Interrogative sentences
An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question and ends with a question mark. It usually reverses normal word order, placing an auxiliary or modal verb, or a "wh" word, before the subject, for example: "Do you live here?" or "Where do you live?" Its purpose is to request information, confirmation or action from the listener or reader.
Types of interrogative sentences
Yes/No questions
Questions answerable with 'yes' or 'no', formed by placing an auxiliary or modal verb before the subject.
e.g. Do you like coffee?, Can she drive?, Have they arrived?
Wh-questions
Questions beginning with a wh-word (who, what, where, when, why, which, whose) or 'how' to ask for specific information.
e.g. Where do you work?, Why is she late?, How much does it cost?
Choice questions
Questions that offer the listener two or more options to choose between, usually joined by 'or'.
e.g. Would you like tea or coffee?, Is he a teacher or a student?
Tag questions
A short question added to the end of a statement to confirm information or seek agreement.
e.g. You're coming, aren't you?, She hasn't left, has she?
Negative questions
Questions formed with a negative auxiliary, often used to express surprise or to seek confirmation.
e.g. Don't you remember me?, Isn't that your car?
Rules to remember
- Invert the subject and auxiliary/modal verb: statement 'She is ready' becomes question 'Is she ready?'
- If there is no auxiliary verb in the statement, add 'do', 'does' or 'did' before the subject: 'They live here' becomes 'Do they live here?'
- Wh-words normally come at the very beginning of the sentence, before the inverted auxiliary and subject.
- When the wh-word is the subject of the sentence, do not invert or add 'do': 'Who called you?' not 'Who did call you?'
- Every interrogative sentence must end with a question mark, even if the word order looks like a statement, as in 'You mean that?'
Examples in sentences
| Example | How it works |
|---|---|
| Do you speak French? | Yes/No question formed with the auxiliary 'do' before the subject. |
| What time does the train leave? | Wh-question with 'does' inserted because 'leave' has no auxiliary. |
| Who broke the window? | 'Who' is the subject, so no auxiliary or inversion is needed. |
| Have you finished your homework? | Yes/No question using the auxiliary 'have' already present in the verb phrase. |
| Isn't she coming to the party? | Negative question expressing surprise, formed with the contracted negative auxiliary. |
| He's your brother, isn't he? | Tag question added to a statement to seek confirmation. |
| Which route should we take? | Wh-question with 'which' followed by inversion of the modal 'should' and subject. |
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Where you are going?
Correct: Where are you going?
Incorrect: What did happen at the meeting?
Correct: What happened at the meeting?
Incorrect: She doesn't like coffee, doesn't she?
Correct: She doesn't like coffee, does she?
Why this matters for IELTS
Using a wide range of interrogative structures accurately, including wh-questions, tag questions and negative questions, shows examiners strong control of word order and verb forms, which directly boosts your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score. In Speaking Part 3 and interactive discussions, forming natural questions correctly also helps you clarify meaning and sound fluent, while in Writing Task 2 an occasional rhetorical question, used correctly, can add variety to your style.
Frequently asked questions
What is an interrogative sentence?
It is a sentence that asks a question, usually formed by inverting the subject and an auxiliary or modal verb, or by starting with a wh-word, and it always ends with a question mark.
What is the difference between a wh-question and a yes/no question?
A yes/no question can be answered with 'yes' or 'no' and starts with an auxiliary or modal verb, while a wh-question asks for specific information and starts with a wh-word like 'what' or 'where'.
Do all interrogative sentences need an auxiliary verb?
Most do, either an existing one like 'is' or 'have', or an added form of 'do', but questions where the wh-word is the subject, such as 'Who called?', do not need 'do' inserted.
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