is the subject, and "like" is the predicate. Do they like expensive cars(they like expensive cars)? Here "do" acts as an auxiliary word, "they" - as a subject, "like" - as a predicate.
2. We are friendsm s friends). In this example, "we" is the subject and "are" is the predicate, in the form of the verb "to be" for the pronoun "we". Are we friends (m s friends)? Here "are" is the predicate and "we" is the subject.
3. He can sing well(he sings well). In this example, "he" is the subject and "can" is the modal verb. C an he sing well(he sings well)? Here "can" acts as a predicate that comes first, and "he" is still the subject.

Building a negative question form

Having dealt with the word order, you can proceed to the next important point how to ask a general question in english negative form. The mentioned construction in Russian, as a rule, begins with the words "really" or "is it" and serves to express surprise and misunderstanding. The scheme for the formation of this form is the same as that of the affirmative, only using negative particle"not". Let's look at examples:

1. Do you not like our French lessons? - Don't you like our French lessons? - Don't you love our French lessons?

2.Are they not at work? - Aren't they at work? - Are they not at work?

3. Must we not do this work tomorrow? - Shouldn't we do this work tomorrow?- Shouldn't we do this work tomorrow?

How to answer a question

A general question requires an unambiguous "yes" or "no", which are formed as follows:

1. A positive answer involves the use of the word "yes", a pronoun and a verb. For example:

• Do you like eating strawberry cakes? Yes, I do. - Do you like to eat strawberry cakes? Yes.
• Should they go to the party this Friday?Yes, they should. - Should they go to the party this Friday? Yes.
• Is he a student of Harvard University?Yes, he is.- He's a student. Yes.

2. A negative answer is formed as follows: "no" + pronoun + verb + particle "not". For example:

• Do they like watching TV before going to bed?No, they do not (don "t).- Do they like to watch TV before going to bed? No.
• Can you read this new novel?No, I can not (can "t).- You can read this new novel? No.
• Is Casandra his friend's sister?No, she is not (isn "t).- Is Kasandra his friend's sister? No.

Intonation features

The hardest part is over, because you already have an idea of ​​how to ask a general question in English. The rules of pronunciation and intonation are another point worth dwelling on. It is typical for English to pronounce general questions with a rising tone. This tone is used in all questions that can be answered unambiguously “yes” or “no”. To clarify everything, let's take a closer look at the examples:

1. "Do you" like this "new ↗films(do you like these new movies)? This is an interrogative sentence that implies an unequivocal answer (yes / no), so it is pronounced in an ascending tone.
2. "Is it a↗ desk (uh then a party)? This interrogative sentence can be answered unequivocally (yes / no), so it is pronounced in an ascending tone.
3. Have you got a↗ sister (y do you have a sister)? It is also pronounced in an ascending tone, since it requires an affirmative "yes" or "no".

Now you know how to ask a general question in English. The pronunciation rules in this case are very easy to remember.

Conclusion

Thus, we have considered all the theoretical aspects regarding how to ask a general question - in English such a phrase is the simplest and at the same time the most important and common, therefore, knowing how to formulate it correctly, you can feel more confident in talking to foreigners abroad. To consolidate the studied material, you should go to the practical part.

Strengthening exercises

1. To complete the first task, remember everything you learned earlier about how to ask a general question. In English, words after the ↗ sign are pronounced with rising intonation:

• is she↗ old?
• Do you↗ like it?
• Is it a↗ sofa?
• Can you↗ forger it?
• Must you↗ read it?
• Is it↗ your pen?
• Are you↗ brothers?
• Does she↗ love you?
• Is it↗ dirty?
• Are you↗ seventeen?
• Do they usually↗ watch TV?
• Can you repeat↗ after me?
• Is your brother a↗ policeman?
• Is Mary↗ kind?
• Do you like cooking?

2. Answer the following general questions:

• Are you a teacher?
• Should we go there?
• Can you help me on Monday?
• Are they right?
• Do they like it?
• Is she her cousin?
• Can you swim?
• Is his name Mark?
• Must I close the door?
• Does she know him?
• Can he jump?
• Is it cheap?
• Does he like fishing?
• Am I naughty?
• Can you forget about it?

3. Translate the following general questions into English:

• Do you want to go to the cinema with me tomorrow?
• Is she at home now?
• Is their car red?
• Can you turn off the TV?
• Are these kids really that naughty?
• They are kind?
• Does she like tulips?
• Should I call him?
• Should she go there?
• Do you work on Saturday?
• Do you like to listen music?
• This is their home?
• Have you forgotten about our meeting?
• Can you repeat the last sentence?
• Do you know their parents?
• Do you work here?
• Do they see us?
• Can you call her tomorrow morning?
• Don't you know where this building is?
• Is this the same person?

