English Interrogative Sentences: Common Interrogative Patterns

This Book Covers The Following Topics: 

What are “Interrogative Sentences”?

Structure (1) -- Wh-Question Word + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1A). What + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1B). When + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1C). Where + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1D). Which + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1E). Who + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1F). Whom + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1G). Whose + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1H). Why + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(1I). How + Be/Do/Have/Modal

Structure (2) -- Wh-Question Word + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2A). What + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2B). When + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2C). Where + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2D). Which + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2E). Who + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2F). Whom + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2G). Whose + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2H). Why + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

(2I). How + Word/Words + Be/Do/Have/Modal

Structure (3) -- Wh-Question Word + Main Verb (Present or Past)

Structure (4) – Interrogatives Sentences – Be/Do/Have/Modal

(4A). Interrogatives Starting From – Am, Is, Are, Was, Were

(4B). Interrogatives Starting From – Do, Does, Did

(4C). Interrogatives Starting From – Have, Has, Had

(4D). Interrogatives Starting From – Modal Verbs

Structure (5) -- Question Tags

Structure (6) -- What if

Structure (7) – How Long/How Much/How Many

Structure (8) -- Wh-Question Word + To + Verb Word

Structure (9) – “What About” and “How About”

Structure (10) – Alternative Questions

Structure (11) – Indirect Questions

Formation of Interrogatives from Affirmatives

Exercises

Sample This:

What are “Interrogative Sentences”?

Interrogative sentences are used to ask questions. An interrogative sentence ends with a question mark.

The most common interrogative words are as follows:

What, When, Where, Which, Who, Whom, Whose, Why, How

Interrogative words and what they refer:

What – refers to ‘specific information’ or confirmation/repetition

When – refers to ‘at what time’ or ‘on what occasion’

Where – refers to ‘in what place, position or situation’

Which – refers to ‘choice or alternative’

Who – refers to ‘identity’ of a subject (person/people)

Whom – refers ‘identity’ of an object (person/people)

Whose – refers to ‘who something belongs to’

Why – refers to ‘reason, explanation or purpose’

How – refers to ‘way or manner’, ‘condition or quality’

These words are called 'Wh-question words' because all these words contain the letter ‘w’ and ‘h’. All these words (except ‘how’) even start from ‘Wh’.

NOTE: The following words are also used to ask questions:

Whatever, Whenever, Wherever, Whoever

These forms show ‘surprise, confusion, or emphasis.

Besides ‘Wh-question words’, Auxiliary Verbs ‘Be’, ‘Do’, ‘Have’, and ‘Modal Verbs’ are also used to form interrogative sentences. Following is the list of auxiliary and modal verbs:

Auxiliary Verb-- Be-- Am, Is, Are, Was, Were

Auxiliary Verb-- Do-- Do, Does, Did

Auxiliary Verb-- Have-- Have, Has, Had

Modal Verbs-- May, Might, Can, Could, Will, Would, Shall, Should, Must, Need, Used (To), Ought (To), Dare

You can begin sentences with these verbs to form Yes/No interrogative sentences.

(1A). What + Be/Do/Have/Modal

What is a good pet to give a five-year-old child?

What is a long way away?

What is a reasonable grocery budget?

What is age got to do with it?

What is all that?

What is Australia's national food?

What is behind the nation's food shortages?

What is better for your company: happy staff or short-term profits?

What is Brazil to you?

What is going on in India?

What is going to take place over the next 90 minutes?

What is in the haze we are breathing?

What is it about the first day of the year that gets us so excited?

What is it and does it work?

What is it like to be sectioned?

What is it like to fly an Airbus A380?

What is it like to have won an unlimited supply of something?

What is it like to live in a hut?