QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ BACK to INDEX
Direct questions usually start directly with an inversion of the verb e.g.
I do ... Do I?...He does.. Does he? ..I am .... Am I? .. You have ... Have you?
Do you want? .. Are they running? .. Will you ask? ...Is she coming? . Are you sure?
Note the FUTURE 1st person singular. Shall I go / look etc? . NOT... Will I go / look etc?
Do ...., Does ....., Are.... Is...., Did ... Was ... Were ...., Will .... do, Will ..... be, etc.
To do and To be
The verbs to do and to be, in their various tenses, form the verb basis of many questions. Sometimes either can be used in a direct question:
**The verb To do deals mainly with knowledge, senses and capability PAST and PRESENT. It can also be used with the word feel to deal with emotions and feelings.
Did they know ...? Does he dance? Does it hurt? Do you feel sad? Do you feel hungry?
**The verb To be often deals with emotions, personal attributes and feelings, PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE.
Are you sad? .Were they hungry?. Shall I ..? . .Was he sick? Is he sure..? Are you strong?
Questions starting with will may also ask for information about a future event ... or they may be a polite request to do something!
Will he be able to come? .. Will they do it? ..Will you please sit down? .. Will you please go? .. Will we know by tomorrow?
Note: Shall I go / come / look etc.? Not Will I .......
EXPECTING, OR ASKING, A QUESTION
A question may also start with one of a small number of simple words, e.g.
Why, what, when, how, who, which. Such words start questions asking for information. If you hear one of these words at the beginning of a sentence, expect a question. Likewise you will need these words to ask many questions.
How do I get to ..? ... When will we arrive at ....? ... Who did that? .. Why do you ask me ..? Which are the best apples? ... What station is after this one?
HAVE ... ?
Direct questions also start ... Have you ...? .. Have I..? .. Has it ... ?... Has she ..?
Again, these questions mostly ask for information ... now.
Have you got a hat? .. Have I seen that? ... Has he told you? ... Has she gone yet? ... Have you tried the other door? ... Has it stopped now? ... Have they come yet?
CAN and MAY
The use of can and may sometimes causes confusion. Can we go? .. May we go?
Strictly, can means ... to be able to.......... I can sing .... means ... I am able to sing
While may is asking for permission. ... May I ask .. ? .... May he enter?
But, in common speech, both are used in a direct question, unless there is real doubt about the meaning. Think about the strict meaning of:
Can I come? ... May I come? ...... Here, both are really asking for permission.
and
Can I sit down? .May I sit down? .You are physically able to, but asking whether you may.
Think ....... Am I asking for permission? ... If so, it is better to use may