Syntax

Questions

Questions using the verb to be are formed by inverting the subject and the verb.

Affirmative	She is Spanish.
Question	Is she Spanish?

Questions using other verbs are formed with an auxiliary verb (do or did) before the subject.

Affirmative	You like football.
Question	Do you like football?

Affirmative	She likes football.
Question	Does she like football? NOT: Does she likes football?

Affirmative	You started work yesterday.
Question	Did you start work yesterday? NOT: Did you started work yesterday?

Questions using other auxiliary verbs are formed by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb.

Affirmative	She is swimming.
Question	Is she swimming?

Affirmative	He has been to Japan.
Question	Has he been to Japan?

Affirmative	She can swim.
Question	Can she swim?

Affirmative	It will be hot.
Question	Will it be hot?

If the answer to a question is yes or no, the question starts with an auxiliary verb or the verb be.

• Did you like the film?
• Are you Irish?

If you want more information, the question starts with a question word like who, where, what, when, which, why or how.

• What are you doing?
• Who did you see?
• Where do you work?