How to ask questions in English correctly. How to ask a general question in English? Examples

Every day we ask questions. For example, we often ask:

- How are you?

- What did you do yesterday?

Who will go to the store?

Are you going to the cafe or not?

Everyone who is learning English should know how questions are formed, because without them you will not be able to communicate. In English there is 5 types of questions.

In the article I I will explain how they differ from each other, when they are used and how they are formed.

Special questions in English

The word "special" means "designed exclusively for something." Accordingly, this question needed to find out the specific information you are interested in. Therefore, it is called special, that is, you want to clarify special information.

for example

Where are you going to rest?

We will find out specific information - the place where the person will go.

How to build a special question?

It is asked using the following question words:

• what - what,
• where - where,
• when - when
• who - who,
• why - why,
• how (much/often/long) - how (many/often/long).

A special question is built according to the scheme:

Interrogative word + auxiliary verb + character + action being performed?

Examples

Walkthrough
>> How to ask specific questions.

Question to the subject in English

The subject calls who or what the sentence is about.

In a survey, the subject is asked with the interrogative words who and what, which replace the character or object referred to in the sentence. for example

Who will pack your suitcase for you?

Therefore, we ask the question to the subject when we do not know who performed the action or has a sign.

How to construct a question to the subject?

The peculiarity of this question will be the order of words in the sentence. In this type of question, the word order never changes and goes like in an affirmative sentence. The scheme of such a proposal would be as follows:

Who + action?

For example, we have an affirmative sentence

They played tennis.
They played tennis.

We just substitute the question word who instead of they.

Who played tennis?
Who played tennis?

At the same time, we imagine that who / what is the singular person in question (he, she). Therefore, the sentence should be constructed as if in place of who/what costs he/she.

For example, we have an offer

They were in the car.
They were in the car.

When asked, we forget about they and represent he in its place, therefore, we replace were with was

Who were in the car?
Who was in the car?

Examples

Who likes to sing?
Who loves to sing?

What was in the box?
What was in the box?

Who is a doctor?
Who is the doctor?

Walkthrough:
>> How to build a question to the subject? .

Alternative questions in English

True to its name, this question involves an alternative, that is, the right to choose. Asking him we give the interlocutor two options to choose from.

Example

Will you fly to England or Germany?

In this matter, always there is a union or (or). The question itself is built as a general question, only at the end with our or we add a choice clause.

Scheme for constructing an alternative question:

Auxiliary verb + actor + action performed + ___ or ___?

Examples

Will they go to the park or to the cinema?
Will they go to the park or to the cinema?

Did buy apples or pears?
Did you buy apples or pears?

Does he work or study?
Is he working or studying?

Walkthrough:
>> How to build an alternative question correctly.

Separating questions in English

This type of question is also called a "tail question". A question expresses doubt or desire for confirmation of something.

for example

You've already packed your suitcase, haven't you?

It is divisive because consists of 2 parts, separated by a comma.

The first part is built as an affirmative or negative sentence with the usual word order.

The second part (“tail”) looks like a short question. It consists of:

• auxiliary verb (depends on the time used in the first part);
• character (I, you, he, she, they, it, we, you) used in the first part.

We translate such a "tail" into Russian as "isn't it so" / "isn't it true."

1. If the first part of the sentence is affirmative, then the second part is negative.

Affirmative sentence + auxiliary verb + not (abbreviated) + character?

Examples

He called you yesterday didn't he?
He called you yesterday, didn't he?

They play tennis every weekend don't they?
They play tennis every weekend, don't they? Examples

So, we have analyzed all five types of questions in English. Now let's move on to practice.

Reinforcement task

Make 5 types of questions from the following affirmative sentences:

1. He went to school yesterday.
2. She gave me a phone.
3. We will read this book.
4. They bought a car.
5. She doesn't like to cook.

Leave your answers in the comments below the article.

Hello, interested in learning English reader!

