Examples of interrogative sentences ask a question and end with a question mark, putting the auxiliary before the subject. The line “Where is the station?” moves is ahead of the station, which is what marks it as a question. Four main types cover almost every question a learner needs.
Examples of interrogative sentences at a glance
- An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark.
- Yes/no questions begin with an auxiliary verb.
- Wh-questions begin with who, what, where, when, why, or how.
- Tag questions attach a short check to a statement.
- The commonest error is keeping statement order in a direct question.
What are interrogative sentences?
An interrogative sentence is a sentence whose job is to ask, so it opens the question and invites an answer. English marks it two ways: with a question mark on the page and with a change of word order in speech. The table groups the main types by the way each one opens.
| Type | Opening word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/no question | an auxiliary verb first | Are you coming? |
| Wh-question | who, what, where, when, why, how | Where is the station? |
| Tag question | a statement plus a short tag | You are coming, aren’t you? |
| Choice question | or between two options | Tea or coffee? |
| Indirect question | a polite frame plus a question clause | Could you tell me where it is? |
Every question has two jobs: to ask for information and to signal the kind of answer expected. A yes/no question invites a nod or a shake; a wh-question expects a full reply. Knowing which answer you want shapes the first word you choose.
How do you form an interrogative sentence?
Forming an interrogative sentence means changing the order of the words rather than only adding a question mark. A question word occasionally describes a noun, and interrogative adjectives explain that job. The table shows the word order for five common question shapes.
| Question type | Word order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/no | auxiliary + subject + verb | Can she drive? |
| Wh-subject | question word as the subject | Who called you? |
| Wh-object | question word + auxiliary + subject | What did you buy? |
| Prepositional | question word, preposition at the end | Who are you waiting for? |
| Negative | auxiliary + not + subject | Do you not like it? |
The auxiliary does the heaviest work in a question. It carries the tense, takes the position in front of the subject, and shows the negative when one is needed, which is why a missing auxiliary is the commonest fault in a learner’s question.
Examples of interrogative sentences across contexts
Interrogative sentences do different work in different settings, from a quick check in a shop to a careful request in an email. Ten examples follow, each with its type.
| Context | Interrogative sentence | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom | Does everyone have a copy? | yes/no |
| Workplace email | Could you confirm the date? | indirect |
| Interview | Why did you choose this role? | wh-question |
| Shop | How much does this cost? | wh-question |
| Doctor’s office | Does it hurt when you breathe? | yes/no |
| Travel | Where do I collect my ticket? | wh-question |
| Phone call | Is this the right number for the surgery? | yes/no |
| Meeting | Shall we move on to the next item? | yes/no offer |
| Small talk | How was your weekend? | wh-question |
| Confirming | You sent the file, didn’t you? | tag question |
Direct or indirect questions: which should you use?
Choosing between a direct and an indirect question depends on how formal the setting is and how much room the listener needs to answer. A direct question is quick and clear; an indirect one wraps the question in a polite frame. The pair in interrogative adjectives using which and what keeps two easily confused openers apart.
| Feature | Direct question | Indirect question |
|---|---|---|
| Form | question word order | statement order inside a frame |
| Politeness | neutral to casual | often more polite |
| Example | Where is the bank? | Could you tell me where the bank is? |
| Punctuation | ends with a question mark | the frame carries the question mark |
| Best for | quick checks | formal or polite requests |
Use a direct question for speed and an indirect question for politeness; the meaning stays the same, but the tone shifts sharply. Notice that the meaning barely changes between the two columns; what changes is who feels invited to answer and how easily they can decline.
Word forms and grammar of interrogative sentences
The grammar of a question turns on the auxiliary, which carries the tense, the question, and the negation all at once. An indirect question keeps statement order inside its clause, which is the point to watch, because a dependent question clause behaves much like adjective clauses in complex sentences.
| Form | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary first | Is he ready? | be, can, and will move before the subject |
| Do-support | Do they live here? | do carries tense with a plain verb |
| Wh-subject | Who broke it? | no auxiliary is added |
| Tag | It is cold, is it not? | the tag matches the auxiliary |
| Indirect | I asked whether she was free. | the clause uses statement order |
Questions also soften a request. Asking whether a colleague has a moment is gentler than telling them to stop, which is why the interrogative form appears so often in polite writing.
Common mistakes with interrogative sentences
Five slips appear when learners build a question, and each one breaks the word order or the punctuation. Reading the wrong version beside the right one makes the fix clear, and a quick check of the auxiliary catches most of them.
Mistake 1: statement order kept. Incorrect: You are coming? Correct: Are you coming? Rule: a yes/no question moves the auxiliary before the subject.
Mistake 2: do-support in an indirect question. Incorrect: Could you tell me where is the bank? Correct: Could you tell me where the bank is? Rule: an indirect question uses statement order.
Mistake 3: a question mark on a statement. Incorrect: Yes, I am? Correct: Yes, I am. Rule: a statement takes a full stop, not a question mark.
Mistake 4: the wrong question word. Incorrect: How is your name? Correct: What is your name? Rule: what asks for a thing or a name.
Mistake 5: two auxiliaries. Incorrect: Do can you swim? Correct: Can you swim? Rule: only one auxiliary carries the question.
Practice using examples of interrogative sentences
- Fill in the blank: ___ you finished your homework?
- Choose the correct question: (Where the station is? / Where is the station?)
- Correct the error: Could you tell me where is the post office?
- Build a question: turn “She likes coffee” into a yes/no question.
- Spot the type: is “Who opened the window?” a yes/no question or a wh-question?
- Fill in the blank: a tag question ends with a short ___ such as is it not?
Answers
- Have, because the auxiliary moves before the subject.
- Where is the station, because a direct question puts is before the subject.
- Could you tell me where the post office is, because the indirect clause keeps statement order.
- Does she like coffee? because do-support carries the question.
- A wh-question, because it opens with who and asks for a person.
- tag, because the short tag turns the statement into a check.
The bottom line
Examples of interrogative sentences all ask something, and they signal the question through word order as well as a question mark. Direct questions move the auxiliary first; indirect questions keep statement order inside a polite frame. Learn the four main types, watch the auxiliary, and a learner can build almost any question correctly.
Frequently asked questions about interrogative sentences
How many types of interrogative sentences are there?
Most grammar books name four or five: yes/no questions, wh-questions, choice questions, tag questions, and indirect questions. The first two cover the majority of everyday use. Each type is defined by the word it opens with and the order of its parts.
What punctuation do interrogative sentences use?
An interrogative sentence ends with a question mark, while a statement ends with a full stop. The mark is only one signal; the word order must change as well. A sentence with changed order but a full stop, or reversed, is still wrong.
What is the difference between a direct and an indirect question?
A direct question keeps question word order, as in Where is the bank? An indirect question embeds the same idea in a polite frame and uses statement order, as in Could you tell me where the bank is? The meaning matches; the tone and grammar differ.
How do you make a statement into a question?
Find the auxiliary and move it before the subject: She can swim becomes Can she swim? If there is no auxiliary, add do, does, or did and use the base verb, as in They live here becoming Do they live here? Then end with a question mark.
