These questions ask you to build or recognise a yes/no question. Your main decision is whether to add a form of do or move an auxiliary that is already present.
Find the first verb that can carry the question
Begin with the statement behind the question and inspect its verb phrase. If it has only a lexical verb in the simple present or simple past, supply do-support. Choose does for a third-person singular present subject, do for other present subjects, and did for the past. Put this auxiliary before the subject and return the lexical verb to its bare form: The baker checks the oven becomes Does the baker check the oven?
If the statement already has be, a modal, or perfect have, do not add do. Move the first auxiliary before the subject: The lights are dim becomes Are the lights dim? and The crew might leave becomes Might the crew leave? In a longer verb phrase, keep everything after the first auxiliary in place: The guests have been waiting becomes Have the guests been waiting?
| Signal in the statement | Question pattern |
|---|---|
| Simple present or past with only a lexical verb | Do, does or did + subject + bare lexical verb |
| Be, a modal, or perfect have | First auxiliary + subject + the rest of the verb phrase |
| Possession expressed with have | Use do-support: Do they have enough space? |
| Possession expressed with have got | Move have: Have they got enough space? |
Where the wrong forms come from
- The wrong member of the do family is chosen. Match present do or does to the subject, but use did for every subject in a past-simple question.
- Do is added even though be, a modal or perfect have is already available. Those verbs form the question by moving; they do not need a second auxiliary.
- The lexical verb keeps an ending after does, did or a modal. The auxiliary already carries agreement or tense, so the following lexical verb must be bare.
- More than the first auxiliary moves in a longer verb phrase. Move only the first one and leave any participles or remaining auxiliaries after the subject.
- The two possession patterns are blended. Use either do + subject + have or have + subject + got; do not attach got to the do-support pattern.
Try it
Which sentence misuses do-support in a yes/no question?
- Are the invoices ready?
- Did the courier left already?
- Does this key fit the cabinet?
- Can the van carry both pallets?
Select all that apply. Which statements describe a question that requires do-support?
- A question about whether the guests arrived
- A question about whether the guests are inside
- A question about whether the engine starts easily
- A question about whether the engine can restart
Use the got-form. Ask whether Priya possesses the access code by completing the full question: ___