A question is anything we write or say which requires a response. In writing, questionsare usually followed by a question mark:
A:Where do you live?
B:Near the station, number 41 Station Road, to be exact.
A:Would anyone like to go for lunch now?
B:Yeah, me for sure.
C:Me too.
Typical question clauses are called interrogatives and the normal word order is auxiliary/modal verb (aux/mod) + subject (s) + main verb (v) + x, where x is any other element present (e.g. object/predicative complement):
[AUX][S]Do you[V]like[X]my new hairstyle?
[MOD]Must[S]you[V]make[X]that noise?
Questions can be affirmative or negative:
Are you ready yet? Aren’t you ready yet?
Why did you leave? Why didn’t you leave?
In speaking,questionsusually have a particular type of intonationthat tells the listenerthat they arequestions.
See also:
Intonation
Questions: statement questions (you’re over 18?)
Tags
Imperative tags
Question tags
Statement tags
Universal tags:right, yeah
Questions that don’t need an answer (rhetorical questions)
In speaking and writing, we sometimes ask questions which do not require a spoken or written response, but they usually require a mental response. The listener or reader thinks about the answer but does not say or write it; the speaker or writer answers the question in their mind. We often use these questions in academic lectures and texts:
Knowing taxation laws is important.Whyisthat?These laws help us …
Why wasFreud so influential?This is an interesting question which this essay will explore in detail.
See also:
Questions: echo and checking questions