Frame WH Questions and Yes-No Questions | Framing Questions

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Word Order of a Question
• Framing Yes-No Questions
• Framing WH Questions

You probably know how to frame an assertive sentence or a statement. That means we know writing answers. 

But, do you know how to frame a question?

It is also necessary to learn how to frame wh questions and yes no questions so that it becomes easier to understand different types of questions and to answer them correctly. Isn't it?

All the questions are interrogative sentences. Hence, framing a question is actually framing an Interrogative sentence. Here we are going to learn the structures, examples and uses of Interrogative sentences / questions.

How many types of questions are there?

There are two types of questions:

• Yes-No Questions    and
• WH Questions.

We'll be discissing them one by one. Let us start with Yes-No Questions

Word Order of a Question:

The word order in a question is not the same as it is in a statement. The position of the subject and the verb is reversed, 

as,

Statements	Questions
Subject + auxiliary verb... .	Auxiliary verb + subject ...?
I am a student.	Am I a student?
We are playing chess.	Are we playing chess?
We have taken the exam three days back.	When have you taken the exam?
John was  playing a rock music.	What was John playing?

Framing Yes-No Questions

Framing yes no questions is the easiest thing to do.

You know that an assertive sentence is formed as -

Subject + auxiliary verb + main verb + object.

E g.-  She is playing chess.

While a Yes-no question is formed as -

Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + object + ?

E.g.-  Is she playing chess?

Here you can see that the word order is reversed.

See the difference between word orders of an assertive sentence and a yes no question.

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
Subject + auxiliary verb.	Auxiliary verb + subject ...?
I am a student.	Am I a student?
We are playing chess. You are going to the airport.	Are we playing chess? Are you going to the airport?
She is a teacher. He is a doctor. It is a pet dog.	Is she a teacher? Is he a doctor? Is it a pet dog?
She was your friend. He was a teacher.  It was raining.	Was she your friend? Was he a teacher? Was it  was raining?
We were farming. You were drinking. They were sleeping.	Were we farming? Were you drinking? Were they sleeping?
I shall sleep. We shall swim.	Shall I sleep? Shall we swim?
You will be studying.  He will drive the car. She will sit by you. They will play well.	Will you be studying? Will he drive the car? Will she sit by you? Will they play well ?
I have driven the car. We have been walking since morning.	Have I driven the car? Have we been walking since morning?
He has broken the glass.  She has fallen in the well.	Has he broken the glass? Has she fallen in the well?
I had bought a bi-cycle. We had sold our house.	Had I bought a bi-cycle? Had we sold our house?
I can swim. You could tell the truth. He should go for a walk everyday. She need work hard. They can defeat us.	Can I swim? Could you tell the truth? Should he go for a walk everyday Need she work hard? Can they defeat us?

The questions which can be answered either with yes or with no.

Questions like

• Do you play football?
• Have you written the letter?
• Can you give me a glass of water?
• Will you do it for me?

can be answered either with yes or with no. 

As —

Q. Do you play football?
A. Yes, I do. 

Or,  No, I don’t play football.

Q. Can you give me a glass of water?
A. Yes, of course.

How to Frame Yes-No Questions?

Structures:

● An assertive sentence starts with a subject and then comes an auxiliary (helping) verb - (subject + auxiliary verb)

Like, I am a student.

Whereas, in case of Yes-No question the word order us altered. It starts with the auxiliary verb and then comes the subject - (auxiliary verb + subject)

Like, Am I a student?

So, what did you get?

To form a yes-no question, simply place the auxiliary verb before the subject and put a question mark at the end.

=> Auxiliary verb + subject + verb (base form) + object + ?

More Examples:
Q. Have you seen a tiger?
A. Yes I have seen. / No, I have not seen.

Q. Can you score three goals?
A. Yes we can. / No we can not.

Remember:
The auxiliary verb is always used according the subject's number and person, no matter whichever the subject is. 

Up to here, you know how a yes-no question is structured. 

Now you should learn framing them in different tenses. Right?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Present Indefinite Tense: 

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
Subject + main verb + object.	Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + object +?
I play cricket.	???

See, no auxiliary verb is there in the assertive sentence.  

Then how will you frame a question of this tense?

Well,

You have to put a Do or Does at the beginning. 

Use Does with a 3rd person singular subject, else use Do.

As -

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
I play cricket.	Do I play cricket?
She plays cricket.	Does she play cricket?

Remember, when you put a 'Does', you don't need to add '-s' or '-es' to the main verb any more.

