Direct Question

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What Is a Direct Question?

A direct question is a question that can be answered (i.e., it is not a statement) and always ends in a question mark. For example:

• Have you ever sent a text message to the wrong person?
• Do you fold your pizza when you eat it?
• What would be the coolest animal to scale up to the size of a horse?
• Who was your worst teacher?
• Would you rather be a hobbit or an elf for a day?
• In the apocalypse, would you rather tough it alone or try to find a community to live in?

A direct question is an interrogative sentence.

The Difference between a Direct Question and an Indirect Question

An indirect question is a question embedded within a statement or another question. A sentence featuring an indirect question might not end in a question mark. In the two examples below, the indirect questions are shaded.

• Lee is asking if the ticket is valid.
(This is a statement, not a question. The direct question is "Is the ticket valid?" Notice that the indirect question "if the ticket is valid" has the same subject-verb word order as a statement (i.e., "the ticket is valid"). This is an example of an indirect question in a declarative sentence (i.e., a statement). Note that there is no question mark.)

• Is Lee asking if the ticket is valid?
(This time, the indirect question is embedded in a question. Again, the direct question is "Is the ticket valid?" This is an example of an indirect question in an interrogative sentence (i.e., a question). Note that there is now a question mark.)

Read more about indirect questions.

The Three Main Types of Direct Question

There are 3 main types of direct question:

(Type 1) Yes/No Questions

• Do you like celery?
(The answer to a yes/no question will be yes or no.)
(Answer to this question: No.)

(Type 2) "Question Word" Questions

• What is celery salt?
(The answer to a "question word" question will be some information.)
(Answer: Celery salt is a seasoned salt made from ground celery seeds and table salt.)

(Type 3) Choice Questions

• Do you want garlic salt or celery salt?
(The answer to a choice question will be in the question.)
(Answer: Garlic salt)

NB: If you look again at the six questions at the top of this page, you will notice that the top two are yes/no questions, the next two are question-word questions, and the last two are choice questions.

Forming Yes/No Questions

Yes/no questions are formed: Here are some examples of yes/no questions:

Auxiliary Verb	Subject	Main Verb	Remainder	Possible Answer
Can	Simon	swim?		No, he can't.
Has	she	finished	screaming?	No, she hasn't.
Does	Peter	want	to stay?	Yes, he does.
Did	they	leave	soon after me?	Yes, they did.
Will	you	be	happy?	Yes, I will.

With the verb to be in the present tense or the past tense, the format is:

Verb To Be	Subject	Remainder	Possible Answer
Are	you	happy?	Yes, I am.
Was	he	happy?	Yes, he was.

Note: As an auxiliary verb is required to form the future tense, the format for the verb to be in the future tense is the same as normal. (Look at the last row of the first table above.)

Forming "Question Word" Questions

"Question word" questions are formed: Here are some examples of "question word" questions:

Question Word	Auxiliary Verb	Subject	Main Verb	Remainder	Possible Answer
Where	did	she	go?		London.
Why	have	they	started	the play early?	Because of the rain.
When	will	Lee	catch	a decent bass?	Probably never.
Whom	is	he	fighting	on Saturday?	Some French lunatic.

When the question word is who, the format is:

Question Word (and Subject)	Main Verb	Remainder	Possible Answer
Who	taught	Lee to fish?	No one.
Who	is thinking	about Saturday?	I am.

When using the verb to be in the present or past tense, the format is:

Question Word	Verb To Be	Subject	Remainder	Possible Answer
When	is	Easter Sunday?		Before Easter Monday.
Why	are	you	angry?	No reason.
What	was	that noise?		It was an elephant.
When	were	they	made?	Over a thousand years ago.

Read more about the question words: What are interrogative pronouns?
What are interrogative adjectives?

Forming Choice Questions

Choice questions are formed: Here are some examples of choice questions:

Auxiliary Verb	Subject	Main Verb	Choice 1	or	Choice 2	Possible Answer
Do	you	drink	tea	or	coffee?	Tea.
Did	Lee	catch	a whelk	or	a bass?	A whelk.

When using the verb to be in the present or past tense, the format is:

Verb To Be	Subject	Choice 1	or	Choice 2	Possible Answer
Is	it	true	or	false?	It's true.
Were	you	disappointed	or	angry?	Angry.

Rhetorical Direct Questions

A direct question could be rhetorical. A rhetorical question is a direct question that does not require an answer.

Rhetorical questions are commonly used like obvious statements. For example:

• What's not to like?
• What is the matter with kids today?

They can also be useful for introducing a topic and showing impartiality. For example:

• What happened to your vote?
• Was the project worth the money?

Read more about rhetorical question.

Why Direct Questions Are Important

If you're studying or teaching English, then learning the various question structures is essential. The ability to ask questions is important.

• He who asks a question is a fool for a minute. He who does not remains a fool forever. (Chinese proverb)
• The important thing is never to stop questioning. (Physicist Albert Einstein)

Here are two good reasons for native English speakers to care a bit more about direct questions.

(Reason 1) Don't use a question mark with a non-question.

By far the most common mistake related to direct questions is using a question mark at the end of a sentence that isn't a question. This mistake typically occurs when the sentence contains an indirect question. In these examples, the indirect questions are shaded.

• Anna needs to know when the parcel will arrive?
• Tell me if you have any allergies?
(These are not questions. There should be no question marks.)

Before using a question mark, make sure the whole sentence is a question.

• Does Anna need to know when the parcel will arrive?
• Will you tell me if you have any allergies?

Read more about indirect questions.

(Reason 2) Rhetorical direct questions make good titles and are good for adding a touch of diplomacy.

Rhetorical direct questions make good titles because they encourage readers to consider the answer before reading on.

• Who Was Responsible for the Flu Pandemic?
(This is more engaging than a title like "Responsibility for the Flu Pandemic".)

Rhetorical direct questions are also good for introducing the content without exposing the author's bias.

• Was BREXIT worth it?
(Presented as a rhetorical question, this title does not fully expose the author's bias on the matter of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.)

Read more about rhetorical questions.

Key Points

Printable Test