Lesson 3 · Lesson guide
Question Forms and Word Order
Hello, my dear student!
Hello, my dear student!
The IELTS Speaking test starts with questions: Where are you from? Do you work or are you a student? What do you like about your hometown? To answer well, you must understand them quickly. And in real life you need to ask questions too.
In Uzbek we often make a question just by adding -mi, and the words can stay where they are. English is strict: the words of a question always come in the same order. Today you will learn this order with one easy word, QWASI. After this lesson your questions will sound natural and correct.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
Your browser has no English voice, so the listen buttons are hidden. Everything is written on the page.
Questions with be and with do
First decide: is there am, is or are in the sentence, or another verb?
Rule 1
Questions with be
Move am, is or are before the subject: She is a student. → Is she a student?
- Is she a student?(U talabami?)
- Are you from Samarkand?(Siz Samarqanddanmisiz?)
Rule 2
Questions with do and does
Every other verb needs do or does before the subject, and the verb loses its -s: He works. → Does he work?
- Do you live in a flat?(Kvartirada yashaysizmi?)
- Does he work on Saturdays?(U shanba kunlari ishlaydimi?)
Rule 3
Yes/no questions and wh- questions
A yes/no question starts with the helper: Do, Does, Is, Are. A wh- question puts the question word first: What, Where, When…
- Do you like music? Yes, I do.(Musiqani yoqtirasizmi? Ha, yoqtiraman.)
- What music do you like? Pop music.(Qanday musiqani yoqtirasiz? Pop musiqani.)
Rule 4
The preposition goes at the end
In questions, small words like from, with and at usually go at the end: Where are you from? (not “From where are you?”)
- Where are you from?(Qayerdansiz?)
- Who do you live with?(Kim bilan yashaysiz?)
Remember!
Am, is or are in the sentence? Move it before the subject. Another verb? Add do or does.
QWASI: the order of a question
Most questions follow the same order. Remember the word QWASI.
QW
Question word
What, where, when, who, why, how… It comes first. A yes/no question has no question word.
- Where do you live?(Qayerda yashaysiz?)
A
Auxiliary (the helper)
do, does, am, is or are. It comes before the subject.
- What does your father do?(Otangiz nima ish qiladi?)
S
Subject
The person or thing we ask about: you, your sister, the lesson.
- When does the lesson start?(Dars qachon boshlanadi?)
I
Infinitive (the main verb)
The main verb, with no -s and no -ing: live, work, start. With be there is no I: Where is your school?
- How often do you play football?(Qanchalik tez-tez futbol oʻynaysiz?)
Remember!
QW + A + S + I: Where + do + you + live? With be: QW + be + S: Where + is + your school?
Question words and their answers
Tap each question to hear it. The note shows what kind of answer it needs.
What do you do?
(Nima ish qilasiz?)
your job: I’m a nurse.
Where do you live?
(Qayerda yashaysiz?)
a place: In Tashkent.
When do you study?
(Qachon dars qilasiz?)
a time: In the evening.
Who do you live with?
(Kim bilan yashaysiz?)
a person: With my parents.
Why do you learn English?
(Nega ingliz tilini oʻrganasiz?)
a reason: Because…
How do you get to school?
(Maktabga qanday borasiz?)
the way: By bus. On foot.
How often do you go to the gym?
(Sport zaliga qanchalik tez-tez borasiz?)
how many times: Twice a week.
How many brothers do you have?
(Nechta aka-ukangiz bor?)
a number: Two.
How long is the lesson?
(Dars qancha davom etadi?)
how much time: An hour.
Which bus do you take?
(Qaysi avtobusga chiqasiz?)
one from a small group: Number 51.
A note from your teacher
Whose? (= “belongs to who?”) comes in the next lesson.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: the first questions
Listen to the examiner and Sardor. Look at the order of the words in every question.
- Examiner
Good morning. Can you tell me your full name, please?
- Sardor
Yes, of course. My name is Sardor Karimov.
- Examiner
Where are you from, Sardor?
- Sardor
I’m from Namangan, in the Fergana Valley.
- Examiner
Do you work or are you a student?(Ishlaysizmi yoki talabamisiz?)
- Sardor
I’m a student. I study medicine in Tashkent.
- Examiner
What do you like about your hometown?(Tugʻilgan shahringizning nimasi sizga yoqadi?)
- Sardor
I like the people. They’re very friendly, and the food is great.
- Examiner
How often do you go back there?
- Sardor
About once a month, usually at the weekend.
Every question follows QWASI: Where + are + you…? What + do + you + like…? How often + do + you + go…? And Sardor gives a full answer, not just one word.
Mistakes I hear every day
In Uzbek a question often has the same order as a sentence. In English the order changes.
Not: Where you are from?Say: Where are you from?(Qayerdansiz?)
In a question, be comes before the subject.
Not: What you do?Say: What do you do?(Nima ish qilasiz?)
Do is the main verb here, but the question still needs the helper do: What + do + you + do?
Not: Where does he lives?Say: Where does he live?
After does, the verb has no -s.
Not: Are you like football?Say: Do you like football?
Like is a verb, so use do, not are.
Not: From where are you?Say: Where are you from?(Qayerdansiz?)
In questions, from goes at the end.
Not: With who do you live?Say: Who do you live with?(Kim bilan yashaysiz?)
In speaking, with goes at the end.
Not: How much brothers do you have?Say: How many brothers do you have?(Nechta aka-ukangiz bor?)
Use how many with things you can count: brothers, books, people.
Check yourself
Put the words in order: you / where / live / do
Correct it: What does she likes?
Be or do? ___ you a student?
Which question word asks about a reason?
Now it’s your turn!
6 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher