Everything you need to ask questions correctly in English, yes/no questions, wh- questions, subject vs object questions, question tags and polite indirect questions.
📖 Reading time: ~15 minutes✅ Reviewed by a CELTA-qualified teacher🎯 Covers A1 to B2
Asking questions correctly is one of the most immediately useful skills in English, and one of the trickiest structurally, because English usually inverts the subject and auxiliary verb, something many other languages don't do in the same way. "You are tired" becomes "Are you tired?", the auxiliary moves to the front.
This guide covers every major question type: yes/no questions, wh- questions, the tricky subject-vs-object question distinction, question tags, and the more formal indirect question pattern.
2. Quick Summary
⚡ Question Formation at a Glance
Yes/No QuestionsAuxiliary + subject + verb: Do you like coffee?
Wh- QuestionsWh-word + auxiliary + subject + verb: Where do you live?
Subject QuestionsNo auxiliary needed: Who called you?
Example"What time does the film start?"
Common Mistake"What means this word?" instead of "What does this word mean?"
3. Yes/No Questions
These questions expect a yes or no answer, and are formed by putting the auxiliary verb (or "be") before the subject.
Tense
Statement
Question
Present simple (no auxiliary, add "do/does")
You like coffee.
Do you like coffee?
Past simple (add "did")
She went home.
Did she go home?
To be
You are ready.
Are you ready?
Present perfect
You have finished.
Have you finished?
With modals
You can swim.
Can you swim?
⚠️
The main verb never moves
Only the auxiliary (do/does/did/have/has/can, etc.) moves before the subject, the main verb stays in its base form after the subject. "Does she likes coffee?" is wrong; it's "Does she like coffee?"
4. Wh- Questions
Wh- questions ask for specific information and begin with a question word: who, what, where, when, why, which, how.
Wh-word
Asks About
Example
who
Person
Who is that?
what
Thing
What do you want?
where
Place
Where do you live?
when
Time
When does the film start?
why
Reason
Why are you late?
which
Choice
Which one do you prefer?
how
Manner/method
How did you get here?
Structure: Wh-word + auxiliary + subject + main verb. "Where do you live?", not "Where you live?"
5. Subject Questions vs Object Questions
This is the trickiest question pattern to learn. If the question word ("who" or "what") is asking about the subject of the sentence, you don't need an auxiliary, the word order stays exactly like a statement.
Type
Question
Answer
Subject question (no auxiliary)
Who called you?
Tom called me. (Tom = subject)
Object question (needs auxiliary)
Who did you call?
I called Tom. (Tom = object)
Subject question
What happened?
Something happened.
Object question
What did you see?
I saw a car.
🎯
The quick test
Try answering the question by replacing the question word directly with an answer, keeping the same word order. If it works naturally ("Who called you?" → "Tom called you"), it's a subject question and needs no auxiliary.
6. Question Tags
Question tags are short questions added to the end of a statement, used to confirm information or invite agreement. A positive statement takes a negative tag, and vice versa.
Statement
Tag
You're coming, ___?
aren't you?
She isn't ready, ___?
is she?
They finished, ___?
didn't they?
You can swim, ___?
can't you?
I'm right, ___?
aren't I? (irregular)
7. Indirect Questions (Polite Form)
Indirect questions are more polite and formal, often starting with a phrase like "Could you tell me..." or "Do you know...". Crucially, the word order inside the indirect question reverts to statement order, no auxiliary inversion.
Direct Question
Indirect Question
Where is the station?
Could you tell me where the station is?
What time does it start?
Do you know what time it starts?
Is this seat free?
Do you know if this seat is free?
8. Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect
✅ Correct
Why
What means this word?
What does this word mean?
The auxiliary "does" is needed before the subject in an object question.
Where you live?
Where do you live?
Wh- questions need an auxiliary before the subject, just like yes/no questions.
Who did call you?
Who called you?
Subject questions don't need an auxiliary, the word order stays like a statement.
You're tired, are you?
You're tired, aren't you?
A positive statement takes a negative question tag.
Do you know where is the station?
Do you know where the station is?
Indirect questions use statement word order, not inverted question order.
