Question Formation in English – How to Make Yes/No and Wh- Questions (ESL Guide)
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| How to Make Yes/No and Wh- Questions (ESL Guide) |
What Is Question Formation in English? (With Practice)
كيفية تكوين الأسئلة في اللغة الإنجليزية
Question formation is the process of making questions in English. It is a **crucial skill** because questions help us:
- Ask for information
- Start conversations
- Clarify doubts
- Communicate effectively in everyday situations
Understanding question structure improves both **speaking** and **writing** skills.
1. How Do We Form Questions?
In English, questions are usually formed by **changing the word order** of a sentence. Auxiliary verbs like do, does, and did are often used.
Examples:
- You like English. → Do you like English?
- She plays football. → Does she play football?
- They went home. → Did they go home?
- I am happy. → Am I happy?
Teaching Tip: Highlight the **auxiliary verb** in a different color or underline it to help students recognize patterns.
2. Yes / No Questions
Yes / No questions are questions that can be answered with **“yes”** or **“no.”** They usually start with an **auxiliary verb**.
- Do you live here?
- Does he study English?
- Did they finish the lesson?
- Are you ready?
- Is she your friend?
Student Tip: Listen for the **rising intonation** at the end of yes/no questions.
3. Wh- Questions
Wh- questions ask for **specific information**. They start with a **Wh- word** such as what, where, when, why, who, which, how.
- What do you like?
- Where does she live?
- When did they arrive?
- Why are you late?
- How do you spell your name?
Tip for Teachers: Use real-life situations to create Wh- questions for your students to answer. This makes the activity more engaging.
4. Common Mistakes Students Make
- Forgetting the auxiliary verb: She plays football? → Does she play football?
- Using the verb in the wrong form: Does she plays football? → Does she play football?
- Wrong word order: You do like English? → Do you like English?
Advice: Always check that the auxiliary verb matches the subject and that the main verb is in the **base form** for present and past simple questions.
5. Tag Questions
Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a statement to confirm information.
- You are a teacher, aren’t you?
- She can swim, can’t she?
- They didn’t go out, did they?
Student Tip: Tag questions are common in daily conversations and help **invite a response** politely.
6. Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Form Yes/No Questions
- You like English. → _____________________?
- He lives in Cairo. → _____________________?
- They finished the work. → _____________________?
Exercise 2: Form Wh- Questions
- I go to school at 7 a.m. → _____________________?
- She bought a new dress. → _____________________?
- They are playing in the garden. → _____________________?
Suggested Answers:
- Do you like English?
- Does he live in Cairo?
- Did they finish the work?
- What time do you go to school?
- What did she buy?
- Where are they playing?
7. Teaching Tips for Teachers
- Start with simple Yes/No questions, then introduce Wh- questions
- Use gestures, flashcards, or pictures to support comprehension
- Encourage pair work to ask and answer questions
- Model correct pronunciation and intonation
- Give immediate feedback and gentle correction
8. Advice for Students
- Pay attention to auxiliary verbs
- Practice speaking questions aloud every day
- Listen carefully to native speakers in videos and podcasts
- Try forming questions from your daily activities
Conclusion
Mastering question formation is key to effective communication in English. By practicing Yes/No questions, Wh- questions, and tag questions, students gain confidence and fluency. Regular exercises, teacher guidance, and listening practice make question formation natural and easy.
Unit 6 – Lesson 3
Page 72 – Grammar
1) W/H Questions
اضغط لقراءة الشرح بالعربي
Tap to read in Arabic
🌟 أسئلة W/H
تبدأ بكلمات استفهام مثل:
What (ماذا) - When (متى) - Where (أين) - Who (من) - Why (لماذا) - How (كيف)
الحرف W يمثل أدوات الاستفهام، والحرف H يمثل How
A W/H Questions with Auxiliary Verbs
We form wh-questions with: WH + auxiliary verb (be, do, have) + subject + main verb or with WH + modal verb + subject + main verb
شرح القسم A بالعربي
🔑 تركيب السؤال:
أداة استفهام + فعل مساعد + فاعل + فعل رئيسي
مثال: Where do they live?
أين + يفعلون + هم + يعيشون؟
B W/H Questions WITHOUT Auxiliaries
⚠️ Remember: When what, who, which, whose is the subject, we do NOT use auxiliary verbs!
شرح القسم B بالعربي
⭐ قاعدة مهمة:
عندما تكون أداة الاستفهام (who, what, which, whose) هي الفاعل، لا نستخدم فعل مساعد!
Who bought this? ✓
Who did buy this? ✗
2) Frame Questions
The interrogative pronouns and adverbs are used to frame information questions. We can also use WH + adjective/adverb structure.
شرح Frame Questions بالعربي
🎯 أسئلة الإطار:
نستخدم أدوات الاستفهام لتكوين أسئلة للحصول على معلومات
يمكننا أيضاً استخدام:
أداة استفهام + صفة/ظرف
مثل: How old? - How many?
Exercise 1
📋 Use W/H Question words to complete the sentences:
💡 Hint: Use Who, What, Why, When, How
Exercise 2
📋 Complete the questions with: what – when – where – who
💡 Hint: Think about what information each question is asking for
Quick Reference
WH Question Words
- What - ماذا (things)
- When - متى (time)
- Where - أين (place)
- Who - من (person)
- Why - لماذا (reason)
- How - كيف (manner)
- Which - أي (choice)
- Whose - لمن (possession)
ملخص سريع ⚡
✓ أدوات الاستفهام تبدأ بـ W أو H
✓ نستخدم الفعل المساعد في معظم الأسئلة
✓ إذا كانت أداة الاستفهام هي الفاعل، لا نحتاج فعل مساعد
✓ يمكن إضافة صفة بعد How