Asking questions in English
Word order in questions – Grammar chart
Questions in general Have you got any brothers or sisters?
What have you cooked for lunch?
If we want to ask a question in English, the order
is QWASM: Question word, Auxiliary verb, For other uses of have, we need an auxiliary verb
Subject, Main verb. In Yes-No (do, did) for questions.
questions (questions where the answer
is yes or no), there is no Question Word. What time had you dinner yesterday?
What time did you have dinner
Questions with be as the main verb yesterday?
Have you to do it now?
When be is the main verb, it is used as Do you have to do it now?
the Auxiliary in the question, and then we don’t
have a Main verb after the Subject. Have got only has a present form. It does not have
a past form.
Auxiliary verbs
Had you got many toys when you were a
In the position of Auxiliary, we can child?
use be, do, have or any modal verb: can, could, Did you have many toys when you were a
will, would, should, etc. child?
Have is only an auxiliary verb in the form have
got and in the present perfect.
Question words
How much Which vs what
We can use how much to ask about the price of We can use which + noun, and we can also
something. use what + noun. We use which when there are a
small number of possible answers. Look at the
How much is the jacket? difference:
How + adjective Which car do you like, the red or the
blue? (there is a small number of possible
We can use how + adjective (any adjective) as a answers)
question word. ‘What car have you got?’ ‘A
Mercedes.’ (many possible answers)
How tall are you?
How fast is your car?
Exercise 1
Choose the correct forms to complete the questions below.
1How often do you go to the dentist?
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How
often), Auxiliary (do), Subject (you), Main verb (go).
2How many brothers and sisters have you got ?
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How
many...), Auxiliary (have), Subject (you), Main verb (got).
➪ When the verb have means 'own/possess', it is not an auxiliary verb. The verb have is an auxiliary verb
when it goes with got.
➪ We can say: do you have or have you got.
3What time can you pick me up?
➪ Can is an auxiliary verb.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (What
time), Auxiliary (can), Subject (you), Main verb (pick).
4Where was Tim last night?
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ When be is the main verb, it is used as the Auxiliary verb in the question, and then we don’t have
a Main verb after the Subject.
➪ Then the order is QWAS: Question word (Where), Auxiliary (was), Subject (Tim)
5Did you see John this morning?
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word, Auxiliary (Did), Subject (you), Main
verb (see).
6Why did you put that box there?
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (Why), Auxiliary (did), Subject (you), Main
verb (put).
7What are you doing with the scissors?
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (What), Auxiliary (are), Subject (you), Main
verb (doing).
8When will she make a decision?
➪ Will is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (When), Auxiliary (will), Subject (she), Main
verb (make).
9What time should I call you tomorrow?
➪ Should is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (What time), Auxiliary (should), Subject (I),
Main verb (call).
10Who did Sandra invite to the party?
➪
The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (Who), Auxiliary (did), Subject (Sandra), Main
verb (invite)
Exercise 2
Choose the correct forms to complete the questions below.
1How long _____ in Paris?
a. did you staycorrect
b. were you stay
c. you stayed
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [How long], Auxiliary [did], Subject
[you], Main verb [stay].
2How _____ to Barcelona?
a. did you travelcorrect
b. you travelled
c. were you travel
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [How], Auxiliary [did], Subject
[you], Main verb [travel].
3Which _____ ?
a. your favourite colour is
b. does your favourite colour be
c. is your favourite colourcorrect
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ When be is the main verb, it is used as the auxiliary verb in the question, and then we don’t have
a verb after the subject. Then the order is QWAS: Question word [Which], Auxiliary [is], Subject [your
favourite colour].
4What instrument _____ when you were a child?
a. could play you
b. could you playcorrect
c. you could play
➪ Could is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [What
instrument], Auxiliary [could], Subject [you], Main verb [play].
5Why _____ there?
a. that man's standing
b. does that man is standing
c. is that man standingcorrect
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [Why], Auxiliary [is], Subject [that
man], Main verb [standing].
6How much _____?
a. she has lost
b. does she have lost
c. has she lostcorrect
➪ Have is an auxiliary verb in the form have got and in the present perfect.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [How much], Auxiliary [has],
Subject [she], Main verb [lost].
