In English grammar, questions are divided into special and general. General ones ask generalized information about a person or an object in order to learn about some fact. For example: Does Michael come today? Will Michael come today? By asking special questions (with why, who, when, which, etc.), you can find out more detailed information about an object or phenomenon. For example: When does Mike come today? – When is Mike coming today?
Special questions always begin with a question word and can be asked to the following parts of the sentence:
- subject;
- addition;
- definition;
- circumstance.
Next, consider what words are considered interrogative and how special questions are built correctly.
Meaning of question words
Most popular words to start special questions with:
- what;
- where;
- why;
- when;
- how;
- who;
- which.
Let's analyze each word in more detail and give examples.
What and which
What [wot] (what? what?) and which [uich] (what? which?) are used when asked about some object or person. For example:
Which coffees do you want, cappuccino or latte? – Which coffee do you want, cappuccino or latte?
What is used if there are many or an indefinite number of answers to the question, and which - if there are several answers (usually two). For example:
Today there are tours to San Francisco and Dublin. Which would you prefer? - Today there are trips to San Francisco and Dublin. Which tour would you prefer? (here you have to choose from two options; the noun can be omitted, as it is clear what is being said)
What is the name of our new employee? Nicholas? John? Michael? Albert? What is the name of our new employee? Nicholas? John? Michael? Albert? (answer options in this case are unknown, there are many of them)
In addition, the word what can be used in such constructions:
- What time? - What time? What time?
- What kind? - What kind? Which? What?
Examples:
- What time do your school's lessons start? – What time do classes start at your school?
- What kind of chrysanthemum does Nicole grow in her garden? – What chrysanthemums does Nicole grow in her garden?
Why
Questions with why [why] (why? why?) are used when it is necessary to find out the reason for what is happening. For example:
- Why did you come solate? – My car broke down on the way. - Why did you come so late? – My car broke down on the road.
- Why did Stephanie wake me up so early? – Why did Stephanie wake me up so early?
- Why did you do another task? – I made a mistake. - Why did you do another task? I was wrong.
Where
Thanks to the word where [uee] (where?) You can find out the whereabouts of a person or object. For example:
- Where is the city administration? – Where is the city administration?
- Where did Sarah find that necklace? – Where did Sarah find this necklace?
- Where were you this morning? – Where were you this morning?
When
When [uen] (when?) is used if you need to know the time (moment) of an ongoing action or phenomenon. For example:
- When will Rob give you your money back? – When will Rob return the money to you?
- When are your grandparents coming? – When will your grandparents arrive?
- When are you gonna give me my tools back? – When will you return my tools to me?
How
With the help of how [how] (in what way? how?) you can ask how some event happened. For example:
- How did you solve this task? – I used the formula. - How did you solve this problem? I used the formula.
- How did the collision happen? – How did the collision happen?
In addition, how is also used in special designs:
- How much? - How much? How much? (with uncountable objects and persons)
- How many? - How much? How much? (with objects and persons countable)
- How far? – How far?
- How often? – How often?
- How long? – How long?
Examples:
- How many cats do you have at home? – How many cats do you have at home?
- How much spice to put in this sauce? – How many spices to add to this sauce?
- How far can you throw the ball? – How far can you throw the ball?
- How often does Megan go to this cafe? – How often does Megan go to this cafe?
- How long is he going to stay at work? – How long is he going to stay at work?
Who
Thanks to the word who [hu] (who?) You can ask about a person. For example:
- Who's this? - This is my cousin. - Who is it? – This is my cousin.
- Who is that man in the maroon suit? – This man is my father. Who is this man in the maroon suit? – This man is my father.
Interrogative sentences with who are built differently than questions with why, where, how, when, which and what. We'll figure it out later.
How is the special question asked?
The meaning of the sentence depends on how the special questions are constructed correctly. What, where, when, how, why, who, which are always placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb to be. Word order should be:
| 1. Question word | 2. To be (auxiliary verb) | 3. Subject | 4. Predicate | 5. Other members |
You should know that interrogative constructions how many? how far? what time? etc. are not separated in the sentence. Building a question with why, where, when, etc. question words will not be difficult if you follow the pattern.
Examples:
- What did Megan wear to prom? – What did Meghan wear to prom?
- How many children do you have? – How many children do you have?
- When is Easter celebration? – When is Easter celebrated?
- Where do you spend your weekends? – Where do you spend your weekends?
- Why did kindergarten close on quarantine? – Why is the kindergarten closed for quarantine?
How is the special question answered?
What, for example, can be the answer to the question: “Why does he study to be an accountant?” – “Why is he studying to be an accountant?”
Here you can answer both with a full sentence and a short one:
- Because he likes numbers. (short)
- He is studying to be an accountant because he likes numbers. (full)
What are special questions?
The question can be asked to any of the members of the proposal. Consider the types of special questions on the example of the following sentence:
Margaret brought a beautiful flower to the house. – Margaret brought a beautiful flower into the house
Let's analyze the members of the sentence:
- Margaret (Margaret) is the subject;
- brought (brought) - predicate;
- a flower (flower) - addition;
- beautiful (beautiful) - definition for addition;
- to the house (to the house) - circumstance of the place.
