How do I ask a general question in English? Examples

To communicate with foreigners, sometimes just simple gestures, but there are situations when it is extremely necessary to clarify something. This is where the difficulties begin, because few people remember how to ask a general question in English. Rules are often long forgotten, and people are simply lost.

It is pointless to argue with the fact that the right question is one of the most effective and fastest ways to obtain the required information from the interlocutor. With the help of the question you can find out:

• Name of the interlocutor;
• How to get to the right place;
• Information about the product of interest to you in the store;
• The state of your health if you find yourself in a hospital abroad;
• What to do in an emergency or emergency situation, etc.

However, people who are experiencing difficulties with English, feel quite insecure in situations where it is necessary to say something. As a rule, they are embarrassed to say anything at all, even if they need help or somehow refinement. Therefore, the ability to correctly construct a question in English will give confidence to any person in any situation abroad.

What types of questions exist in English

The construction of affirmative sentences, as a rule, does not cause any special difficulties for language learners, but it is difficult to formulate questions. Only an understanding of their structure will clarify for themselves how to ask a general question in English. Types of questions have their own characteristics and are used in everyday communication by native speakers. There are five types of question, among them:

1. The general question. For example: Do you like reading ( Do you like reading ) ?
2. A special question. For example: Who bought this ugly hat (Who bought this awful hat) ?
3. An alternative question. For example: Do you like comedies or dramas ( Do you like comedies or dramas )?
4. The question assigned to the subject. For example: Which pen is yours (What is your pen)?
5. Separated question. For example: Children usually eat fruit and vegetables, do not they (Children usually eat fruit and vegetables, do not they)?

Let's take a closer look at how to ask a general question in English.

Assigning a question

This is the simplest and most common type of the five existing ones. He is asked for the whole sentence, and he requires a simple affirmative or negative answer. Consider the examples:

• I like eating chocolate. Do you like eating chocolate? Yes, I do. No, I do not. - I like to eat chocolate. Do you like to eat chocolate? Yes. No.
• Mark drives to California every month. Does Mark drive to California every month? Yes, he does. No, he does not. "Mark goes to California every month." Does Mark drive to California every month? Yes. No.
• They can bring Kate some fruit. Can they bring Kate some fruit? Yes, they can. No, they can not. - They can bring Katya fruit. Can they bring Katya fruit? Yes. No.

Note that in order to construct a general question, the auxiliary word "do" is sometimes used. This verb and its derivatives are used in conjunction with other verbs to obtain an interrogative or negative type of interrogative sentence. However, if there is a verb "to be" in it, the use of the auxiliary word "do" is not required. Consider the examples:

• He is a generous man. Is he a generous man? Is not he a generous man? "He's a generous man." Is he a generous man? Is he a generous man?
• They are doctors. Are they doctors? Are not they doctors? - They're doctors. They're doctors? Are they doctors?
• They visit Margaret every Tuesday. Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Do not they visit Margaret every Tuesday? "They visit Margaret every Tuesday." Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday?

Building a question

How do I ask a general question in English? This is easier than it may seem. First of all, it is required to find the verb in the sentence and determine what function it performs:

• The verb-binder ( to be and its derived forms - am, are, is );
• Modal verb ( must, need, can, should, have to );
• The main verb (any verb, for example, jump, go, watch, work , etc.).

Then the time of the question should be determined. In order not to get confused with its definition, try to turn this phrase into a narrative sentence. For example, the interrogative sentence "Does your aunt like to sing?", We rewrite it into the affirmative "Your aunt likes to sing". After you find the verb and determine the time, go to the construction of the question itself.

Order of words

Another point that should be addressed to those who do not know how to ask a general question in English is the word order. While in Russian we just change the intonation and get an interrogative sentence, with English it does not work. To ask something, it's not enough just to change the intonation to the interrogative. In the English question design, the reverse order of words is characteristic.

This means that it is especially important in this situation to apply either an auxiliary or modal verb or a verb-bundle "to be", in the desired form. Next comes the subject (most often expressed by a personal pronoun), the predicate and other members of the sentence. Consider the examples:

1. They like expensive cars (they like expensive cars). In this example, "they" perform the role of the subject, and "like" is the predicate. Do they like expensive cars (they like expensive cars)? Here, "do" acts as an auxiliary word, "they" - the subject, "like" - as a predicate.
2. We are friends . In this example, "we" is a subject, and "are" is a predicate, in the form of the verb "to be" for the pronoun "we". Are we friends ? Here "are" acts as a predicate, and "we" - as a subject.
3. He can sing well (he sings well). In this example, "he" is a subject, and "can" is a modal verb. C an he sing well (he sings well)? Here, "can" acts as a predicate, which comes out in the first place, and "he" - as before, the subject.