Remember: with what thought do you wake up in the morning? The first question, well, or one of the first that girls have at the beginning of the day, is what to wear? For men, most likely - what is for breakfast today? 🙂 Every day people ask hundreds of questions, both in relation to themselves and to other people, situations, actions, everything that happens ... Various questions and a thirst for answers wake up in us from infancy: what is it, how is it, why? This couple accompanies people all their lives and helps to know themselves, the world around them. And how to know the world if you do not speak a foreign language? You see, and here the question arose and we have the answer from Native English School. Well, now, p We invite you to familiarize yourself with the topic Types of Questions in English.

5 types of questions in English

If we consider how to ask questions in English through the scheme of their construction: interrogative word / auxiliary verb + subject + predicate + object + other members of the sentence, everything seems simple, right? But in order to fully understand the principles of composing questions in English, let's find out the basics of their formation for each type.

Yes/No question

So you can call a general question, the answer to which is a short "yes" or "no".

To compose this type of question, you need to combine:

Auxiliary / modal verb + subject + predicate + object + other members of the sentence

In this case, we do not use interrogative words, we pay attention to the auxiliary verbs: do, does, am, is, are, will, did, have, has:

• Do you speak English? - Do you speak English?
• Does your sister live in Poland? – Does your sister live in Poland?
• Am I wrong? - I am wrong?
• Is your job interesting? – Is your work interesting?
• Are you married? - Are you married?
• Will you be at work tomorrow? – Will you be at work tomorrow?
• Did you see Nick yesterday? Did you see Nick yesterday?
• Have you bought anything on this website? Have you bought anything from this site?
• Has he got pets? - Does he have pets?

Brief answers in English to such questions are composed as follows: yes / no (yes / no) + personal pronoun + verb (+ not when negated):

• Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
• Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't.
• Yes, you are. / No, you are not.
• Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.
• Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
• Yes, I will. / No, I won't.
• Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.
• Yes, I have. / No, I haven't.
• Yes, he has. / No, he hasn’t.

wh-question

Special questions in English, which will be discussed, are used with different parts of speech, like general ones, only with the addition of a question word at the beginning:who, what, when, where, why, which, whose and how is, as always, an exception to the Wh rule.

This question form helps to find out more specific information.

• Who live in Poland? – Who lives in Poland?
• What is the movie about? – What is this movie about?
• When did you get married? – When did you get married?
• Where do you learn English? – Where do you study English?
• Why are you crying? - Why are you crying?
• Which dress should I buy? What dress should I buy?
• Whose cat is that? - Whose cat is this?
• How are you? - How are you?

There are two forms of answering special questions: abbreviated and expanded. Let's take a look at the examples above:

• My sister./My sister lives in Poland. – My sister. / My sister lives in Poland.
• About love./This movie is about love. – About love. / This film is about love.
• Last year./ I got married last year. – Last year. / I got married last year.
• In the school./I learn English in the school. At school./ I study English at school.
• I've lost my wallet./I'm crying because I've lost my wallet. I lost my wallet. / I am crying because I lost my wallet.
• Red./You should buy the red one. Red./ You should buy a red dress.
• Nick's./This is Nick's cat. Nika./ This is Nika the cat.

With regards to how are you, the answer, as such, will not carry a semantic load. Greeting form suggests short answers: I'm fine, ok, not bad, good. It will be polite to ask your interlocutor about this: And you? What you're most likely to get: I'm fine too, thank you.

Question to the subject

Perhaps this is the easiest of the 5 types of questions in English. Judge for yourself: there is no need to change the word order, auxiliary verbs are not needed, most often questions begin with words who, what. And most importantly, interrogative pronouns play the role of the subject. It remains a simple declarative sentence, only with a question. Attach the 2nd form of the verb -ed or -es (-s) to the action, you can even with the negation of does not, indicate the sign, place and form your question:

• Who came to the office? - Who came to the office?
• What is that? - What is it?
• Who doesn't get the invitation? Who didn't get an invitation?

The answers, like the questions themselves, are short enough:

• Michael did. - Michael.
• This is my new car. - This is my new car.
• Your grandparents are. - Your grandparents.