Question to the subject
This question is special because here the word order remains the same (as in the affirmative sentence). Only the subject is replaced by the question word who. Let's compare two sentences: declarative and interrogative:
- Margaret brought a beautiful flower to the house.
- Who brought a beautiful flower to the house? – Who brought a beautiful flower to the house?
"Margaret" is replaced by "who".
Questions for addition
Addition clarifies some information. Answers the questions: who? what? to whom? what? what? In this case, the sentence begins with the words "who" and "what".
What did Margaret bring to the house? – What did Margaret bring home?
More examples:
- I built an oil distillation machine. What did you build this machine for? I have built an oil distillation apparatus. – What did you build this apparatus for?
- Peter invited Alec to visit. Who did Peter invite? Peter invited Alec to visit. – Who did Peter invite?
- I brought two sandwiches. – What did you bring with you? I brought two sandwiches. – What did you bring with you?
Questions for definition
Definition characterizes the sign of a person or object and answers the questions: whose? which? Interrogative words can be used: what,whose, which, how many, how much. In most cases, the noun being defined is attached to the question word:
Which flower did Margaret bring to the house? – What flower did Margaret bring home?
More examples:
- Sofia likes to read historical novels. – What novels does Sophia like to read? Sofia loves to read historical novels. – What novels does Sofia like to read?
- Cream and cottage cheesecakes are very tasty. – Which cake tastes better? - Cakes with cream and cottage cheese are very tasty. – Which cake tastes better?
- This is mom's dress. – Whose dress is it? - This is my mother's dress. – Whose dress is this?
- It needs to add a little sugar. How much sugar does it have to be added? - You need to add some sugar. – How much sugar should be added?
- I have two pens in my bag. – How many pens are in your bag? - I have two pens in my bag. – How many pens are in your bag?
Questions to circumstance
A sentence that starts with how, where, when, or why, which question does it refer to? These are matters of circumstance.
The sentence may contain circumstances of place, time, condition, reason, course of action. They answer the questions: how? why/why? from where to where? when? where? Let's try to ask a question to our circumstance:
Where did Margaret bring the beautiful flower? – Where did Margaret bring the beautiful flower?
More examples:
- John will arrive on Monday afternoon. – When does John come? John will arrive on Monday afternoon. - WhenJohn coming?
- I drew your sister Marie looking at this photo. How did you draw a portrait of my sister Marie? I drew your sister Marie looking at this photo. – How did you draw a portrait of my sister Marie?
- I took the day off because I was sick. – Why are you taking the day off? I took the day off because I was sick. – Why did you take the day off?
- I cook this salad very quickly. How long do you cook this salad? I cook this salad very quickly. – How long do you cook this salad?
- My grandfather came from Australia. – Where did your grandfather come from? My grandfather came from Australia. – Where did your grandfather come from?
- I did it to make dad happy. – Why did you do that? I did it to make my dad happy. – Why did you do it?
Denial in special questions
To ask a special negative question, you need to add the particle "not" to the auxiliary verb. The offer will be:
| 1. Question word | 2. Auxiliary verb to be + not | 3. Subject | 4. Predicate | 5. Other members |
Thanks to this scheme, composing a question with why, what, where and other interrogative words will be as easy as shelling pears.
Examples:
- What kind of candy don't you eat? – What candies do you not eat?
- Who didn't Steven call? – Who did Steven not call?
- Where I won'tsee the pointers? – Where can I not see signs?
- Who didn't learn this poem? – Who hasn’t memorized this poem?
- How didn't worry about tomorrow's meeting? – How not to worry about meeting tomorrow?
- Why didn't you bring the morning paper? – Why didn’t you bring the morning paper?
In the negative question with "who" everything is different. The subject “who” comes first, then the auxiliary verb + “not”, the predicate and minor members.
Do you always need an auxiliary verb?
The auxiliary verb is not always necessary in a special question. Consider the following situations:
1. If the sentence contains a modal verb, then the question is constructed by rearranging the predicate and the subject. For example:
- I can jump with a parachute. What can you do? - I can skydive. – What can you do?
- You should get a good night's sleep. – What should I do? - You need to get a good night's sleep. – What should I do?
- Robert must buy fresh vegetables at the market. – What must Robert buy in the market? Robert has to buy fresh vegetables at the market. – What should Robert buy at the market?
2. If the semantic verb in the sentence is to be, then to ask a special question, the subject also changes places with the predicate. For example:
- Max was at school yesterday. – Where was Max yesterday? Max was at school yesterday. Where was Max yesterday?
- I was there a week ago. – When were you there? - I was there for a week.back. – When were you there?
- Marisa was the prettiest girl at the party. – Who was the prettiest person at the party? Marisa was the most beautiful girl at the party. – Who was the most handsome person at the party?
So special questions with why, where, who, when, etc. have been studied with interrogative words. The topic is very interesting and simple. Keep learning English! Good luck to you!
