Interrogative sentences (am/is/are)

Making questions

• Questions are formed for all tenses except present simple and past simple by

changing the position of the auxiliary verb {am, was, will, etc.) and the

subject (I, you, she, he, etc.):

You 're going à Are you going?

He has gone à Has he gone?

• Questions are formed for the present simple and past simple by using do,

does, or did:

They work here. Do they work here?

She lived here. Did she live here?

positive question

I am Am I?

 

he

she is Is he/ she/ it?

it

 

we

you are Are we/you/they?

they

 

-‘ Is your mother at home?’ – ‘No, she’s out.’

-‘ Is it cold in your room?’ – ‘Yes, a little’

- Those shoes are nice. Are they new?

- Are books expensive in your country?

 

-‘How old is Joe?’ – ‘ He’s 24.’

-‘What colour is your car?’ – ‘ It’s blue’

what ’s = what is who ’s = who is how ’ s= how is where ’s = where is

-What’s the time? -What’s that man?

-Where’s Jill? -How’s your father?

 

short answers

Yes, I am. No, I’ m not.

Yes, he/she/it is. No, he ’s /she ’s /it’ s not. or No, he/she/it isn’t.

Yes, we/you/they are. No, we ’r e/you ’re /they’ re not. or No, we/you/they aren’t.

 

- Are you tired? Yes, I am.

- Are you hungry? No, I’m not but I’m thirsty.

- Is h e English? Yes, he is.

- Is Ann at work today? No she isn’t.

- Is this seat free? Yes, it is.

- Am I late? No, you are not.

1. Write questions from these words. Use am/is/are:

1 (your mother at home?) ……Is your mother at home ……?

2 (your parents at home?).................................................................... at home?

3 (this hotel expensive?)...................................................................................?

4 (you interested in art?)....................................................................................?

5 (the shops open today?)....................................................................................?

6 (the park open today?).....................................................................................?

2. Write questions with What/Who/How/Where/Why...? Use am/is/are:

1 (what colour your car?) What colour is your car?

2 (where my key?) Where.......................................................................................?

3 (where my socks?)...................................................................................................?

4 (how old your father?) How..............................................................................?

5 (what colour his eyes?).........................................................................................?

6 (why John angry with me?).............................................................................?

7 (how much these shoes?).........................................................................................?

8 (who your favourite actor?)......................................................................................?

9 (why you always late?).........................................................................................?

 

3. Ask the questions (Read the answers to the questions first):

You Paul.

1 (your name?) What’s your name?……………............................ Paul.

2 (married or single?) ..Are you married or single..........................? I'm married.

3 (British?)......................................................................................? No, I'm not.

4 (where / from?)............................................................................? From Australia.

5 (how old?)..................................................................................? I'm 25.

6 (a student?)..................................................................................? No, I'm a teacher.

7 (your wife a teacher?).................................................................? No, she's a lawyer.

8 (where / from?)...........................................................................? She's Italian.

9 (her name?)..................................................................................? Anna.

10 (how old?)....................................................................................? She's 25 too.

4. Write positive or negative short answers (Yes, I am / No, he isn't etc.).

1 Are you married?..No, I’m not 6 Is it dark now?.........................................

2 Are you tall?...... Yes, I am 7 Are your hands cold?.............................

3 Is it cold today? 8 Are you hungry?.....................................

4 Are you a teacher? 9Is your father tall?...................................

5 Are you tired? 10 Is it sunny?...............................................

 

5. Make four different types of questions questions from these statements:

1 She likes travelling

Does she like travelling? What does she like doing? Does she like travelling or cooking? She likes traveling, does not she?

2 They're working.

Are they working?

3 He was playing tennis.

4 She went to school today.

5 They live here.

6 She's eating at the moment.

7 They drove to the station.

8 She's reading.-

9 He had breakfast early.

10 They came today.

11 She drives to work.

12 He left this morning.

13 He was writing a letter.

14 They watched television.

15 She's at home.

16 They went home.

17 She likes horror films.

18 He's walking home.

19 They were eating ice cream.

20 They gave him the money.

 

WORD ORDER

Direct object and indirect object

• In simple sentences the object is easy to see:

She hit him.

They took the money.

• Some verbs, however, have two objects:

She gave me the book. (= she gave the book to me)

the book is the real object of this sentence. It tells us what she gave.This is the direct object (Direct object)

me is the indirect object (Indirect object)

FORM

• verb + direct object + to or for + indirect object:

Give Buy

D.O. the money a present

to for

I.O. him. your mother.

 

a) Some common verbs Taking to: bring, give, lend, pay, promise, send,

Show, take, tell.

b) Some common verbs taking for: buy, find, get, make.

verb + indirect object without to or for + direct object:

Give Buy

I.O. him your mother

D.O. the money. a present.

 

Note: that it is not possible to use the second form when the direct object is a pronoun

(me, her, him, it, etc]. The longer construction must be used:

Give it to John. (NOT Give John it.)

 

6. Rewrite these sentences without using to or for.

1 Give this food to your parents.

Give your parents this food.

2Get an ashtray for me, please.

Get me an ashtray, please.

3 Have you sent a postcard to your family?

4 Did you pay the money to him?

5 Would you find a seat for my mother, please?

6 I'll get some money for you.

7 Did you tell the news to your parents?

8 I'm buying a ticket for Jenny, too.

9 Show your painting to Mr Anderson.

10 Would you take this note to your parents?