Framing Questions
A question is that form of a sentence which seeks confirmation or some information with regard to time, place, manner, reason, etc.
e.g. Do you have brothers and sisters? [Seeking confirmation: Yes or No]
When will the taxi arrive? [seeking information about time]
Where have you put my key? [seeking information about place]
How does she dance? [seeking information about manner]
Why is Ajith absent today? [seeking information about reason]
Some common words used to seek information are
What, when, where, why, how, whose, which, how much/many.
Exercise:
Frame questions for the following sentences so as to get the underlined answer:
Spider webs are delicate, yet very strong.
How are spider webs?
A rainbow colours the entire sky.
What colours the entire sky?
The greatest difficulty was in identifying the plants.
What was the greatest difficulty?
Dialogues throughout the book are lively.
How are the dialogues throughout the book?
The books have a few drawbacks.
What do the books have.
I've been asked to bring back a vaccine for a horse.
Ans. What have I been asked to bring back?
I went in search of a nearby shop where I had seen ties.
What did I go in search of?
The driver refused to wait.
Who refused to wait?
Parking was prohibited.
What was prohibited.
Nature soothes and nurtures.
What does nature do?
My greatest guru was my mother.
Who was my greatest guru.
Parallel lines never meet.
What kind of lines never meet?
It must answer the experimental test.
What must it answer?
Superstitions of various kinds are prevalent among the masses.
What is prevalent among the masses?
Cones are the most popular means of application of mehendi.
What is the most popular means of application of mehendi?
Muslims hold the application of henna to be a meritorious act.
Who holds the application of henna to be a meritorious act?
We went to rocky beach and saw the spread of the majestic ocean.
Where did we go and see the spread of the majestic ocean?
Their teamwork and perseverance were impressive.
What was impressive?
Saina is exceptional.
who is exceptional?
What is important is not to get carried away.
What is important?
The yawning gap of 12 percent between demand and supply of electricity continues to be an acute problem.
What continues to be an acute problem?
There are numerous reasons for India to "go solar"
Why are there numerous reasons for India?
The government has launched the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) mechanism.
What has the government launched?
My father dies when I was six.
When did my father die?
The resin is collected from the roots.
From where is the resin collected?
Performing an act of kindness produces a positive attitude.
What does performing an act of kindness produce?
Wh type questions.
The interrogative pronouns who, what, whom, whose, which and the interrogative adverbs where, when, why and how are used to frame information questions.
The structure ‘how + an adjective/adverb’ may also be used to frame information questions.
Frame WH questions to get the underline part as answers.
1. We lived downstairs of the hospital.
Ans. Where did we live?
2. He announced that he was going to be a doctor.
Ans. What did he announce?
3. He catches the bus.
Ans. What does he catch?
4. Nature heard the conversation.
Ans. What did Nature hear?
5. The queen of violets saw by her side the converted violet.
Ans. Whom did the queen of violets see by her side?
6. The morning routine started with tea.
Ans. How did the morning routine start?
7. I didn’t mind vegetable shopping.
Ans. What did I not mind?
8. The final indicator of a country’s independence is the way its children live.
Ans. What is the final indicator of a country’s independence?
9. He launched an independent partnership.
Ans. What did he launch?
10. The rain water rises the water table in the sand.
Ans. What does the rain water rise in the sand?
11. The monsoon starts in June.
Ans. When does the monsoon start?
12. We reached America.
Ans. Where did we reach?
13. Dimple breaks the glass.
Ans. Who does break the glass?
14. 20 billion messages are sent every month worldwide.
Ans. How many messages are sent every month worldwide?
Additional Examples
Frame questions which will give the following answers.
1. These are John’s books.
2. I want a pen.
3. We will stay with our cousins.
4. I am going with my aunt.
5. I went there to meet James.
6. My boy is the one in red shirt.
7. I come from Bangkok.
8. I met him last week.
9. This bridge is fifty feet long.
10. My father is sixty years old.
11. I have two brothers and two sisters.
12. Mr. Mathews is our headmaster.
13. We came to this place five years ago.
Answers
1. Whose books are these?
2. What do you want?
3. Whom will you stay with?
4. I am going with my aunt.
5. Why did you go there?
6. Which is your boy?
7. Where do you come from?
8. When did you meet him?
9. How long is this bridge?
10. How old is your father?
11. How many brothers and sisters do you have?
12. Who is your headmaster?
13. When did you come to this place?
