Grammar
Question word order: form clear English questions
You need to ask a colleague about a meeting. You can say The meeting starts at nine. To ask for the time, move the helping verb: Does the meeting start at nine? Add a question word when you need more information: When does the meeting start?
Form clear English questions by putting the auxiliary verb before the subject and placing question words at the beginning.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Where does the train leave from? /weə dʌz ðə treɪn liːv frəm/
The short answer
For many present and past questions, use a question word, then do, does, or did, then the subject and base verb: Where do you live? What did she buy? With be or can, move that verb before the subject: Are they busy? Can he drive?
What time does the class begin?
Why it works: What time comes first. Does comes before the subject the class, and begin stays in the base form.
6 more examples
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Do you take the bus to work?
Do comes before the subject you, and take is the base form of the main verb.
Not this:
You takethe bus to work. What changes: This is a statement, so the subject comes before the main verb. -
Where does your sister live?
Where asks for a place. Does comes before your sister, and live stays in the base form.
Not this:
Your sister livesnear the station. What changes: In the statement, lives has the present simple ending because the subject is singular. -
Did they finish the report yesterday?
Did makes a past simple question. Finish is a base verb after did.
Not this:
They finishedthe report yesterday. What changes: The statement puts the past form finished after the subject. -
Are the shops open on Sunday?
Are is a form of be, so it moves before the plural subject the shops.
Not this:
The shops areopen on Sunday. What changes: The statement keeps the subject before are. -
How can I change the booking?
How comes first, then can comes before the subject I.
Not this:
I can changethe booking online. What changes: The statement puts I before can. -
Who called you this morning?
Who is the subject of this question, so no extra do or did is needed.
Not this:
Who did you callthis morning? What changes: Here who is the object. Did comes before the subject you, and call is a base verb.
Read the full guide
Start by deciding what information you need. If you only need a yes or no answer, begin with a helping verb: Do you need a receipt? If you need a place, time, reason, person, or method, choose a question word first. Then use the same question order after it.
Turn a statement into a question
A statement and a question can use many of the same words, but their order changes. In a present simple statement, the subject comes first. In a question, add do or does before the subject.
You need a ticket.
Do you need a ticket?
The question puts do before you. Need remains a base verb after do.
Turn this statement into a question: They speak English.
Ask Do they speak English? Put do before they.
Choose do, does, or did
Use do with I, you, we, and they in the present simple. Use does with he, she, it, or a singular name or noun. Use did for all subjects in a past simple question. The main verb returns to its base form after does or did.
Does Maya work on Saturdays?
Did Maya work last Saturday?
Does marks present simple with one person. Did marks past simple. Work stays in the base form in both questions.
Complete the question: Where ___ he live?
Use does: Where does he live? Do not add s to live after does.
Put question words at the beginning
Use what for things or information, where for places, when for time, why for reasons, and how for method or condition. Put the question word first. Then use the usual question order: question word, helping verb, subject, and main verb.
When do we need to leave?
Why did the bus stop?
When asks about time, and why asks about a reason. In both questions, the helping verb comes before the subject.
Make a question about the location of the nearest bank.
Ask Where is the nearest bank? Use where first and move is before the subject.
Move be and modal verbs
When the statement uses be, can, will, should, or another modal verb, do not add do or did. Move the existing verb before the subject. Add a question word before it when needed.
Is your manager in the office?
When can we collect the keys?
Is and can are already helping verbs, so they move before the subject without do.
Correct this question: Do you can help me?
Ask Can you help me? Can moves before you, and do is not used.
Notice subject questions
Sometimes who or what is the subject, the person or thing that does the action. In that case, use who or what followed directly by the verb. Do not add do, does, or did.
Who lives in the apartment upstairs?
What made that sound?
Who and what do the action in these questions, so they act as the subject.
Choose the correct question for an unknown caller: Who called or Who did call?
Use Who called? Who is the subject, so no extra did is needed.
Keep the question easy to follow
Ask one clear question at a time. Put place, time, and other details after the main verb when that makes the question easier to understand. In speech, your voice often rises at the end of a short yes or no question, but word order still carries the grammar.
What do you need from the pharmacy?
Are you free after lunch?
The first question asks for information with what. The second checks a yes or no answer with are.
Put these words in order: you / are / tomorrow / free?
Ask Are you free tomorrow? Start with are, then the subject you.
Before you go
Remember this
Put a question word first when you need specific information. Then put do, does, did, be, can, or another helping verb before the subject. After do, does, and did, use the base verb. Keep who and what simple when they are the subject of the question.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Question word order: form clear English questions"
What is the usual word order for an English question?
For many questions, use a helping verb before the subject: Do you work here? or Did they finish the report? Add a question word first when you need specific information: Where does your sister live?
Do you take the bus to work?
Why does the main verb have no s after does?
Does already carries the present simple ending for he, she, or it. After does, use the base verb. Say Where does he live? not Where does he lives?
You take the bus to work.
Do I use do with be or can in questions?
No. Move be or can before the subject instead. Ask Are the shops open on Sunday? or How can I change the booking? Do is only needed when there is no other helping verb.
Where does your sister live?
Where do question words go in an English question?
Put the question word first, then use normal question order. For example, ask When do we need to leave? or Why did the bus stop? The helping verb comes before the subject.
Your sister lives near the station.
Why do some who questions have no do or did?
When who is the subject, it does the action and goes directly before the verb: Who called you this morning? Use do or did when who is the object, as in Who did you call this morning?
Did they finish the report yesterday?