9. Exercises
A. Gap Fill, Complete with the correct question word or auxiliary (15 questions)
1. ___ you like coffee? (yes/no question)
2. ___ do you live?
3. ___ called you yesterday? (subject question)
4. ___ did you call yesterday? (object question)
5. What time ___ the film start?
6. You're coming, ___?
7. She isn't ready, ___?
8. ___ happened at the meeting? (subject question)
9. Could you tell me where the bank ___?
10. ___ does this word mean?
11. They finished the project, ___?
12. ___ do you prefer, tea or coffee?
13. Do you know if this seat ___ free?
14. ___ did this happen? (reason)
15. How ___ you get here so fast?
Show Answers (A)
1. Do 2. Where 3. Who 4. Who 5. does 6. aren't you 7. is she 8. What 9. is 10. What 11. didn't they 12. Which 13. is 14. Why 15. did
B. Multiple Choice (10 questions)
1. ___ you like tea? (a) Do (b) Are
2. Who ___ you yesterday? (subject question) (a) called (b) did call
3. Who ___ you call yesterday? (object question) (a) did (b) ,
4. What ___ this word mean? (a) does (b) is
5. You like coffee, ___? (a) do you (b) don't you
6. She's not coming, ___? (a) is she (b) isn't she
7. ___ do you live? (a) Where (b) What
8. Could you tell me where the station ___? (a) is (b) is it
9. How ___ you get here? (a) did (b) do
10. ___ happened at the party? (a) What (b) What did
Show Answers (B)
1.a 2.a 3.a 4.a 5.b 6.a 7.a 8.a 9.a 10.a
C. Error Correction (10 questions)
1. What means this word?
2. Where you live?
3. Who did call you?
4. You're tired, are you?
5. Do you know where is the station?
6. What time does starts the film?
7. She isn't coming, is she isn't?
8. How you got here?
9. What did happened?
10. Could you tell me what time is it?
Show Answers (C)
1. What does this word mean? 2. Where do you live? 3. Who called you? 4. You're tired, aren't you? 5. Do you know where the station is? 6. What time does the film start? 7. She isn't coming, is she? 8. How did you get here? 9. What happened? 10. Could you tell me what time it is?
D. Freer Practice, Write Your Own Sentences (3 tasks)
1. Write a subject question and an object question about the same event, showing the word order difference.
2. Write a statement with a question tag.
3. Write a polite indirect question asking for directions.
Show Answers (D)
Model answers will vary. Examples: 1. "Who won the match?" (subject) / "Who did you support?" (object) 2. "You've been here before, haven't you?" 3. "Could you tell me how to get to the museum?"
10. Mini Quiz
11. Exam Focus, Cambridge, IELTS, SELT
Exam
How This Is Tested
Sample Question
Cambridge A2 Key / B1 Preliminary
Basic question formation and question tags in Reading and Use of English.
"You like pizza, ___?" (don't you)
Cambridge B2 First
Subject vs object question distinction and indirect questions in transformations.
"I don't know the time." → "Do you know what time ___?" (it is)
IELTS Speaking
The entire Speaking test is examiner-led questions, being comfortable both answering and occasionally clarifying with your own questions matters throughout.
Understanding and responding accurately to varied question forms across all three parts.
Trinity GESE/ISE (SELT)
Candidates must also ask the examiner questions in some parts of the test, accurate question formation is directly assessed.
Asking the examiner follow-up questions about a topic they've introduced.
12. Frequently Asked Questions
By putting the auxiliary verb (do/does/did/have/can, or 'be') before the subject: 'Do you like coffee?'
A question starting with who, what, where, when, why, which or how, asking for specific information.
A subject question asks about the subject and needs no auxiliary ('Who called you?'); an object question asks about the object and needs an auxiliary ('Who did you call?').
A short question added to the end of a statement to confirm information, a positive statement takes a negative tag, and vice versa.
A more polite, formal way of asking something, often starting with 'Could you tell me...', the word order inside reverts to statement order, without auxiliary inversion.
Because it's an object question and needs the auxiliary 'does' before the subject: 'What does this word mean?'
Yes, in the Trinity GESE/ISE format, candidates are often required to ask the examiner questions themselves, making accurate question formation directly assessed.
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