Tag question

The divisive question type consists of two parts: the first is a statement, the second is a short question for a statement. With its help, you can verify the accuracy of the information, confirm the idea, express distrust. It is important to remember that if there is a statement in the first part of the question, the second will have a negative form and vice versa, if there is a negative in the first part, the second will be in the affirmative form:

• You speak German, don't you? - You speak German, don't you?
• He saw her yesterday, doesn't he? He saw her yesterday, didn't he?
• She will leave next week, won't she? She is leaving next week, isn't she?
• They are tired, aren't they? They are tired, aren't they?
• You didn't go to the cinema yesterday, did you? You didn't go to the cinema yesterday, did you?
• Eric doesn`t know Tim, does he? Eric doesn't know Tim, does he?
• They won't do it, will they? They won't do it, will they?
• It can't be true, can it? “That can't be true, right?

Note: to words like no, never, no one, nobody, scarcely, seldom, hardly, refuse, etc. If they are in the first part of the sentence, it automatically becomes negative, so the second part is automatically positive, that is, affirmative:

• Nobody was there, were they? “There was no one there, was there?
• He has never been to Ukraine, has he? He has never been to Ukraine, has he?
• They hardly knew how it tasted, do they? They had a hard time imagining how delicious it was, right?

The answer to the disjunctive question is simple: yes, no, or extended form. You need to focus on the main offer. Please note that if in Russian you would answer yes to a similar question with a negative in the first part expressing consent, in English it will be no and vice versa. For example:

• You don't know how to answer the question, do you? No, I don't. Yes, I do. You don't know how to answer this question, do you? I have no idea. No, I know.
• You haven't been to London, have you? No, I haven't. Yes, I have. You haven't been to London, have you? Yes, it wasn't. — No, it was.

Or question

An alternative question is formed with the union or and an additional option, because it involves some kind of choice.

Such a question can begin both with an auxiliary and modal verb, and with an interrogative word:

• Did they visit USA or Canada last year? Were they in the US or Canada last year?
• When will you finish the report: today or tomorrow? – When will you finish the report: today or tomorrow?
• What flowers do you like: roses or daisies? What flowers do you like: roses or daisies?
• Will you watch TV or go to the cinema? Will you watch TV or go to the cinema?

Answers to an alternative question cannot be in a simple yes or no form. Full forms should be used, with the repetition of part of the question, but already as statements:

• I'm ready. Let's go! - I'm ready. Let's go to!
• They visit Canada last year. They were in Canada last year.
• I will finish this report on Friday. I will finish this report on Friday.
• I like neither roses nor daisies. I don't like roses or daisies.
• I will stay at home and read a book. I will stay at home and read a book.

To communicate with foreigners, sometimes just gestures are enough, but there are situations when it is extremely necessary to clarify something. This is where the difficulties begin, since few people remember how to set the general rules. Often they have long been forgotten, and the person is simply lost.

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

• the name of the interlocutor;
• how to get to the place you need;
• information about the product you are interested in 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 have difficulty with English feel rather insecure in situations where they need to say something. As a rule, they are embarrassed to say anything at all, even if they need help or some kind of clarification. 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

Constructing affirmative sentences, as a rule, does not cause any particular difficulties for language learners, but composing questions is difficult. Only understanding their structure will make it clear for yourself how to ask a general question in English. have their own characteristics and are used in everyday communication by native speakers. There are five types of questions, including:

1. General question. For example: Do you like reading (Do you like read)?
2. For example: Who bought this ugly hat(Who bought this terrible hat)?
3. For example: Do you like comedies or dramas(Do you like comedies or dramas)?
4. Question asked to the subject. For example: Which pen is yours(Which pen is yours)?
5. Separated question. For example: Children usually eat fruit and vegetables, don't they(Children usually eat fruits and vegetables, don't they)?