Construction of the negative form of the question

Having dealt with the order of words, you can move on to the next important point - how to ask a general question in English in a negative form. The above construction in Russian, as a rule, begins with the words "really" or "does" and serves to express surprise and misunderstanding. The scheme of formation of this form is the same as in the affirmative, only with the use of the negative particle "not". Consider the examples:

1. Do you not like our French lessons? - Do not you like our French lessons? " Do not you like our French lessons?"

2. Are they not at work? - Are not they at work? - Are they not at work?

3. Must we not do this work tomorrow? - Must not we do this work tomorrow? "Do not we have to do this work tomorrow?"

How to answer a question

The general question requires an unambiguous "yes" or "no", which are formed as follows:

1. A positive answer implies the use of the word "yes", a pronoun and a verb. For example:

• Do you like eating strawberry cakes? Yes, I do . - Do you like to eat strawberry cakes? Yes.
• Should they go to the party this Friday? Yes, they should . - Should they go to a party this Friday? Yes.
• Is he a student of Harvard University? Yes, he is. "Is he a student at Harvard University?" Yes.

2. The negative answer is formulated as follows: "no" + pronoun + verb + particle "not". For example:

• Do they like watching TV before going to bed? No, they do not (do not). - Do they like to watch TV before going to bed? No.
• Can you read this new novel? No, I can not (can not). "Can you read this new novel?" No.
• Is Casandra his friend's sister? No, she is not (is not). "Has Kassandra been his friend's sister?" No.

Intonation features

The most difficult thing is left behind, because you already have an idea of how to ask a general question in English. The rules of earning and intonation are another point to stop. For English is typical pronunciation of common issues with an ascending tone. This tone is used in all questions, to which one can answer unambiguously "yes" or "no". To clarify everything, let's consider in more detail the examples:

1. 'Do you' like this' new ↗films (do you like these new movies)? This is an interrogative sentence that implies an unambiguous answer (yes / no), so it is pronounced in an upward tone.
2. Is it a desk? On this interrogative sentence it is possible to answer unequivocally (yes / no), therefore it is pronounced in an upward tone.
3. Have you got a sister (do you have a sister)? It is also pronounced in an upward tone, because it requires an affirmative yes or no.

Now you know how to ask a general question in English. The rules of pronunciation in this case is very easy to remember.

Conclusion

Thus, we have considered all the theoretical aspects concerning how to ask a general question - in English such a phrase is the simplest and at the same time the most important and widespread, therefore, knowing how to formulate it correctly, you will be able to feel more confident in Conversation with foreigners abroad. To consolidate the material studied, it is necessary to move on to the practical part.

Stretching exercises

1. To complete the first task, remember all that you learned earlier about how to ask a general question. In English, the words after the ↗ sign are pronounced with an upward intonation:

• Is she ↗ old?
• Do you like it?
• Is it a ↗ sofa?
• Can you ↗ forger it?
• Must you ↗ read it?
• Is it ↗ your pen?
• Are you ↗ brothers?
• Does she ↗ love you?
• Is it ↗ dirty?
• Are you ↗ seventeen?
• Do they usually watch TV?
• Can you repeat ↗ after me?
• Is your brother a policeman?
• Is Mary ↗ kind?
• Do you like cooking?

2. Answer the following general questions:

• Are you a teacher?
• Should we go there?
• Can you help me on Monday?
• Are they right?
• Do they like it?
• Is she her cousin?
• Can you swim?
• Is his name Mark?
• Must I close the door?
• Does she know him?
• Can he jump?
• Is it cheap?
• Does he like fishing?
• Am I naughty?
• Can you forget about it ?

3. Translate the following general questions into English:

• Do you want to go to the cinema with me tomorrow?
• Is she at home now?
• Is their car red?
• Can you turn off the TV?
• Are these children so disobedient?
• They are kind?
• Does she like tulips?
• Should I call him?
• Should she go there?
• Do you work on Saturday?
• Do you like to listen music?
• This is their home?
• Have you forgotten about our meeting?
• Can you repeat the last sentence?
• Do you know their parents?
• Do you work here?
• Do they see us?
• Can you call her back tomorrow morning?
• Do not you know where this building is?
• Is this the same person?