Word Order in Questions

1. Basic word order in questions with auxiliaries: QASI (Where do you live)  + DO/DOES, DID


Q= Question word
A= Auxiliary
S= Subject
I= Infinitive (Verb)

e.g. Where (Q) do (A) you (S) live (I)?
2. Basic word order in questions with modals: Inversion of SJ-V

3. Word order in negative questions to show surprise or when you expect someone to agree with you:


**Contracted forms added to the auxiliary verb: Isn’t it beautiful?

Full forms: NOT between the subject and verb→Why did you not tell me?

*Contracted forms are more common in spoken English


4. Questions without auxiliaries: When the question word is the subject of the question don’t use DO/DID, etc.


- Who loves Bill? Mary (WHO is the subject)

- Who does Mary love? Bill (Mary is the subject)


5. Indirect questions: Used to make a question more polite

** order is SJ-V, you don’t use DO/DID in the second part of the question

Can you tell me where the post office is? = RIGHT

Do you know where she does live? = WRONG