grammar - the interrogative sentence by eguriase s. m. okaka

Grammar The interrogative Sentence

By Eguriase S. M. Okaka Remember that interrogatives are questions and there are different forms in the English language. There are two basic question types in English-yes/no questions and wh questions. Other forms are rhetorical questions and tag questions. We will be revising these different types interrogative in this write-up. Yes/no questions These questions are also known as polar questions. They require a yes or a no answer. Examples • Is Tom also among the ambassadors? • Do you want some sugar in your tea? • Will Jibril travel this weekend? • Can you eat a bowl of rice? • Are you still living on garri? You would have noticed that we have used different verb forms in the examples. Can you explain the verb forms used in each of them? The questions require short answers. Example Is Tom also among the ambassador? Answer: Yes, he is. Or simply, yes or no. Exercise Create questions for each of the following answers. Questions Answers • No, she hasn’t • Yes, I do. • No, it isn’t there. • Yes, there is. • Yes, they will. Wh questions These are questions which begin with what, who, where, which, when, why, how is also included. They always demand elaborate answers. Think about providing answers to the following questions. • Where were you born? • How did you gain admission to this school? • Where in this country would you like to go? • Why would you like to go there? • What is your friend’s favorite meal? Let us review how we use each of these wh words. What: It’s mostly used in English to require general information, e.g. What is there? We can use it to ask about the time, e.g. what time is it? When: It is used to request information about a general period as in, e.g. When did she come back? In the morning or on Wednesday, ‘What’ is more specific? Whose: It is used to ask for information about ownership, e.g. Whose bags are those? Where: It is used to request information about location, e.g. Where are you going? Who: We use this to request information about a person or people, e.g. Who called my name? Which: We use which to ask about a small set of things or animals, e.g. Which car did you drive? It is also use to single out a person, e.g. Which of the men is your Dad? Why: We use why to find out about the reason or the cause of something, e.g. Why did you come late? How: We use this to ask about the way something is done or has been done. Also you can also use it to ask about quality and quantity. Examples: • How did you get there? • How much is it? • How good was the firm? Exercise Add what, when, which, how, who or where to each of the following questions. • ----------------------- will the show begin? • ----------------------- who gave you this umbrella? • ----------------------- of the chairs is yours? • ----------------------- is the title of the film? • ----------------------- did Lanre get to Ibadan? • ----------------------- will the guest be arriving? • ----------------------- time will the choir be performing? • ----------------------- are you coping in that place? • ----------------------- will I see you again? • ----------------------- of the two women is your aunty? Rhetorical questions Rhetorical question does not require any answers. Speakers or writers use them as a persuasive device to make the audience understand their argument and agree with them. Examples • Should the common man be suffering all the time? • Are we not human beings? Tag question This type of question is also regarded as a statement question because it begins with a statement and ends with a short question. The question at the end of the statement is added to confirm something from the hearer. Example • Michael Jackson was a good musician, wasn’t he? (asking this question for agreement or disagreement) Recall that the statement can be in the positive or negative form, the question will be in the negative form, the question will be in the positive. • You are going there, aren’t you? (Positive) (Negative) • They didn’t destroy the picture, did they? (Positive) (Negative) Remember that the tag question is usually separated from the statement by a comma; also remember that the verbs and the subject number in the two expressions (statement and question) must agree. Agreement between the verbs must also be shown in the tense forms. Examples • Tamara was awarded a prize, wasn’t she? (noun (verb (comma) (verb (pronoun Female) past) past) female) • He cannot climb that tree, can he? (pronoun (verb (comma) (verb (pronoun Male) present) present) male) Negative verbs form are usually contracted (made short) in the tag. Examples • Will not = won’t • Has not = hasn’t • Would not = wouldn’t • Did not = didn’t • Is not – isn’t • Were not = weren’t Note that there are exceptions to the rules of agreement between words in the statements and the tag. For example, if a simple present or a simple past tense has been used in a positive statement, we will need to insert the auxiliary in the tag. Example • You went there – didn’t you? • Aminu smokes cigarettes – doesn’t he? (Simple present tense) Exercises Complete each of the following by adding the correct tag. • He could dance well, --------------------? • My friend is responsible, ----------------? • They will be punished tomorrow, -----------------? • The goods were not stolen, ------------------------? • Shehu doesn’t have the money yet, ----------------? Now provide the statement for each of the tag question below. • ----------------------- wouldn’t we? • ----------------------- wasn’t? • ----------------------- couldn’t? • ----------------------- will you? • ---------------------- have you? Complete the following with the proper tag question. • Bimbo loves ice cream, -----------------------? • My cousins came early yesterday, --------------? • Adamu slapped Shehu, -----------------------? • The kids love playing football, ---------------? • The Empire State building towers are above others, ------------------? NB: You also need to note that some other tag questions display exceptions. For example, in I am tall; the tag cannot be amn’t I? But aren’t I? or You have to do this work cannot be haven’t you? But don’t you? We provide short answers to tag questions? • Yes, it does. • No, she can’t. Note that answer is supposed to show a repetition of the verb in the tag. You can jump, can’t you? Answer: Yes I can / No I can’t. Sometimes, we do not require an answer in some tag questions, e.g. in expressions that convey politeness. Examples • Have some cookies, will you? • Help us, can you? • Pass the salt, will you? • Don’t refuse, will you? You would also have noticed that these polite expressions do not display any agreement between the verbs used in the statement and the tag. They also do not conform to the rule that a positive statement should followed by a negative tag or vice versa. Provide the proper tag in each of the following. • You are happy here, --------------------? • Bode will not be sent home early, ----------------? • The kids can keep the fruits, -----------------------? • Take some money from the drawer, ------------------? • Mrs. Williams is not traveling today, --------------------? • Tajudeen should represent us, ---------------------? • The fruits were ripe enough, ------------------------? • Prepare those documents, ---------------------------? • I am wrong, ---------------------------? • Clear the table, -----------------------? • Have some sweet, --------------------? • Today could have been Halloween, -------------------------? • Tigers are dangerous, -----------------------------? • Assist them, ------------------------? • You really love western films, ----------------------? By Eguriase S. M. Okaka