Using the right structure

If English is not your native language, or even if it is, then using the correct structure is integral to forming questions accurately.

There are two main structures when making questions in English:

Structure 1: Using the verb ‘to be’

Structure 2: Using all other verbs

Nearly all questions in English fall into these two structures. Learning them, and practicing them, is a priority for all learners of English.

The major difference between using the verb ‘to be’ and all other verbs in questions is that the verb ‘to be’ does not use an auxiliary.

The closed question

When a question doesn’t include a question word (for example, ‘Is he from Mexico?’) it is because it is a yes/no question, also known as a closed question.

These types of questions are great when you are looking for a quick, straight answer.

Indirect questions

English is a very indirect language, and native English speakers generally don’t respond well to questions that are too direct in nature. Therefore, indirect questions are vitally important.

How to make indirect questions

1)    Open-ended indirect questions using the verb ‘to be’

2)    Open-ended indirect questions using all other verbs

3)    Closed indirect questions (sometimes using would + past tense to emphasize politeness)

Indirect questions work really well in English because they put the respondent at ease. Use them as frequently as possible. That said when you need to get to the point, do it!

Other important considerations when asking questions

There is more to asking a great question than getting the structure right, of course. Here are some other important considerations when forming questions:

·  Judge your timing. There is a time and a place for questions. And there is a time and a place to just listen and observe. Judge the right time to ask your question, as incorrect timing may not lead to the type of answer you were looking for.

·  Emphasize the positive. All people respond better to positivity, so try to pitch your question with this in mind. For example, “What went wrong?” could be replaced with “What can we do to make this right?”

·  Dig deeper with further questions. The lead-off question might not be the only one you need to ask. Depending on what the answer is, don’t be afraid to delve a little deeper to help you really understand. Just because you have asked the question, it doesn’t mean that you should just accept the answer as it is. “Could you give me an example?” is a really powerful follow-up question.

·  Pitch your question just right with the language you use. Don’t be too technical if you are speaking with a non-technical person. Don’t be too informal in your language if you are dealing with high-level management. Think about your audience at all times.

·  Don’t interrupt. This is a frequently made mistake. Once you have asked the question, let the other person respond. Don’t interrupt, and don’t dig into their answer until they have finished speaking. Prepare good follow-up questions for when the time comes that they have finished speaking and make sure that they don’t answer one of those follow-up questions in their initial response because that means you weren’t listening.

·  Listen. There is nothing worse than failing to listen to the answer that is given.

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Uses of Question Marks

Question marks are used to punctuate and end interrogative sentences. Direct questions are commonly introduced with who, what, when, where or why. However, every question isn’t framed as a direct question. Sometimes, declarative or imperative sentences can be framed as a question by adding a question mark to signify surprise, doubt, or disbelief.

Example: I’m sorry, who are you?

                You want to drop out of school and become a comedian?

Question Marks with Quotation Marks

While placing a question mark at the end of an interrogative sentence is simple enough, it can get confusing when it is placed near other punctuations.

If the question mark belongs only to a phrase inside quotation marks, it should be placed inside the quotations. If the question mark pertains to the whole sentence, place it at the end of the sentence.

Example: Ben asked, “what are you doing?”

                Don’t you want to finish studying “from your notes”?

If a quoted phrase contains a question and the whole sentence is also a question, place the question mark at the end of the sentence. The same holds true if a quotation containing a question. If there is a quoted phrase inside an interrogative sentence, use only one question mark.  

Example: She blankly stated, “the CEO yelled at him for ‘doing a poor job’ on the project.”

                “Why did you ‘do a poor job’ on this important project”?

Question Marks and Parentheses

Similar to the rules regarding quotation marks, place the question mark at the end of the sentence if the whole sentence is interrogative in nature. However, if only the parenthetical phrase is a question, place the question mark within parentheses.

Example: How did Ben climb the wall (without getting hurt)?

                I heard that Ben climbed a wall (and didn’t get hurt?).

Question Marks for Indirect Questions

One type of question that shouldn’t end in a question mark is an indirect question. Placed within declarative sentences, it can be hard to decide if a sentence is an indirect question or a direct question. However, in such situations, it’s acceptable to treat it as an indirect question.

Example:  Ben wondered which wall he should try to climb.

                  Everyone pondered why Ben was so interested in climbing a wall.

More Than a Question Mark

There are times when a simple question mark just doesn’t seem to be enough. Especially for questions with an undertone of surprise and excitement, it is common to see the use of interrobangs. A mix of question marks and exclamation points, interrobangs should only be used in informal or casual writing. When writing, if you want to inject enthusiasm into a question without using interrobangs, rewrite the question to avoid its use.

Example: Did you know? Ben successfully climbed that wall and won the competition!

                 Ben successfully climbed that wall and won the competition!?

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