Warm and ardent greetings to all! Today we continue to develop and complete the theme " To ask questions» — « Asking questions". And in this lesson, in addition to another portion questions and answers in English, we will study 5 types of questions, or rather interrogative sentences in English. The topic is both complex and at the same time relatively simple. Indeed, due to the fact that in English there is an established word order in a phrase, it is much easier for us to remember the scheme for constructing a question in English than for foreigners in Russian. Types of questions in English with examples

So, let's not delay for a long time and proceed directly to the study 5 types of questions in English:

1. General is the most common type of interrogative sentence in English. Having studied the rules for the formation of a general question, it will not be difficult to create all the rest. And the order here is: auxiliary verb - subject - predicate - object - circumstance. Example: Do you play tennis every week? Do you play tennis every week?
2. Dividing - consists of two parts: a statement and a question directly to this statement. It is built in the following order: the first part, as in the statement, and the second part uses an auxiliary verb, the subject is replaced by a pronoun. For example: Jamie likes his friend's sister, doesn't he? He loves his friend's sister, doesn't he?
3. Special - the sentence begins with special interrogative words: what? (what?), who? (who?), when? (when?), where? (where?), whose? (whose?), how much? (how many?), etc. After that, all the words follow in the same order as in the general question: Why (Where, When) did you fight with him again? - Why (Where, When) did you fight him again?
4. Question to the subject - direct word order is preserved, as in declarative sentence: Subject - predicate - object, etc. There are no inversions and auxiliary verbs, interrogative words can be used. Interrogative pronouns play the role of the subject: Who is taliking to you? - Who is talking to you?
5. Alternative - a sentence offering to make a choice of either / or. The union "or" is always used. Word order is almost the same as word order. general case, the union "or" is simply added: Do you like coffee or tea? - Do you like coffee or tea?

So we got acquainted with all types of questions in English. To learn how to ask questions in English correctly, you need to remember the word order in each of the 5 types of interrogative sentences. See also the previous audio lesson on this topic — Learning to ask questions . Now listen to a few more examples of how to ask questions in English correctly and how to answer them correctly: /wp-content/uploads/2015/09/RUEN063.mp3

With the help of this audio lesson, you can not only hear examples of some English questions and answers to them, but you can also use it to practice pronunciation and perception of the correct English speech aurally. Remember that the ability to set the task correctly is half of its solution. Therefore, learn to build interrogative sentences for comfortable communication with native speakers.

How is a question structured in English?

This table will clearly show you how the questions in English that you heard in the audio lesson are built. Having studied this table, and remembering correct order words, you can easily formulate any questions to statements in English. Remember these simple rules and when you speak or write in English, ask questions to English-speaking interlocutors correctly!

Asking questions
English	Russian
I have a hobby	I have a hobby
I play tennis	I play tennis
Where is the tennis court?	Where is the tennis court?
Do you have a hobby?	Do you have a hobby?
I play football / soccer (am)	I'm play soccer
Where is the football/soccer (am) field?	Where is the football field?
My arm hurts	My hand hurts
My foot and hand also hurt	My leg and arm hurt too
Is there a doctor?	Where is the doctor?
I have a car/car	I have a car
I also have a motorcycle	I also have a motorcycle
Where could I park?	Where is the parking lot?
I have a sweater	I have a sweater
I also have a jacket and a pair of jeans	I also have a jacket and jeans
Where is the washing machine?	Where is the washing machine?
I have a plate	I have a plate
I have a knife, a fork and a spoon	I have a knife, fork and spoon
Where is the salt and pepper?	Where is the salt and pepper?

In the table, I intentionally did not list all types of English questions, but they are designed so that you yourself can easily convert one type of interrogative sentence into another. So you once again practice in the formulation of questions in English. And practice is the key to gaining skill and / or skill.

Shares

Today we will learn how to ask any questions in English.

This process is slightly different from the system of questions in Russian, so you will have to learn some principles and rules.
Remember that a question - an interrogative sentence - in fact, is a kind of sentence, along with an affirmative one, and has its own unique, inimitable structure.

1. Firstly, English questions are not asked using intonation, as in Russian - in order to ask a question in English
1) NEED TO CHANGE WORD ORDER and
2) USE AUXILIARY(Which - I'll tell you later).

a. Word order in an interrogative sentence in English:

(question word)+ auxiliary + subject + main verb(predicate) + other members of the sentence.