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

Purpose of the question

This is the simplest and most common type of the five existing ones. It is asked for the entire sentence and requires a simple yes or no answer. Let's look at examples:

• I like eating chocolate. Do you like eating chocolate? Yes, I do. No, I don "t. - 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 doesn't. - Mark goes to California every month. Does Mark go to California every month? Yes. No.
• They can bring Kate some fruit. Can they bring Kate some fruit? Yes, they can. No, they can't. - They can bring fruit to Katya. Can they bring fruit to Katya? 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 combination with other verbs to obtain an interrogative or negative type of interrogative sentence. However, if it contains the verb "to be", the use of the auxiliary word "do" is not required. Let's look at examples:

• He is a generous man. Is he a generous man? Isn "t he a generous man? - He is a generous man. Is he a generous man? Is he a generous man?
• They are doctors. Are they doctors? Aren "t they doctors? - They are doctors. Are they doctors? Are they doctors?
• They visit Margaret every Tuesday. Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Don "t they visit Margaret every Tuesday? - They visit Margaret every Tuesday. Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday? Do they visit Margaret every Tuesday?

Question construction

How to ask a general question in English? It's easier than it might seem. First of all, you need to find the verb in the sentence and determine what function it performs:

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

Then you should determine the time of the question. In order not to get confused with its definition, try turning this phrase into For example, the interrogative sentence "Does your aunt like to sing?", we remake it into the affirmative "Your aunt likes to sing." After you find the verb and determine the time, proceed to the construction of the question itself.

Word order

Another point worth mentioning for those who do not know how to ask a general question in English is word order. While in Russian we just change intonation and get an interrogative sentence, this does not work with English. To ask something, it is not enough just to change the intonation to an interrogative one. In the English interrogative construction, the reverse word order is characteristic.

This means that it is especially important in this situation to use either an auxiliary or modal verb, or a linking verb “to be”, in the right form. Next comes the subject (most often expressed by a personal pronoun), the predicate and other members of the sentence. Let's look at examples:

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

Building a negative question form

Having dealt with the word order, you can proceed to the next important point - how to ask a general question in English in a negative form. The mentioned construction in Russian, as a rule, begins with the words "really" or "is it" and serves to express surprise and misunderstanding. The scheme for the formation of this form is the same as that of the affirmative one, only with the use of the negative particle "not". Let's look at examples:

1. Do you not like our French lessons? - Don't you like our French lessons? - Don't you love our French lessons?

2.Are they not at work? - Aren't they at work? - Are they not at work?

3. Must we not do this work tomorrow? - Shouldn't we do this work tomorrow?- Shouldn't we do this work tomorrow?

How to answer a question

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

1. A positive answer involves 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 the party this Friday? Yes.
• Is he a student of Harvard University?Yes, he is.- He's a student. Yes.

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

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

Intonation features

The hardest part is over, because you already have an idea of ​​how to ask a general question in English. The rules of pronunciation and intonation are another point worth dwelling on. It is typical for English to pronounce general questions with a rising tone. This tone is used in all questions that can be answered unambiguously “yes” or “no”. To clarify everything, let's take a closer look at the examples:

1. "Do you" like this "new ↗films(do you like these new movies)? This is an interrogative sentence that implies an unequivocal answer (yes / no), so it is pronounced in an ascending tone.
2. "Is it a↗ desk (uh then a party)? This interrogative sentence can be answered unequivocally (yes / no), so it is pronounced in an ascending tone.
3. Have you got a↗ sister (y do you have a sister)? It is also pronounced in an ascending tone, since it requires an affirmative "yes" or "no".

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

Conclusion

Thus, we have considered all the theoretical aspects regarding how to ask a general question - in English, such a phrase is the simplest and at the same time the most important and common, therefore, knowing how to formulate it correctly, you can feel more confident in talking to foreigners abroad. To consolidate the studied material, you should go to the practical part.

Strengthening exercises

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

• is she↗ old?
• Do you↗ like it?
• Is it a↗ sofa?
• Can you↗ forgerit?
• 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 kids really that naughty?
• 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 tomorrow morning?
• Don't you know where this building is?
• Is this the same person?

