Forming Questions and Negative Sentences
Chapter 7: Forming Questions and Negative Sentences
Questions and negatives are core structures in every conversation. English has a specific system for forming them using auxiliary verbs, and mastering this system will make your English far more natural and accurate.
Yes/No Questions
For yes/no questions, invert the subject and auxiliary verb.
| Tense | Statement | Question |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present (be) | She is happy. | Is she happy? |
| Simple Present (other) | She works here. | Does she work here? |
| Simple Past (other) | He called you. | Did he call you? |
| Present Perfect | They have arrived. | Have they arrived? |
| Modal | You can swim. | Can you swim? |
Key rule: In simple present and simple past (non-be verbs), use do/does/did as the auxiliary. The main verb returns to its base form.
Wh-Questions
Wh-questions ask for specific information. The Wh-word comes at the beginning.
| Wh-word | Asks about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| What | things/actions | What do you want? |
| Who | people (subject) | Who called you? |
| Whom | people (object) | Whom did you call? |
| Where | place | Where does she live? |
| When | time | When did it happen? |
| Why | reason | Why are you crying? |
| How | manner/degree | How did you do it? |
| Which | choice | Which one do you prefer? |
Subject vs. Object questions: When who/what is the subject, NO auxiliary is needed.
- Who called you? (who = subject)
- Who did you call? (you = subject; who = object)
Negative Sentences
Add not after the auxiliary verb. In simple present/past, use do not / does not / did not.
| Tense | Affirmative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | She works. | She does not (doesn’t) work. |
| Simple Past | He called. | He did not (didn’t) call. |
| Present Perfect | They have left. | They have not (haven’t) left. |
| Modal | I can swim. | I cannot (can’t) swim. |
Short Answers
Short answers echo the auxiliary verb used in the question.
- Are you ready? → Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
- Did she call? → Yes, she did. / No, she didn’t.
- Can he drive? → Yes, he can. / No, he can’t.
Key Checklist
- I can form yes/no questions by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb.
- I know when to use do/does/did to form questions and negatives.
- I understand the difference between subject questions and object questions with who/what.
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