Form of question-word questions

For subject-questions, eg Who came? What happened? [> 13.41]

question-word	+ auxiliary +	subject
	are/aren I	you?	be [> 10.6]
Who(m)
What	have/haven t	you?	have[>10.27]
When	has/hasnt	she?
Which
Why	do/don t	you?	do [> 10.41]
Where	does/doesnt	she?	does
Whose	did/didnt	we?	did
How
	can/can t	I?	modals[> 11.5]

Notes on the form of question-word questions

1 In questions of this kind inversion with the auxiliary must occur after
the question-word The sequence is question word first, auxiliary
next, then the subject

statement: He is isn t working inversion He (is; isnh workm^

Yes/No question Is he Isn t he working? question-word Why is isn t he working⁷

2 In the simple present of verbs other than be, question-word
questions are formed with do or does, and in the simple past with
did

statement We arrive at 8 We don t arrive at 8

Yes/No question Do we arrive at 8? Don t we arrive at 8?

question-word When do we arrive? Why don t we arrive at 8?

statement He arrives at 8 He doesn t arrive at 8

Yes/No question Does he arrive at 8^? Doesn t he arrive at 8? question-word When does he arrive? Why doesn t he arrive at 8?

statement Yes/No question question-word

He arrived at 8 Did he arrive at 8? When did he arrive?

He didn t arrive at 6 Didn t he arrive at 8? Why didn t he arrive at 8?

3 Question words + auxiliaries are frequently contracted in everyday speech and written dialogue This is more common when the question-word ends with a vowel sound {WhoII) than when it ends with a consonant (Which II) Those marked * commonly occur in informal writing

or Who has? or Who would? or What has?

Who

'Who s? = Who is?

'Who d? = Who had?

'Who II? = Who will?

What

'Whats? = What is?

Whatve? = What have?

What II? = What will?

Question-word questions form and use

Which

Why

Where

How

When’s?	= When is?	or	When has?
When’ve?	= When have?
When’II?	= When will?
Which’ve?	= Which have?
Which II?	= Which will?
Whys?	= Why is?	or	Why has?
Whyd?	= Why had?	or	Why would?
Why II?	= Why will?
'Where s?	= Where is?	or	Where has?
Where ve?	= Where have?
Where d?	= Where had?	or	Where
Where II?	= Where will?
'How s?	= How is?	or	How has?
'How d?	= How had?	or	How would?
'How II?	= How will?

4 When we ask a Wh question using a verb + preposition/particle we
normally put the preposition/particle at the end [> 8. 22 13.33]
Who(m) are you going with? What are you looking at?
Where did you get that suit from?
How on earth can I get these shoes on?

In very formal English, prepositions can precede question-words To whom should I apply for more information? In which hall will the recital be given?

5 Question-words are followed by prepositions in short questions We re off on holiday tomorrow - Where to? Will you beat these eggs for me?- What with? I want to leave this parcel - Who for? More formally, prepositions can precede question words /' m going out this evening - With whom?

6 Short questions consisting of single question-words or limited combinations are common in everyday speech when we are asking for repetition (e g What⁹), brief information or clarification We re off to Chicago - When?

This old lady came up to me and said - Which (old) lady? This old lady came up to me and said - She said what?

7 Question-word questions can echo statements to express surprise, anger, concern, etc / m afraid I used your comb on the dog - You did what with it?

8 All question-words except Which and Whose can combine with else to refer to people, things, places, etc What else have you bought⁹ Where else did you go?