Questions & Negatives

Basic · Questions & Negatives

English forms questions by "inversion" — swapping the subject and the helping (auxiliary) verb. "You are ready" becomes "Are you ready?"

When there is no helping verb, we bring in "do/does/did". Getting this pattern right lets you ask about anything and form clear negatives.

How to build it

Yes/No: (Aux) + subject + base verb? Wh-: Wh-word + (Aux) + subject + base verb? Negative: subject + aux + not + base verb

Yes/No questions: put the auxiliary before the subject.
Flip the order of subject and helper verb.
- You are ready → Are you ready?
- They have eaten → Have they eaten?
Wh- questions: question word + auxiliary + subject.
Start with what/where/when/why/how, then invert.
- Where do you live?
- What is she doing?
- Why did he leave?
Use do/does/did when there is no other helping verb.
The main verb goes back to its base form.
- She works → Does she work?
- They went → Did they go?
Subject questions need NO auxiliary.
When the wh-word IS the subject, keep normal order.
- Who called you? (not: Who did call you)
- What happened?
Negatives: add "not" to the auxiliary, usually contracted.
don't, doesn't, didn't, isn't, haven't, won't...
- I don't know.
- She isn't here.
- They haven't arrived.

One auxiliary only: if you already have "can", "will", or "be", do NOT also add "do". "Do you can?" ✗ → "Can you?" ✓.
In subject questions, do not use "did": "Who broke it?" not "Who did break it?"

✗ Where you are going? → ✓ Where are you going? — Questions need inversion — swap the subject and the auxiliary.
✗ Do you can swim? → ✓ Can you swim? — Do not add "do" when there is already a modal like "can".