Structure:

Do/Does + subject + verb (base form) + object + others + ?

Other examples -

• Do I write a letter?
• Do we need permissions from the authority?
• Does it work properly?
• Does he write a letter?

Use a 'not' after do/does to make a negative yes-no question of this tense.

E.g.-

• Do not I write a letter?
• Does not he write a letter?
• Do not they abuse us?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
I do not write a letter.	Do not I write a letter?
He does not write a letter.	Does not he write a letter?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Present Continuous Tense:

Structure:
Be verb + subject + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

E.g.-

• Are you reading the news paper?
• Am I bothering you?

For negative use a not after the be verb or after the subject as- 
Be verb + not + subject + (main verb +ing) + object + ?


E.g.-

• Is not she reading the news paper?
• Aren't you getting my point?
• Is not David fighting with Dean?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
She is not reading the news paper.	Is not she reading the news paper?
You aren't getting my point.	Aren't you getting my point?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Present Perfect Tense: 

Structure:
Has/Have + subject + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?

Ex-

• Has Alexa said the words?
• Have you seen her before?
• Has she opened the window?

Use a not just after the have verb (have/has).

Has/Have + not + Subject + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?
Ex- 

• Has not Alexa said that words.
• Haven't you submitted the project in time?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
Alexa has said that.	Has Alexa said that.
You have seen her before.	Have you seen her before?
Alexa has not said that words.	Has not Alexa said that words.
You haven't submitted the project in time.	Haven't you submitted the project in time?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Present Perfect Continuous Tense:

The have/has is placed at the beginning of the sentence.

E.g.-
Has he been living there for three months?
Have you been taking tea since last Monday?

Use a not after Has/Have to make it negative.

Ex-

• Have not you been living there for three months?
• Has not John been talking since 5 o’clock?
• Have not you been cheating me for three years?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
She has been waiting for you.	Has she been waiting for you?
You have only been wasting your money since you started gambling.	Have you only been wasting your money since you started gambling?
Peter has not been reading the book.	Has not Peter been reading the book.
I haven't been walking since morning.	Haven't I been walking since morning?

Framing Yes-No Questions of Past Indefinite Tense: 

Structure:
Did + subject + verb (base form) + object + others + ?

E.g.-

• Did I say a that?
• Did we need permissions from the authority?
• Did it work properly?
• Did he play with you?

Use a 'not' after did to make a negative of the interrogative.

E.g.-

• Did not I inform you about the incident?
• Did not he write a letter?
• Did not they gamble?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
I said that	Did I say that?
They went to the market.	Did they go to the market?
You did not buy a new car.	Did not you buy a new car?
John did not drink water.	Did not John drink water?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Past Continuous Tense:

Structure:
Be verb (Was/Were) + subject + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

E.g.-

• Were you reading the news paper?
• Was I bothering you?

For negative use a not after the be verb or after the subject as- 

Be verb + not + subject + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

Or,

Be verb  + subject + not + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

E.g.-

• Was not she reading the news paper?
• Weren't you getting my point?
• Was David not fighting with Dean?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
You were reading the newspaper.	Were you reading the newspaper?
David was not fighting with Dean.	Was not David fighting with Dean?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Past Perfect Tense: 

Structure:
Had + subject + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?

E.g.-

• Had Alexa reached the station?
• Had you seen her before?
• Had Peter opened the window?

Use a not just after the have verb (had).

Had + not + Subject + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?

E.g.- 

• Had not Alexa said that words.
• Hadn't she submitted her document yet?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
You had seen her before.	Had you seen her before?
David had not fought with Dean.	Had not David fought with Dean?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

The had is placed at the beginning of the sentence.

Ex-

• Had Sasha been living there for three months?
• Had you been taking tea since last Monday?

Use a not after had to make it negative.

Ex-

• Had not you been living there for five months?
• Had not John been talking since 8 o’clock?
• Had not you been calling me for three hours?

Assertive Sentence	Yes-No Question
You had been living here for three months.	Had you been living here for three months?
Emma had not been trying to call you for last three hours.	Had not Emma been trying to call you for last three hours?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Future Indefinite Tense: 

Structure:
Shall/Will + subject + verb (base form) + object + others + ?

In case the subject is I or We, use 'Shall' before it, otherwise, use 'Will'.

E.g.-

• Shall I write a letter?
• Shall we need permissions from the authority?
• Will it work properly?
• Will he inform me about the incident?

Use a 'not' after Shall/Will to make a negative of the interrogative.

