Level: A1-B1

Question Word Order — Practice

Questions flip the normal English word order: a helping verb jumps in front of the subject — Are you ready? Do you like coffee? Where do you live? Build all the question patterns with 27 click-to-hear examples and unscramble quizzes.

📝 Sentences unit · lesson 4 of 6 ⏱ about 7 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on Basic Word Order Next in unit Indirect Questions →

Quick guide

With BE: move am / is / are / was / were in front of the subject. Are you ready? (statement: You are ready.)
With other verbs: add do / does / did before the subject, and use the base verb. Does he play soccer? (NOT: Does he plays…?)
With a modal: the modal itself jumps in front. Can you swim?
Wh- questions: the question word goes first, then the helping verb, then the subject. Where do you live?
Exception — who/what as subject: when the question word IS the subject, there is no do and the order does not flip. Who called you? (NOT: Who did call you?)

📖 Want the full explanation? See Building Sentences → Questions on the main guide page.

How to use this page

🔊 Listen: click the speaker icon to hear the whole line read aloud.
Word audio: click any word to hear it spoken on its own.
🌐 Translate: choose a language then click the globe icon to open Google Translate.
☑️ Select & practice: tick the checkboxes to choose items, then print them, make a worksheet or flashcards, or start a quiz.

Yes / no questions with BE
Are you ready? – Yes / No question with BE
Is she a teacher? – Yes / No question with BE
Was the movie good? – Yes / No question with BE
Is the store open? – Yes / No question with BE
Are they at home? – Yes / No question with BE
Was the test difficult? – Yes / No question with BE
Yes / no questions with DO / DOES / DID
Do you like coffee? – Yes / No question with DO
Does he play soccer? – Yes / No question with DO
Did they win the game? – Yes / No question with DO
Do we need tickets? – Yes / No question with DO
Does she work here? – Yes / No question with DO
Did you finish your homework? – Yes / No question with DO
Yes / no questions with a modal
Can you swim? – Yes / No question with a modal
Will she come tomorrow? – Yes / No question with a modal
Should we wait? – Yes / No question with a modal
May I come in? – Yes / No question with a modal
Would you like some tea? – Yes / No question with a modal
Wh- questions (question word + helping verb)
Where do you live? – Wh- question with helping verb
What does she want? – Wh- question with helping verb
When did they arrive? – Wh- question with helping verb
Why are you laughing? – Wh- question with helping verb
Where is the bathroom? – Wh- question with helping verb
How much does it cost? – Wh- question with helping verb
How do you spell that? – Wh- question with helping verb
Who / what as the subject — no DO
Who called you? – Who / What as subject, no DO
What happened? – Who / What as subject, no DO
Who made this cake? – Who / What as subject, no DO

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