Exercises for this card
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A2 · ⑰ Questions
Questions and question words
One movement, repeated in every tense — and the two places where it must not happen.
45minthe whole
sheet
30questions
in the practice
3pages,
one at a time
01 · First page · the same movement, tense by tense
The swap
| Statement | Question | |
|---|---|---|
| present simple | you work | Do you work? |
| present continuous | you are working | Are you working? |
| past simple | you worked | Did you work? |
| present perfect | you have worked | Have you worked? |
| future | you will work | Will you work? |
| modal | you can work | Can you work? |
| be | you are ready | Are you ready? |
inversion: A question is made by moving the auxiliary in front of the subject. Nothing else moves, and nothing else changes. If the sentence has no auxiliary of its own, do is brought in purely so that there is something to move.
subject question: When the question word IS the subject — who, what, which — there is nothing to swap it with, so no auxiliary appears at all: Who called you? What happened? The sentence keeps the order of a statement.
indirect question: Inside a longer sentence the question stops being a question and goes back to statement order: I don't know where she lives. Could you tell me what time it is. No swap, no do, and no question mark unless the whole sentence is a question.
- Where do you live?
- What are you doing?
- Who called you?
- I don't know where she lives.
- How long have you been here?
| What it asks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Word | Asks about | Example |
| who | a person | Who is she? |
| what | a thing, or an action | What happened? |
| which | a choice from a known set | Which one do you want? |
| where · when | a place · a time | Where are you? When did it start? |
| why · how | a reason · a manner | Why did you leave? How does it work? |
| how long · how far · how often | duration · distance · frequency | How often do you go? |
| how much · how many | quantity · number | How much does it cost? |
| whose | an owner | Whose bag is this? |
Golden rule
Find the auxiliary and move it in front of the subject. That single movement makes every question in the language, in every tense. If you cannot find an auxiliary, bring in do — and remember that once do carries the tense, the main verb goes back to its bare form.
A short answer repeats the auxiliary, not the verb: Do you work here? — Yes, I do. Have you finished? — No, I haven't. Repeating the main verb (Yes, I work) is grammatical but sounds foreign, and it is one of the clearest markers of a learner.
02 · Second page · the two exceptions that last longest
The uses
Yes or no
The auxiliary opens the sentence. Nothing else changes.
Are you tired?Did she call?Have they left?
With a wh- word
The question word comes first, then the same swap happens behind it.
Where do you live?What did he say?
The preposition stays behind
In everyday English the preposition remains at the end of the question.
Who are you waiting for?What is it made of?
Question tags
A short tag at the end turns a statement into a check: positive sentence, negative tag.
You're coming, aren't you?She didn't call, did she?
Asking about the subject
If the answer would replace the subject, use no auxiliary at all.
Who called you?What happened?Which bus goes there?
Asking about the object
If the answer would replace the object, the auxiliary comes back.
Who did you call?What did you say?
Inside another sentence
An indirect question goes back to statement order: subject, then verb.
I don't know where she lives.Tell me what you want.
Polite openings
Could you tell me…, Do you know… make a question softer — and turn it indirect.
Do you know what time it is?Could you tell me where the station is?
Who called you? and Who did you call? — two different people
Who called you asks for the person who did the calling: the answer replaces the subject, so nothing is swapped and no do appears. Who did you call asks for the person on the other end: the answer replaces the object, so the auxiliary comes back and the swap happens. The two questions are one word apart and expect opposite answers. This is the clearest case in the language where leaving out an auxiliary is not a mistake but a meaning.
🌍 For everyone
Neither language has a subject question that looks different from an object question, so Who did call you? feels natural and is wrong. Test it by answering: if the answer is the one doing the action, drop the auxiliary.
Chi ti ha chiamato? → Who called you?
In everyday English the preposition stays at the end of the question: Who are you waiting for? Where do you come from? Moving it to the front — For whom are you waiting — is correct but very formal, and out of place in a conversation.
You like coffee? → Do you like coffee?
A question needs the auxiliary in front: intonation alone is not enough.
Who did call you? → Who called you?
The question word is the subject, so no auxiliary appears.
I don't know where does she live. → I don't know where she lives.
An indirect question goes back to statement order.
What time is it, do you know? → Do you know what time it is?
Once the polite opening is there, the question inside stops inverting.
Where you are going? → Where are you going?
be moves in front of the subject, just like any other auxiliary.
Did you went to the party? → Did you go to the party?
did already carries the past: the verb goes back to bare.
- How often do you go to the gym?
- Whose car is parked outside?
- Could you tell me where the bank is?
- You're new here, aren't you?
03 · Third page · now it's your turn
Exercises
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