E.g.-

• Shall not we visit there?
• Will not he write a letter?
• Will not they gamble?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Future Progressive Tense:

Structure:
Shall/Will + subject + be + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

E.g.-

• Are you reading the news paper?
• Am I sleeping?

For negative use a not after the be verb or after the subject as- 
Be verb + not + subject + (main verb +ing) + object + ?

E.g.-

• Will not she reading the news paper?
• Will not you getting my point?
• Will David not fighting with Dean?

Frame Yes-No Questions of Future Perfect Tense: 

Structure:
Shall/Will + subject + have + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?

E.g.-

• Will you have eaten the food by 8 p.m.?
• Will John have seen her before Sunday?
• Will she have finished all her works before the end of the day?

Don't be confused seeing every 'have' I used here even after a third person singular subject. Here only 'shall' or 'will' determines the tense. So the 'have' verb is used here as an action verb. The base form 'have' is 'have'.

Use a not just after the have verb (have/has).

Shall/Will + not + Subject + have + third form of the main verb + object + others + ?

E.g.-

• Has not Alexa said that words.
• Hasn't she submitted the project in time?

---

Framing WH Questions

What is "WH" in "WH Questions"?

WH refers to some words that start with the letters W and H, like, what, who, whom, why, how, where etc and their uses. 

What is a WH question?

A question that starts with any of the wh words, is a wh question. 

 
Remember, the answer of a WH question is a complete sentence and not a yes or a no.

For example, 
If any one asks you - “What is your name?”, you cannot answer the question with only 'yes' or 'no'. A complete sentence is required to answer it. 

As —

Q. What is your name?
A. My name is Polash.

Similarly, 
Q. When do you read story-books?
A. I read story books in my leisure time.


Now you need to know the wh words and their uses. As follows -

Wh words may be used as -  (a) the subject, or (b) the object, or (c) an adjective/adverb in a sentence.

Some WH Words and Their Uses-

 Who – 

Who is used in a question to ask something about a person or persons. Who is mainly used as the subject.

E.g. -

• Who is your English teacher?
• Who has broken the glass?

• Who will bell the cat?

 What – 

It is used to ask about a thing or things.

E.g.-
• What does he do?

• What is your name?

 Which – 

It is used in a question to ask about anything out if many others.

E.g.-
• Which is his favourite book?

• Which cycle is yours?

• Which thing delights her the most?

 Whose – 

It is used in a question to ask about relationship, the owner of any object or animal.

E.g.-
• Whose book has been lost?
• Whose cycle is this?
• Whose brother is he?

 When – 

It is used in a question to ask about time.

E.g.-
• When did he come?
• When is your brother visiting the book fair.

• When will you give my money back?

 Where – 

It is used in a question to ask about place.

E.g.-
• Where does he live?
• Where is your uncle going?

• Where are you?

 Why – 

It is used in a question to know the reason behind anything.

E.g.-
• Why don’t you look at me?
• Why did you laugh?

• Why are you so upset?

 How – 

It is used in a question to know the way of doing something or to ask about someone's health.

E.g.-
• How did you come to know?
• How have you solve the problem?
• How are you?
• How is your father now?

 How much – 

It is used in a question to quantity of an uncountable noun.

E.g.-
• How much money did you earn?

• How much water does this tank contain?

• How much milk should we drink a day?

• How much sugar was sold yesterday?

How much is singular as it asks the quantity of an uncountable noun (milk, water, oil, sand, etc.)

 How many – 

It is used in a question to ask about the quantity of a countable noun.

E.g.- 
• How many employees are required for this project?

• How many cakes did you buy?

• How many stars can you see?

• How many women have participated?

How many is plural as it asks thr quantity of countable nouns.

 How long – 

It is used in a question to ask about the duration of an action.

E.g. -

• How long will you stay here?

• How long did you sleep yesterday?

• How long can you wait for me?

• How long does it take to be fully cooked?

 How far – 

It is used in a question to ask about the distance between two places.

E.g. -

• How far is your school from your house? 

• How far will you go today?

• How far did she run?

• How far can you see?

How to Frame Wh Questions:

You only need to learn different types of wh questions that we use in our day-to-day conversations and their structures.

Types of WH-question –

Remember,
The auxiliary verb is always used according the subject 's number and person, no matter whatever the subject is.

 Type 1:– 

Structure:
Wh word + be verb + subject + ?

Look at the structure above, there is no action verb (main verb). 

For this type, who, what, which, how can be used as wh words. 

Examples:

• Who is that girl? 
• Who were those boys? 
• What is your name?
• Which is your book?
• Where is my pen?
• How is your mother?