Our topic today is the English language. Namely: how to ask them correctly, about the difference between general and special questions, questions to the subject, and also talk about the use of various interrogative words. This topic is relevant for students of any level of language proficiency, because making mistakes is possible even at a higher level when it comes to constructing questions in English. They confuse word order, skip auxiliary verbs, use wrong intonation. Our mission is to prevent such errors from occurring. Can we start?

The first thing to know about questions in English is that they are different from the structure of affirmative sentences. We usually (but not always!) ask questions in English by changing the word order: we put the auxiliary verb first before the subject. Another (main) verb is placed after the subject.

Continuing to delve into this topic, it should be mentioned what types of questions are in the English language. Differences in the construction of those very questions in English depend on this.

5 types of questions in English

Common question in English

We ask this question when we want to know general information. Are you learning English? We can answer it with one word “yes” or “no”.

Special question

We need such questions in order to find out certain, specific information that interests us. When did you start learning English?

Question to the subject

We ask it when we want to know who is performing the action. Who teaches in your English courses?

Alternative question

This is a question in which a choice of 2 options is given. Do you study English with a teacher or on your own?

Separated question

This question involves confirmation of some information. You continue to study English in the summer, don't you?

Now let's look at how each of these questions is built in English.

General issues

In the formation of such questions, the reverse word order is used. This means that we put the auxiliary verb in the first place, the subject in the second place, and the main verb in the third place.

Tom likes swimming in the sea. -Does( auxiliary) Tom ( subject) like ( main verb) swimming in the sea?

She goes to work everyday. -Does( auxiliary) she ( subject) go ( main verb) to work everyday?

General questions in English are also built with modal verbs. In this case, the modal verb will replace the auxiliary, that is, it will be placed in the first place.

Could you close the door, please? - Could you close the door, please?

May I come in? - May I come in?

Should I put on a sweater? - Should I wear this sweater?

Pay attention to the verb to be. We can safely consider it special - in general questions, you do not need to add an auxiliary verb to it.

Is he a teacher? - He is a teacher?

Was the weather good yesterday? - Was the weather good yesterday?

We form a negative general question. To do this, you need to add a particle not. It will come immediately after the subject. However, if we use the shortened form not - n't she will stand in front of him. Let's look at an example:

Does she not go to work on Sunday? = Doesn’t she go to work on Sunday? Does she not go to work on Sunday?

Have you not watched this movie? = Haven't you watched this movie? - Have you seen this movie?

Special questions

This type of question requires a detailed and detailed explanation. A special question can be asked to any member of an interrogative sentence in English. The word order in such questions is the same as in general, only one of the question words must be put at the beginning:

• What?- What?
• When?- When?
• Where?- Where?
• Why?- Why?
• Which?- Which?
• Whose?- Whose?
• Whom?- Whom?

In a descriptive format, we will build a special question according to the following scheme:

Interrogative word + auxiliary (or modal) verb + subject + predicate + object + other members of the sentence.

Easier - on an example:

What (question word) are (auxiliary) you (subject) cooking (predicate)? - What are you cooking?

What (question word) do (auxiliary verb l) you (subject) want to eat (predicate)? - What do you want to eat?

When (question word) did (auxiliary) you (subject) leave (predicate) the house (addition)? - When did you leave home?

Due to the fact that a special question in English is posed to almost any member of the sentence (addition, circumstance, definition, subject), you can use it to find out any information.

Questions to the subject

This type of questions differs from the previous topics discussed, since auxiliary verbs are not used in its construction. You just need to replace the subject with who or what, add interrogative intonation and veil - the question is ready.

The scheme for constructing a question to the subject in English is as follows:

Interrogative word + predicate + minor members of the sentence

Who went to the supermarket? - Who went to the supermarket?

What happened to your friend? - What happened to your friend?

Who did that? - Who did this?