There is question type, which stands out in a separate category - this is a question to the subject (a subject question). It stands out separately because it does not have an auxiliary question in its structure and copies the structure of an affirmative sentence. With its direct word order:

Where do you live? - Where do you live? - a question to the circumstance, asked with the help auxiliary verb"do" indicating present time simple.
Who lives with you? - Who lives with you? - a question to the subject (Who ...?), asked WITHOUT the help of any auxiliary verbs - such is its structure.
* Question to the subject begins with interrogative words (interrogative pronouns):
Who - for animate nouns.: "Who?"
What - for inanimate nouns: "What?"

in. What auxiliary verbs use in questions?

Am / Is / Are - for descriptive constructions, for example: Is she at home? Are you at work? Am I at the right place? – in this case, to describe the locations of people.
Do / does - for Present Simple time (does - for the subject of the 3rd person singular);
Have / has - for questions about ownership (Have you got ...? / Has she got ...?), as well as questions related to the time of Present Perfect (Have you done your homework yet? .. / Has she come home?).
Did - for Past Simple (Did you watch TV yesterday?..)
Will - for Future Simple(Will you go to work tomorrow?..)
Сan/Could/May/Should/Shall - for sentences containing modal verbs: the question begins with modal verbs.

2. Secondly, remember that in English there are different types of questions, depending on their functions, and each of these types of questions is asked in its own way:

1. General question- or, in another words, a "Yes / No question" - a question requiring a "Yes" or "No" answer:

Do you love oranges? – I do/Yes, I do;
Do you believe in ghosts? – Hmm, No, I don't.
This question begins with an auxiliary verb - one of those listed in paragraph 1b.

2. Special question- a question that begins with a question word and requires specific, precise information as an answer:

What do you do? – I’m a teacher;
Where do you live? – at Korolyov;
What's your favorite fruit? – a watermelon;
What color is your bag? - It's brown.

In order to correctly ask it, we need question words:
What? - What?
how? - How?
Who? - Who?
how much? - How?
how long? - How long?
Where? - Where?
Why? - Why?
Which? - Which the?

3. Alternative question - in which the word "or" is present - "OR" and there are options: like, "Do you prefer white, or red"? ..

It is asked in the same way as the general question.
Why is it asked? - to additions, circumstances, definitions, and other members of the proposal.

4. Separated question- a question with a tail, a tagged question.

Its distinctive feature is the presence, as already mentioned, of a "tail" consisting of an auxiliary verb - from the main sentence - and a pronoun.
The function of this "tail" is mainly to confirm the information contained in the main sentence.
You can speak English, can't you?
He wants a new car, doesn't he?
They live nearby, don't they?
He Is smart, isn't he?
"Is not it?"

It is important that if the sentence is affirmative, then the tag is negative.
And vice versa - if negative, then tag does not contain negations.
She can't cook, can she?
He can drive, can't he?
* In some cases, the tag-a form is complex and not related to the tense or modal feature. These cases need to be considered and studied separately.

3. Interestingly, in English there is such a thing as short answers - "short answers".

They are needed to bring the speech closer to the most informal, natural, simple and not to load with long research.
"Do you have a cat?" - "Yes, I do" - if yes.
"No, I don't" - if not.
The answer "Yes, I have a cat" would sound ridiculous and cumbersome + this is a tautology:
“Do you have a cat? Yes, I have a cat.
As in Russian, "Do you have a cat?" - to which we will most likely answer: “Yes / Well, yes / Yes”, but, most likely, not like this: “- Do you have a cat? “Yes, I have a cat”, unless we highlight our statement emotionally (if we are annoyed or in a bad mood).
4. And finally, consider the difference between the two interrogative pronouns: “What” and “Which”.
What car do you drive? - What car do you drive?
And
Which car is yours – this, or that? Which car is yours, this one or that one?

Let's generalize: What assumes any answer and points to any (in the world/country/yard) car, or any other object.
Which implies that there are several objects to choose from.
Or, in other words, What - “what / what”; Which - “which one / which”.

So,
1) learn the system of tenses and auxiliary verbs;
2) deal with word order, UNDERSTAND it and keep it in mind;
3) learn the types of questions;
4) we train in exercises, on examples, in oral speech as often as possible - and we get a clean one in this aspect.

By the way, questions can be practiced with.

Until we meet again and success!

The article was written by teacher Ekaterina Semyanina.