In all the questions above, the wh words act as the objects and the be verbs show the state of being as there are no other verbs (main verbs). 

The be verb is used according to the word next to itself.

Here are some affirmative and negative examples :

Affirmative Examples	Negative Examples
What is your name? Which is your book? Where is my pen? How is your mother?	What is not your name? Which is not your camera?

Question-Answer Examples: 

Statements	Questions
That girl is my sister.	Who is that girl?
My name is Jack.	What is your name?
Those boys were some students.	Who were those boys?

 Type 2:– 

Structure:

Wh word (used as the subject) + verb + object + ?

Or, 

Wh word (used as the subject) + auxiliary verb + main verb + object + ?

E.g.-

• Who did this?
• Who likes mango?
• What has made you so lazy?

Etc.

In the sentences above, you can see, there is no subject. Actually the wh words who and what are used as the subjects.

If you try to answer the questions in your mind, you will find that the extra part that replaces the wh word, is the subject of the answer statement.

Confused?

Don't worry.

Let's take an example.

Question = Who likes mangoes?

Answer 1 =  John likes mangoes.

Answer 2 =  Peter likes mangoes.

Answer 3 =  Emma likes mangoes.

Answer 4 =  I like mangoes.

Answer 5 =  We like mangoes. 

Look at the answer 1, the wh word who is replaced with 'John'. It means 'John' is the answer of who. 

On the other hand, 'John' is also the subject in the sentence. 

Similarly, in answers 2, 3, 4, 5, you can apply the same logic and say that Peter, Emma, I and We are the answers of Who.

Hence, can't we conclude that, in the question, Who is used as the subject?

Yes, we can.

For this type, who and what are mainly used.

Remember: 

The verb-forms depend on the number and person of the subjects. But here, as the wh word itself is the subject, we cannot identify their number or person. 

Therefore any verb-form will be appropriate. 

More examples:

Affirmative Examples	Negative Examples
Who did it? Who is playing guitar? Who play guitar? What has made you cry? What happened to you?	Who did not do it? Who is not playing guitar? Who do not play guitar? What hasn’t made you cry? What didn’t happen to you?

Question-Answer Examples: 

Statements	WH Questions
Peter did this.	Who did it?
The news of her death has made me cry.	What has made you cry?
Your daughter has broken the glass.	Who has broken the glass?

Look at the statements. You will notice that the parts of the statements (Peter, The news of her death, your daughter) that replace the wh words are all subjects.



 Exception: 

Questions	Answers
What happened to you?	I failed in the exam. [Here we describe an incident]
What happened to her?	She is shocked at the news of the accident.

If the verb is 'happened' with the wh word what, then the answer is an description of an incident.






 Type 3:– 

Structure:

Wh + helping verb + subject + main verb + object + ?

Examples:

• What does he think?
• Whom are you calling?

In the above examples, can you find an object anywhere?

Well, 

You may be a little surprised to know that, in this type, the wh word itself is the object.

What? 

Objects always come after the verb. 

Yes, it is true that they come after the verbs. 

But it is also true that a Wh word comes first in a WH question, be it the subject, or the object or anything else.

Mainly What, and Whom are mostly used as objects.

Affirmative Examples	Negative Examples
What has he eaten? Whom were you talking to?	What has not he eaten? Whom were not you talking to?

Question-Answer Examples: 

Statements	WH Questions
He has eaten four bananas.	What has he eaten?
I was talking to Mr. Rudd.	Whom were you talking to?
She did not invite Emma and me.	Whom did not she invite?

You can see that the highlighted parts of all the statements are the answers for the corresponding wh questions. And they are the objects in the statements.

 Type 4:– 

Wh words used as adverbs:

Structure: 

Wh word + helping verb + subject + main verb + object + ?

Examples:

• Where did you keep the book?
• Why have you taken the jewelleries?
• When did he break the glass?

 Type 5:–   Wh words + Noun rule:

Structure: 

Wh words + Noun + helping verb + subject + main verb + object + ?

Examples: 

Affirmative Examples	Negative Examples
Which book are you reading now?	Which movie doesn't she like at all?

Question-Answer Examples: 

Questions	Answers
Which book are you reading now?	I am reading Dickens' novel Hard Times.
Which movie doesn't she like at all?	She doesn't like super-hero movies at all.

The part of the answer that replaces the wh word + noun, is the object.

 Type 6:–     How much, How many, How long, How far:

Structure 1: 

How much / How many / How long / How far + helping verb + subject + main verb + ?

