GRAMMAR: YES/ NO QUESTIONS

Yes or no questions are questions whose expected answer is

either "yes" or "no".

HOW TO FORM YES-NO QUESTIONS: RULES

1. If the main verb of the sentence is To be¸ simply invert the

subject and the verb:

Examples

- He is the headmaster of the school. -> Is he the

headmaster of the school? Yes, he is./ No, he isn’t.

- They are American. -> Are they American? Yes, they

are./ No, they aren’t.

2. If the sentence includes a main verb and an auxiliary verb,

invert the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Examples

- She can speak several languages. -> Can she speak

several languages? Yes, she can./ No, she can’t.

- I have got two brothers. -> Have you got two

brothers? Yes, I have./ No, I haven’t.

- You should eat healthier. -> Should you eat

healthier? Yes, you should./ No, you shouldn’t.

- They are visiting Paris. -> Are they visiting Paris?

Yes, they are./ No, they aren’t.
 - I was sleeping when you phoned me. -> Were you
sleeping when I phoned you? Yes, I was./ No, I wasn’t.

- He is going to travel to Italy next month.-> Is he

going to travel to Italy next month? Yes, he is./ No, he
isn’t.

- She has done the housework. -> Has she done the
housework? She, she has./ No, she hasn’t.

- Nancy had worked all night long. -> Had Nancy

worked all night long? She, she had./ No, she hadn’t.

3. If the sentence includes a verb which is not the verb To be

and doesn't include an auxiliary verb, the transformation is
more complex:
a) If the verb is in the present tense, add either do or does
and put the main verb in its base form:
 Do if the subject is the first person singular, second
person singular, first person plural, second person
plural and third person plural (I, you, we, they).

Examples I like apples. -> Do you like apples? Yes, I do./ No,
I don’t. They go to a high school. -> Do they go to a high
school? Yes, they do./ No, they don’t.

 Does if the subject is the third person singular (he,

she, it).

Examples - He hates basketball. -> Does he hate

basketball? Yes, he does./ No, he doesn’t.

- Nancy reads a lot. -> Does Nancy read a lot? Yes, she
does./ No, she doesn’t.
 b) If the verb is in the past tense, add did and put the main
verb in its base form:

Examples

- He discovered the truth. -> Did he discover the truth?

Yes, he did./ No, he didn’t.

- She wrote a nice essay. -> Did she write a nice essay?
Yes, she did./ No, she didn’t.

- They did the homework. -> Did they do the homework?

Yes, they did./ No, they didn’t.

c) If the verb is in the future tense, add will and put the
main verb in its base form:

Examples

- He will go to University in three years. -> Will he go to

University in three years? Yes, he will./ No, he won’t.

- They will buy a new car next year. -> Will they buy a
new car next year? Yes, they will./ No, they won’t.

4. As you have seen in the previous examples, the structure

of all the answers are yes/ no + subject + first verb of the
question in its affirmative or negative form.

GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Transform these sentences into a Yes or No question and write an

affirmative or negative short answer.

Example: He loves swimming -> Does he love swimming? Yes, he

does. /No, he doesn’t.

1) They are nice.

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2) She can drive a lorry.

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3) We have got a big car.

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4) They should revise their lessons.

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5) We are taking a plane tomorrow.

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6) I was watching TV when you came home.

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7) He is going to study German next August.

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8) We have visited Paris twice.

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9) I had read that book before you told me.

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 10) They like soccer.

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11) She wastes her money on jewellery.

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12) They went to the swimming-pool yesterday evening.

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13) He decided to move to a bigger city.

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14) She will move to England in 2017.

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15) We will help him later.

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WH Question Words

These are the wh-forms and we use them to make open or wh

questions : what,when, where, which, who, whom, whose , why ,
how , they are all used to elicit particular kinds of information.

Question Word Function Example

what asking for information about something What is your name?

What? I can't hear you. Yo

asking for repetition or confirmation
did what?
what...for asking for a reason, asking why What did you do that for?

when asking about time When did he leave?

where asking in or at what place or position Where do they live?

which asking about choice Which colour do you want?

who asking what or which person or people (subject) Who opened the door?

whom asking what or which person or people (object) Whom did you see?

Whose are these keys? W

whose asking about ownership
turn is it?

why asking for reason, asking what...for Why do you say that?

why don't making a suggestion Why don't I help you?

how asking about manner How does this work?

asking about condition or quality How was your exam?

how + adj/adv** asking about extent or degree see examples below

**how far distance How far is Pattaya from Bang

**how long length (time or space) How long will it take?

how many quantity (countable) How many cars are there?

how much quantity (uncountable) How much money do you ha

how old age How old are you?

how come
asking for reason, asking why How come I can't see her?
(informal)

The following is an example of a wh question that is often used:

 Function Question
AGE: How old are you?
NAME: What is your name?
Place of birth: Where are you from?
Occupation: What do you do?
Location/place of living Where do you live?
Asking the time: What time is it?
Mood: How are you?

QUESTIONS STRUCTURE

(Wh word)+ do/does/did/Auxiliary + subject + V

WH QUESTIONS +Predicate+C?
(INFORMATION
QUESTIONS) (Wh word)+To BE + subject + predicate +C?

YES / NO Do/does/did/Auxiliary + subject + V +Predicate+C?

QUESTIONS
To BE + subject + predicate +C?