Present Simple: questions

 

To make questions in the Present Simple, we use Do or Does.

• Do you like oranges?
• Does he work here?
• Where does this train stop?

 

When do we use do or does?

 

Subject	Do/Does	Example
I	do	Do I have a coat?
You	do	Do you have a coat?
He/she/it	does	Does she have a coat?
We	do	Do we have a coat?
They	do	Do they have a coat?

 

When we ask questions in English, the word order is different.

 

When the answer is yes or no, we use the following word order:

 

Do or Does

Subject (I, he/she/it, you, we, they)

main verb (in infinitive without “to”)?

 

Examples:

Do	you	like	cake?
Does	John	walk	to school?
Do	Lauren and Sarah	have	bicycles?
Do	we	need	more milk?

 

To make questions with question words like where, when, how, why, etc, we put a question word before Do or Does:

 

quest. word	do or does	subj.	main verb
Where	does	Libby	go	to school?
Why	do	I	like	him?
How	do	you	like	your haircut?
When	does	the train	arrive?

 

Note: If you use does, don’t add “-s” to the main verb. Does he write books? NOT: Does he writes books?

 

With the verb ‘to be’, we do not use do or does. We use am, is, or are. The word order is the same.

 

Yes/No:

• Are you at home right now?
• Is he angry at me?
• Am I dreaming?

Question words:

• Why are you here?
• What is the answer?
• Where are they?