Example:

• How much does the book cost?
• How many do they need?

Structure 2:

How much / How many + noun + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + ?

Example:

• How much money do you have?
• How many people have you invited?

How to Frame WH Questions Tense wise:

Present Indefinite Tense: 

Statement – He plays cricket in the afternoon.

Question – Who plays cricket in the afternoon?

Ans. – He plays cricket in the afternoon.

Question – What does he play in the afternoon?

Ans. – He plays cricket in the afternoon. 

Question – When does he play cricket?

Ans. – He plays cricket in the afternoon.

Question – What does he do in the afternoon?

Ans. – He plays cricket in the afternoon.

Present Continuous Tense: 

Statement – He is playing cricket in the ground.

Question – Who is playing cricket in the ground?

Ans. – He is playing cricket in the ground.

Question – What is he playing in the ground?

Ans. – He is playing cricket in the ground.

Question – Where is he playing cricket?

Ans. – He is playing cricket in the ground.

Question – What is he doing in the ground?

Ans. – He is playing cricket in the ground.

Present perfect tense: 

Statement – Charlotte has taken tea after reaching home.

Question – Who have taken tea after reaching home?

Ans. – Charlotte has taken tea after reaching home.

Question – What have Charlotte taken after reaching home?

Ans. – Charlotte has taken tea after reaching home.

Question – When have Charlotte taken tea?

Ans. – Charlotte has taken tea after reaching home.

Question – What have Charlotte done after reaching home?

Ans. – Charlotte has taken tea after reaching home.

Present perfect continuous tense:

Statement – I have been reading Geography for three hours.

Question – Who have been reading for three hours?

  Ans. – I have been reading Geography for three hours.

Question – What (Which subject) have I been reading for three hours?

  Ans. – I have been reading Geography for three hours.

Question – For how long have I been reading Geography?

  Ans. – I have been reading Geography for three hours.

Question – What have I been doing for three hours?

  Ans. – I have been reading Geography for three hours.

Past indefinite tense:

Statement – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Question – Who took a cup of coffee in the evening?

Ans. – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Question – How much coffee did John take in the evening?

Ans. – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Question – What did John take in the evening?

Ans. – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Question – When did John take a cup of coffee?

Ans. – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Question – What did John do in the evening?

Ans. – John took a cup of coffee in the evening.

Past continuous tense:

Statement – A child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – Who was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday?

Ans. – A child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – What was the child singing in the park yesterday?

Ans. – The child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – When was the child singing in the park very beautifully?

Ans. – The child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – How was the child singing in the park yesterday?

Ans. – The child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – Where was the child singing very beautifully yesterday?

Ans. – The child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Question – What was the child doing in the park yesterday?

Ans. – The child was singing a song in the park very beautifully yesterday.

Past Perfect Tense:

Statement – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Question – Who had snatched Rachael's purse last night?

Ans. – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Question – What had some boys snatched last night?

Ans. – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Question – When had some boys snatched Rachael's purse ?

Ans. – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Question – Whose purse had some boys snatched last night?

Ans. – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Question – What had some boys done last night?

Ans. – Some boys had snatched Rachael's purse last night.

Past Perfect Progressive Tense:

Statement – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Question – Who had the teaching Geography for ten years?

Ans. – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Question – Whom had the teacher been teaching Geography for ten years?

Ans. – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Question – How long had the teacher been teaching us Geography?

Ans. – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Question – What (which subject) had the teacher been teaching us for ten years?

Ans. – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Question – What had the teacher been doing for ten years?

Ans. – The teacher had been teaching us Geography for ten years.

Future indefinite tense:

Statement – We shall celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August.

Question – Who will celebrate Independence Day on 15th August?

Ans. – We shall celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August.

Question – What shall we celebrate on 15th August?

Ans. – We shall celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August.

Question – On which day shall we celebrate Independence Day?

Ans. – We shall celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August.

Question – What shall we do on 15th August?
Ans. – We shall celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August.

Future continuous tense:

Statement – Kate will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after she wakes up.

Question – Who will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after waking up?

Ans. – Kate will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after she wakes up.

Question – What will Kate be having after she wakes up?

Ans. – Kate will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after she wakes up.

Question – When will Kate be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk?

Ans. – Kate will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after she wakes up.

Question – What will Kate be doing after she wakes up?

Ans. – Kate will be having two boiled eggs and a glass of milk after she wakes up.

Alright.

I think How to Frame WH Questions and Yes-No Questions is clear to you.

Thank you...