7What time _____ to arrive?
a. is she goingcorrect
b. she's going
c. is going
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [What time], Auxiliary [is], Subject
[she], Main verb [going to arrive].
8Where _____ last summer?
a. went he
b. did he gocorrect
c. he went
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [Where], Auxiliary [did], Subject
[he], Main verb [go].
9What time _____ to bed?
a. children should
b. should children gocorrect
c. do children should go
➪ Should is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [What time], Auxiliary [should],
Subject [children], Main verb [go].
10When _____ me?
a. can you seecorrect
b. can see
c. you can see
➪ Can is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question in English is QWASM: Question word [When], Auxiliary [can], Subject
[you], Main verb [see].
Exercise 3
Fill in the gaps with question words.
1A: Where do you live? B: In a small town near here.
➪ We use where to ask about place.
2A: Who was at the party? B: Frederick, Leslie, and some other friends.
➪ We use who to ask about person.
3A: What did you say to Laura? B: Nothing.
➪ We use what to ask about object, idea, or action.
4Which box do you prefer, the small one or the big one?
➪ Which is similar to what. But we use which when there are a small number of possible answers (the
small one or the big one).
5A: How often do you go out? B: Every Saturday.
➪ We use how often to ask about frequency.
6A: When are you going to visit me? B: Next Sunday.
➪ We use when to ask about time.
7A: Why didn't you tell me anything? B: Because I was afraid.
➪ We use why to ask about reason.
8A: How much sugar do you want in your coffee? B: Two spoonfuls, please.
➪ We use how much with uncountable nouns (sugar) to ask about quantity.
9A: What time shall we meet? B: At 7?
➪ We use what time to ask about time.
10A: How long is she going to stay? B: Just a couple of days.
➪ We use how long to ask about duration or length.
Exercise 4
Write questions for the underlined words.
1We have to clean the office in the morning.
When do you have to clean the office?
➪ We use when to ask about time.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (When), Auxiliary (do), Subject (you), Main
verb (have).
2She writes two pages every day.
How many pages does she write every day?
➪ We use how many + plural noun to ask about quantity.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How many pages), Auxiliary (does), Subject
(she), Main verb (read).
3He'll find a job soon.
When will he find a job?
➪ We use when to ask about time.
➪ Will is a modal verb, and all modal verbs are auxiliary verbs.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (When), Auxiliary (will), Subject (he), Main
verb (find).
4Yesterday she called me because she needed my help.
Why did she call you yesterday?
➪ We use why to ask about reason.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (Why), Auxiliary (did), Subject (she), Main
verb (call).
5She has breakfast at home twice a week.
How often does she have breakfast at home?
➪ We use how often to ask about frequency.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How often), Auxiliary (does), Subject
(she), Main verb (have).
6The fish and chips cost 6 pounds on Mondays.
How much do the fish and chips cost on Mondays?
➪ We can use how much to ask about the price of something.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How much), Auxiliary (do), Subject (the fish
and chips), Main verb (cost).
7I'm living in a small town now.
Where are you living now?
➪ We use where to ask about place.
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (Where), Auxiliary (are), Subject (you), Main
verb (living).
8The cat is under the chair.
Where is the cat ?
➪ We use where to ask about place.
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ When be is the main verb, it is used as the auxiliary verb in the question, and then we don’t have
a verb after the subject. Then the order is QWAS: Question word (Where), Auxiliary (is), Subject (the cat)
9This pen is mine.
Whose pen is this ?
➪ We use whose to ask about possession.
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ When be is the main verb, it is used as the auxiliary verb in the question, and then we don’t have
a verb after the subject. Then the order is QWAS: Question word (Whose pen), Auxiliary (is), Subject (this)
10We are going to stay for a couple of weeks.
How long are you going to stay ?
➪ We use how long to ask about duration or length.
➪ Be is an auxiliary verb. We do not use do in questions and negatives with be.
➪ The order in an English question is QWASM: Question word (How
long), Auxiliary (are), Subject (you), Main verb (going to stay).
