Learn English – How to identify a yes/no question

questions

Is there any pattern or heuristic that can be used to identify a yes/no question, with reasonable accuracy?

Best Answer

Yes/No questions in formal English have the following characteristics:

  1. A rising intonation at the end of the question; in print, the question mark.

  2. An inversion of the subject and the first auxiliary verb. E.g,
    You have lived in New York. ~ Have you lived in New York?
    If there is no auxiliary verb at hand, Do-Support provides one:
    You lived on 37th Street. ~ Did you live on 37th Street?

That's it for Y/N questions; they're the simplest.
Wh-questions start off from Y/N questions and add an interrogative Wh-word.
There are of course many other ways to ask questions. Aren't there?

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