Site icon English online tests

Questions – word order and question words

Word order in present simple questions

 
The order of words in an English question in present simple is: QWASI: (Question Word) + Auxiliary + Subject + Infinitive.

In Yes-No questions (questions that we answer saying yes or no) there is NO Question Word.

The auxiliary verb in present simple is be or do/does. Below you can see a grammar chart on the order of words in present simple questions with be or do/does.

Questions with am/is/are


When the verb in the sentence is be, we use am/is/are as the auxiliary verb before the subject. Then the word order is QWAS: (Question Word) + Auxiliary (am/is/are) + Subject
 

Questions with do/does

 
When we have a verb that is not be, we use do/does as the auxiliary verb.
 
We use does with he/she/it and do with I/you/we/they. Remember that the main verb after the subject is in the infinitive form (NO -s or -es).

Question words – grammar chart

Download full-size image from Pinterest

What + noun

 
We often use the question word what + noun as a question word: what time, what colour, what size, etc.

How + adjective/adverb

 
We can also use how + adjective/adverb  as a question word in phrases like how often, how old, how tall, etc.

Exercise on the theme:

Exit mobile version