At first glance it is very simple. But one should not confuse questions to the subject and special questions questions in English to the addition. An addition is a sentence member that gives some additional information and answers questions in English: “who?”, “What?”, “To whom?”, “What?”, “What?”. And most often the question to the addition begins with the interrogative pronoun who or whom and what. This is where the similarity with questions to the subject lies. Only context will help you figure it out. Examples for comparison:

The girl saw me yesterday. - The girl saw me yesterday.
Whom (Who) did the girl see yesterday? - Who did the girl see yesterday?

We are waiting for the train. - We're waiting for the train.
What are you waiting for? - What are you waiting for?

Alternative questions

Based on the name, it is clear that these questions involve an alternative or the right to choose. By asking them, we give the interlocutor two options.

Will you fly to England or Ireland? - Will you fly to England or Ireland?

In such a question, there is always the union "or" - or. The question itself is built as a general one, only at the end with the help of the above or we add a selection.

Scheme for constructing a question:

Auxiliary verb + actor + action performed + ... or ...

Will they go to the park or to the cinema? - Will they go to the park or to the cinema?

Did you buy an apples or pears? - Did you buy apples or pears?

Does he work or study? - Does he work or study?

If an alternative question contains several auxiliary verbs, then we place the first one before the subject, and the rest immediately after it.

She has been studying for several years. She has been studying for several years.
Has she been studying or working for several years? - Is she studying or working for several years?

An alternative question in English can also begin with a question word. Then such a question consists directly of a special question and the following two homogeneous members of an interrogative sentence in English, which are connected by means of a union or.

When were you interrupted: at the beginning or in the middle of your speech? - When were you interrupted: at the beginning or in the middle of your speech?

Separation questions

These questions in English can hardly be called questions in full, since their first part is very similar to an affirmative sentence. We use them when we are not 100% sure about something and we want to check or clarify the information.

Separation questions consist of two parts: the first is an affirmative or negative sentence, the second is a short question. The second part is separated from the first comma and is called tag or in the Russian version "tail". That is why the disjunctive questions are also called tag-questions or tail questions of the English language.

Discrimination questions are very popular in spoken English. And that's why:

• They do not ask the question directly, but encourage the interlocutor to answer.
• They can express many emotions and states (irony, doubt, politeness, surprise, etc.).
• They use direct word order. A regular sentence is built, a “tail” is added to it, and the question is ready.

In Russian, "tails" are translated by the words "true", "isn't it true", "isn't it", "correctly", "yes".

Let's look at some examples and see for ourselves:

I am your friend, aren't I? - I'm your friend, right?

He isn't your brother, is he? - He's not your brother, is he?

They aren't at home now, are they? They're not at home right now, are they?

Your friend worked in IT, didn't he? - Your friend worked in IT, didn't he?

You used to get up at 5 a.m., didn't you? - You got up early at 5 am, right?

Pay attention to the “tails” for the pronoun I (I) - in the negative sentence, the auxiliary verb changes.

I am not right, am I? - I'm wrong, right?
I am right, aren't I? - I'm right, right?

If you have a sentence with a verb have, then several options for “tails” are possible with it.

You have a cat, have you? (British English) - You have a cat, don't you?
We have a car, don't we? (American English) - We have a car, right?

Also sometimes there is no negative in the first part of the sentence not before the auxiliary verb, and it will still be considered negative. For example: They never went there, … What shall we deliver? Correctly, did they! And all because the word never(never) is negative. For words like never, can be attributed rarely(rarely), scarcely(barely) hardly(hardly), barely(barely) little(few), few(some).

They rarely go out, do they? - They rarely go out, do they? ( there is a word with a negative meaning rarely)

It's unbelievable, is it? - It's incredible, right? ( the word unbelievable with a negative prefix, so the first part is considered negative)

Nothing is impossible, is it? - Nothing is impossible, right? ( nothing and impossible are words with a negative meaning)

They have nowhere to go, do they? - They have nowhere to go, right? ( nowhere - a word with a negative meaning)

Conclusion

As you managed to replace, there is nothing complicated in asking a question and finding out the information of interest. We hope that this article will help you deal with all the subtleties and nuances. Learn English, be inquisitive and ask the correct English questions to your interlocutors. Cheers!

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