Yes/No Questions
A1 · BeginnerQuestionsDo you like coffee? Is she ready? Yes/no questions put an auxiliary verb before the subject — English can't just raise its voice like some languages do.
What you'll learn
- A yes/no question puts the auxiliary verb (do, does, did, is, are, have, can, will...) before the subject
- If the statement has no other auxiliary, add do/does (present) or did (past)
- Be, and any sentence that already has an auxiliary or modal, just inverts — no extra 'do' needed
- Word order after the auxiliary stays the same as a statement: subject + main verb
Moving the auxiliary before the subject
To turn a statement into a yes/no question, an auxiliary verb moves to the front, before the subject. This is called inversion, and it's the main structural difference between a statement and a question in English.
Adding do/does/did when there's no other auxiliary
Most present simple and past simple statements have no auxiliary verb at all — just look at 'You like coffee' or 'She called him'. To ask a yes/no question, insert do/does (present) or did (past) at the front, and the main verb goes back to its base form.
When an auxiliary already exists
If the statement already has be, have, or a modal verb (can, will, must...), no extra 'do' is needed — that existing word simply moves to the front instead.
Real English
Watch out
English can't turn a statement into a question just by raising your voice — the auxiliary do/does/did has to move to the front.
If the sentence already has 'be' as its main verb, just invert 'be' itself — don't add 'does' on top of it.
A modal verb like can, will, or must inverts on its own — never add 'do' in front of a modal.
Real life — Checking in with a friend
"Are you free this weekend?"
"I think so — do you have something in mind?"
"Have you ever been to that new restaurant downtown?"
"No, but I'd love to try it. Does it take reservations?"
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question.
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question.
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question — 'be' inverts without 'do'.
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question.
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question — past simple.
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question — with a modal verb.
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question — present perfect.
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question.
Exercise 9 · Turn the statement into a question
Turn into a question: 'You speak French.' →
Exercise 10 · Turn the statement into a question
Turn into a question: 'She is a doctor.' →
Exercise 11 · Put the words in the correct order
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
Choose the correct question.
You learned
- A yes/no question moves the auxiliary verb before the subject.
- Add do/does (present) or did (past) if there's no other auxiliary.
- Be, have, and modal verbs invert on their own — no extra 'do' needed.
- The word order after the auxiliary stays subject + main verb.
Related grammar lessons
WH- Questions
Learn how to ask for specific information with what, where, when, why, who, and how, using the same auxiliary inversion as yes/no questions.
Short Answers
Learn how to answer a yes/no question naturally, by echoing back the same auxiliary verb the question used.
Subject vs Object Questions
Learn the one case where a question needs NO do/does/did — when the question word itself is the subject of the sentence.
Question Tags
Learn how to add a short tag like 'isn't it?' or 'don't you?' to the end of a statement, flipping its polarity and matching its auxiliary.