QUESTIONS: Word Order (Sentence Structure)

 

Today we continue our chapter, "Questions."  This lesson is primarily for beginners and intermediate learners of English.

What's wrong with the sentence below?

Problem:  What you mean by the word "freedom"?

Before you begin the activities BELOW, you may want to study the podcast and initial grammar lesson, He's Always Talking about Grammar , also in our Library.

In today's lesson we first discuss the sentence structure (word order) of information questions.

Direct Questions:  Information Questions

How to Punctuate a Question in Quoted Speech

The structure (syntax) and punctuation of a direct question depend on whether the question is an information question or a yes/no question.   In this lesson we discuss information questions.

What Is an Information Question?

An information question yields particular information.

Example:  What is the secret to staying young?

Information Questions

Sentence Structure of Information Questions

Information questions are easy to recognize. They usually begin with words known as question words:

  • where

  • what

  • when

  • why

  • how

  • how much

  • how many

  • how often

  • how rarely

  • and other words that signal an information question.

Example:

  • What is the secret to staying young?

    • NOTE:  We will deal with information questions that begin with the question word who in a separate lesson.

    ...When the Main Verb is a be Verb: Simple Present or Simple Past

    Structure of an Information Question When the Main Verb Is a be Verb and in Simple Present or Simple Past Tense

    Question Word be verb Main Subject The Rest of the Sentence
     
    What is meditation ?
    Why was she so sad?
     

    Notice that the main verb (am, is, are, was, were) precedes the main subject.

    ...All Other Conditions

    Structure of an Information Question When the Main Verb Is an Action Verb

    Use the structure indicated below when the main verb is or uses:

    •  an action verb

    • a be verb in a progressive tense

    • a be verb in the future tense

    • a be verb in a perfect tense

    • a modal

    Chart

    Sentence Structure for Information Questions When the Main Verb Is an Action Verb, a Modal, or in the Perfect or Progressive Tenses

    Notice that there is always one auxiliary preceding the main subject and that the remainder of the main verb following the main subject.


    Question Word Auxiliary Main Subject The Rest of the Verb The Rest of the Sentence
    Action Verbs
    What does the color red mean ?
    Why do I (always) listen to my mother?
    What does work feel like?
    How did I get so far?
    be verbs in progressive, perfect or future tense;
    Why are you crying ?
    What was he going to do?
    How long have you been studying English?
    modals
    What will tomorrow look like?
    How should I control my son's behavior?
    What could I have been doing differently?

    What's wrong with this sentence?

    Problem:  What you mean by the word "freedom"?
    Solution:  What do you mean by the word "freedom"?

    Problem:  When classes will be over?
    Solution:  When will classes be over?

    Next...

    In our next lesson, we is Information Questions: Power Edit #1.

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